Imagine living to be 100. In Lynda Gratton’s and Andrew Scott ‘ The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity<\/em>[1] this potential dream or nightmare is exactly what they imagine. They challenge the traditional three-stage life\u2014education, work, retirement\u2014suggesting that as we live longer, we\u2019ll need to rethink how we approach each of these phases. But there\u2019s more to this conversation. Beyond careers and finances, what does it mean to lead a life with meaning, purpose, and responsibility over such a long lifespan?<\/p>\n Gratton and Scott talk about how the traditional life path\u2014learn, work, retire\u2014is becoming obsolete. In this new world of longevity, we\u2019re looking at a multi-stage life where people will change careers, return to learning, and rethink retirement multiple times. This can be daunting, but it\u2019s also a chance to continually reinvent ourselves.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve experienced this first-hand. I remember when my wife and I had our third child. We already had two children, but it wasn\u2019t until our third was born\u2014when I was 36\u2014that I truly began to understand what it meant to give 100% to my family. Before then, I was still prioritizing work and my social life more than I\u2019d care to admit. When our third child came along, it hit me that I was being selfish, and I didn\u2019t like how that reflected on me. That realization led me to change jobs and shrink my freelance work and even my friendship group. The person I was Front Stage<\/em> wasn\u2019t matching who I wanted to be Back Stage<\/em>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where Simon P. Walker\u2019s The Undefended Leader<\/em>[2] really shines. Walker talks about how we navigate our lives through a Front Stage<\/em> and a Back Stage<\/em>. The Front Stage<\/em> is what we present to the world\u2014our public persona. The Back Stage<\/em> is where our true self resides, the part of us that is authentic and maybe a little more vulnerable. In a multi-stage life, as we face transitions, challenges, and new phases, this gap between our Front<\/em> and Back<\/em> stages can widen.<\/p>\n Leading with authenticity\u2014where my Front Stage<\/em> and Back Stage<\/em> aligned\u2014became crucial during that transition in my life. I had to step back and rethink what mattered most to me. Walker\u2019s message here is clear: if we lead our long lives defensively, always protecting that Front Stage<\/em> image, we\u2019ll miss out on the chance for genuine growth and connection.<\/p>\n As we live longer, another question comes up: how do we manage the power we gain over time? Gratton and Scott mention that people may experience several career transitions and accumulate influence in different ways. But with more time, more power, and more responsibility, we have to think about how we\u2019re using these things.<\/p>\n This idea is particularly relevant to me now. After launching my own business in 2018, I\u2019m going through a major transition again. My business has grown, and now, instead of being a “solopreneur,” I have to embrace being a CEO. What this means for me is letting go of control, trusting my team, and focusing more on working on<\/em> the business rather than in<\/em> it. I\u2019ve always been the type of person to jump in and solve a client\u2019s problem, but now I\u2019m learning to let others take care of things. It\u2019s a big shift in how I think about power\u2014letting it go, sharing it\u2014and it\u2019s not easy.<\/p>\n This brings me to N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird\u2019s Jesus and the Powers<\/em>[3]. In their book, they look at how Jesus approached power, often turning it on its head. Instead of using power for personal gain, Jesus used it to serve others and challenge unjust systems. In a world where many of us will live longer and potentially accumulate more power, this idea feels more relevant than ever.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve had to think carefully about how I use my influence within my business. The transition from being the go-to problem solver to empowering others feels like a direct lesson from Wright and Bird. It\u2019s about understanding that leadership isn\u2019t about holding onto control but empowering those around you.<\/p>\n One of the trickier aspects of living longer is the financial side. Gratton and Scott don\u2019t shy away from the reality that we\u2019ll need to plan for longer careers, extended periods of learning, and the possibility of several retirements. But that\u2019s not just a logistical issue\u2014it\u2019s an ethical one. How do we ensure that everyone gets the chance to thrive in this new model, not just the people with resources?<\/p>\n This is where Jim Wallis\u2019s God\u2019s Politics<\/em>[4] becomes important. Wallis talks about how our political and economic systems should reflect our moral values. He pushes for policies that prioritize the common good over individual wealth. If we\u2019re going to live longer, then we need to build systems that make that sustainable for everyone\u2014not just the people who can afford to invest in their future.<\/p>\n Think about a time when you\u2019ve seen policies or systems in your community that didn\u2019t seem fair\u2014maybe they helped some people but left others out. Wallis\u2019s point is that our ethical commitments should guide how we structure these long lives, making sure that financial and social support is there for everyone. This echoes a growing tension in today\u2019s world\u2014how do we balance the increasing needs of a longer life with the structures we already have in place? If we\u2019re not careful, the gap between those who can afford longevity and those who cannot will only widen.<\/p>\n So, what does it mean to live 100 years? As Gratton and Scott show, it\u2019s not just about planning for a longer life\u2014it\u2019s about embracing the opportunities that come with it. But those opportunities require thoughtful leadership, careful management of power, and a commitment to ethical responsibility. Simon P. Walker\u2019s ideas about authentic leadership remind us to stay true to ourselves as we navigate multiple life stages. N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird\u2019s work on power encourages us to use our influence for good. And Jim Wallis challenges us to build systems that support everyone, ensuring that this 100-year life is sustainable and meaningful for all.<\/p>\n [1] Gratton, Lynda, and Andrew Scott. The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity<\/em>. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.<\/p>\n [2] Walker, Simon P. The Undefended Leader<\/em>. Carlisle, UK: Piquant Editions, 2010.<\/p>\n [3] Wright, N.T., and Michael F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians<\/em>. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2019.<\/p>\n [4] Wallis, Jim. God\u2019s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn\u2019t Get It<\/em>. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2005.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introduction Imagine living to be 100. In Lynda Gratton’s and Andrew Scott ‘ The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity[1] this potential dream or nightmare is exactly what they imagine. They challenge the traditional three-stage life\u2014education, work, retirement\u2014suggesting that as we live longer, we\u2019ll need to rethink how we approach each […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310],"tags":[2489,3205],"class_list":["post-38688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","tag-dlgp02","tag-gratton","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/175"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38690,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38688\/revisions\/38690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Multi-Stage Life and Leadership<\/h3>\n
Power and Its Place in a Longer Life<\/h3>\n
Financial and Ethical Considerations<\/h3>\n