I’ll never forget, reclined at a planetarium show, when I learned Pluto was no longer considered a planet in our solar system.
I was in total disbelief that something I learned in grade school, something so fundamental, had changed. It took me at least a year to be open to the idea, and then to learn more about how Pluto’s revised status came about.
Recent workplace changes require us older employees to unlearn some long-held beliefs, too. Unfortunately, it can be hard to unlearn engrained ways of thinking. One of the few downsides of experience is that our brains have created well-worn pathways, but these pathways may no longer make sense. After many years of believing something and acting accordingly, it can be very challenging to switch course.
These five “old” attitudes strike me as particularly important to unlearn.
A traditional career path brings success.
When you entered the workforce, career paths were well marked. In traditional business, it was called “the corporate ladder.” It was clear how to move from promotion to promotion and eventually wind up at the top. All sacrifices along the way would eventually be worth it, with progressive gains in compensation and status.
While this may still hold true in certain fields, in many it does not. Hiring managers no longer look at staying with one company for a lengthy period as a positive. In fact, for millennials, it’s common to jump between companies every two or three years. Due to ageism, those who are mid- and late-career may now find it more feasible to make parallel rather than upward moves or to patch together a number of consulting or freelance roles.
What you do determines your value.
This one is more a wisening that comes with age, rather than a reaction to change in work culture, but it’s still hard to unlearn. Happily, younger generations seem to be figuring this out earlier, too. Many retirees face this hard truth as they end their careers. Who are they without their work? This can be especially tough to accept when the career doesn’t end by choice, such as with a layoff.
A corollary old attitude: The harder you work, the more successful you’ll be. Not necessarily true. There’s a healthy shift taking hold now: What matters are the results, not the slog. Sometimes getting results doesn’t take hard work, it takes the right work.
Your seniority earns you a promotion.
The job is not yours simply because you were in line for it. Companies instead want the best person for the job. It can be infuriating when a younger person leapfrogs ahead. But that person may be uniquely qualified with the talent and skills for that role. It’s time to unlearn any entitlement you may feel.
Technology is hard.
Yes, some is. But chances are, you don’t need to design AI algorithms at your job. However, whatever technology your role does require, you will need to have total facility with it. That’s just how it is. Rebelling against this will not serve you well. Get clear on company expectations, embrace the mindset that this expectation is totally doable for you, and then double down to ensure your proficiency is up-to-snuff.
Paper is good.
Clinging to paper in work processes brands you as an anachronism. Sure, there are a few tasks that take well to paper. For example, I prefer to outline in a notebook. However, you couldn’t pay me to write an article longhand. Technology allows us to work and collaborate faster and more efficiently. For example, finding information or records on paper is incredibly time-consuming, while a simple search of digital files is not. Let go of your addiction to paper. Unlearn the feeling that paper is safer.
The first step in learning is unlearning what no longer serves you. Put these old views on your radar, take a breath or two to open your brain to this new world we work in, and prepare to move ahead.
Photo by David Cassolato from Pexels