Why does this matter? Across all professional industries, we are at a generational phase of succession. An increasingly retiring boomer generation is giving way to a wave of 40/50-something Xer’s who haven’t been on the planet long enough to accrue the same level of leadership skills. They are doing the best they can, but you simply can’t acquire forty years of experience if you’ve only been in your professional role for twenty-five years.
There is no button you can push to accelerate developmental growth. While you can Google an answer to any question and rely on AI to write a better essay, there is no shortcut to maturity. Of course, you can develop your stress-management skills in order to boost the pace. Behaving like an adult under pressure is always more valuable than throwing a tantrum.
So, that’s the key. While you can’t accelerate chronological development, you can get better at keeping your cool during a crisis. We all regress a little when the pressure rises. Leaders are expected to keep that regression to themselves and provide confidence, clarity, and decisiveness – even if they’re upset and don’t know what to do.
Your leadership role demands maturity. Don’t let the stress of your succession transition transform you into an adolescent. If you are on your way to retirement, send a message. Finish strong and model the resilience you’d wish to be remembered by. After all, it’s your legacy – and your successor is watching carefully.