The need of the Hour is different paced career paths
Many many years ago (when I was project manager) I had a stakeholder in the US in one of the Fortune 500 clients who had been in the same designation for the last 10 years. Let's call him M.
M was in his early 50s, worked 3 days a week. Almost all his managers over the years were younger than him. In fact some of his managers were trained by him. Over the years I got to know him well. During one of my trips I asked him, "M don't you feel like doing more. Isn't it frustrating to see your juniors outpace you consistently, especially as your are the one who grooms and trains them".
He said no, "I like it like this. I get to balance my life. I work 3 days, and the other 4 days I like to read and write. I see all games of my favourite baseball team, take 2 vacations a year with my wife, and have savings for my retirement. I don't quite see why should I be pushing to do more and more."
For some people, their current job is the what defines them and for many others it's a means to fullfill their responsibilities and pursue their other interests. There isn't a right of a wrong, just what works for each individual.
Yet, the way the corporate ladder, roles and assessments are built, especially in emerging economies, it assumes everyone wants the same thing. It assumes everyone is yearning for that promotion, and price that it may come with it. Sometimes the price may be more responsibility that brings along more stress or sometimes extended working hours.
As I speak with and coach people, some (more than a few) share that they would ideally be want to take it a bit easier to balance their life. Easier doesn't mean they want to do a shoddy job, but rather if they can continue getting a decent salary & increment, maybe more than inflation, get to do some good quality work. They don't want to compete for the next promotion. Some others are looking for reduced working hours or days.
Yet, most aren't able to make the switch, partly because our corporate systems don't enable it and partly because they fear missing out compared to their peers. Slowing down is almost considered as harakiri in the corporate world.
Of course, the final frontier needs to be crossed by each individual based on what they seek. Yet, I sincerely hope the organisations and the Indian corporate ecosystem makes it easier for people to pace their lives. Maybe a useful next step could be making different working hours/days a week as a mainstream option rather than something that's considered a favour offered to a select few. Maybe there are two career paths that companies can have employees opt for, and be able to switch at different points of time in their career and life stage.
A. The Growth Path
B. The Maintenance Path (where you want to take it a bit a slower and less intense, but still be able to contribute to the org. and be rewarded meaningfully)
