It’s my 58th birthday today, and a good a time as any to reflect on my professional life.
I’ve noticed something interesting: while there’s endless advice on how to start and develop a career, there’s very little on how to end one. So, I plan to share my journey here over time.
Not that I’m hanging up my whiteboard markers anytime soon. But after 30 years in product development and change management (yes, even before agile), it’s clear I’m closer to the end than the beginning.
And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay—it’s liberating.
It’s liberating because I don’t have to be concerned about the next promotion or the next company. Those opportunities are more likely to go to people with longer careers ahead of them, and that’s a good thing.
Think about how much the drive for career growth shapes your decisions and behaviors. For good reason—the right career choices have a tremendous impact on your happiness. You have to be aware of how others perceive you, how you position your work, navigate company politics, and spot new opportunities.
Now, I have the luxury of focusing on the role I’m in.
And what a role it is—driving changes in ways of working and culture for 25,000 product development professionals. It’s the capstone of everything I’ve learned over the last 30 years: product development, change management, communications, coaching, systems thinking, and a heavy dose of resilience.
I’m taking a risk posting publicly about being at the tail end of a career, but I’ve always believed it’s important to be open about these realities.
Two calls to action:
1. I’m interested in hearing from others at a similar stage. What are you thinking about? What’s one question about this new stage you’re still trying to answer?
2. One of the great luxuries of this time is focusing on the “selfish and interesting,” and for me, that’s sharing what I’ve learned over 30 years. I’m always open to a conversation about product development, change management, or leading teams through significant transformations.
Slow Management 