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Listen to Fred’s Episode 3 as you read it (below).
It Is March 1994
The brown leather chair squeaked with every squirm Fred went through in trying to get comfortable for his meeting with Ralph, the president.
"OK," Ralph said in a deep breath as he closed the door to his office and took three wide strides to his desk. A graying man now in his late fifties, he sat down across from Fred and paused as his eyes ran across the horizon that spanned his corner office windows.
He cupped both palms and slid them down his jaw. Fred had worked with Ralph for nearly 20 years, but it was the first time Fred had noticed the age spots on the back of Ralph's hands.
"I've thought a lot about our conversation last week," Ralph started slowly, "and I just wanted to check with you about whether you have any reservations about your decision."
"No," Fred said confidently, surprised that Ralph expected he would have second thoughts. "This is something I've been thinking about for at least two years. I want to retire and start my own business."
"I just wanted to make sure," Ralph said more abruptly, as he leaned back in his high-back chair. Somehow, he moved in his chair without causing the leather to squeak. "It's a big step."
"Well, at this stage in my life, I'm prepared to take on some new challenges," Fred admitted. "It's not going to be easy, but, at the same time, I'm excited about it."
"I think you'll be quite successful in the consulting business," Ralph allowed. Fred gulped because he knew the failure rate among people who try to start small businesses was about 80 percent after the first five years.
"It's called contract employment," Fred said with a chuckle, knowing Ralph always became amused when he would throw around the latest buzz words from his cadre of organizational development gurus – terms such as "vision statement" and "corporate values."
"That's right. I'll have to remember that one -- contract employment."
"Actually, I consider myself more of a counselor than a consultant -- a counselor for managing change. Doesn't that sound slick?" Fred said lightly with another chuckle.
Fred knew it was going to be tough. He needed to help his potential clients look beyond his disabilities so they could get to know him as a person who could build collaborative, trusting relationships with them and provide them with valuable services.
"No -- that sounds good," Ralph said more earnestly. "You could be quite successful. And you really have done quite well for yourself here. Married. New home."
True, Fred had achieved his dreams. Single until he was 40, he married Sue, and they built a new home.
"How old are you now?"
"51."
"Retirement is something I'll be looking at in a few years, too," Ralph said reflectively. "You'll probably have a more difficult time adjusting than I will."
Fred didn't know what he meant. Fred was ready to market his skills, developed over nearly 30 years of experience in corporate communications, and he was excited about it.
“The only choice we have as we mature is how we inhabit our vulnerability, how we become larger and more courageous and more compassionate through our intimacy with disappearance.” - David Whyte
But, then, Fred realized what he was saying. Establishing his own business would be more difficult for him because he could not speak clearly. He was not as mobile as others because he used crutches. Due to his physical limitations, Fred worked more slowly than others.
"I think we need a new definition of retirement," Fred finally said, trying to define how he perceived his situation. "I'm trying to establish something I can do beyond 65."
"You're making the right move," Ralph said candidly. "We're going to go through some tremendous changes during the next few years."
"Yes."
Drawing on the basic skills he learned while earning his journalism degree, Fred had managed the company's corporate communication function for Ralph during the last 17 years. By taking subsequent business courses, Fred also helped Ralph facilitate his strategic planning and visioning process. He had helped him position the company to take advantage of merger and acquisition opportunities as the industry went through its restructuring process.
Yet, Fred felt he was no longer needed at the company. It was time to step aside.
Information technology, governmental deregulation and global markets were prompting businesses to adopt a more participatory management style. And Fred wanted to be a part of that action.
"The more I thought about your retirement the more it became clear to me that health insurance is going to be a key part of the package we come up with," Ralph said, finally focusing on the point of the meeting. "Ready to review where we go from here?"
"Sure."
Fred’s takeaway tip from Episode 3: Develop the insight to recognize when to seek new challenges.
Watch for the last two Episodes of Fred and Ralph’s “Countdown to Closure.”
Here’s to mature-adult living!
Jim Hasse, ABC, GCDF retired, author of “52 Shades of Graying”
Weekly Stories About Aging Well
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Fresh out of college at 22, I knew I had to become adept at photography – to take my own photos for the newsletter I edited for Wisconsin Dairies.
But, I hesitated because I had one small problem. Due to my cerebral palsy, I needed two crutches to maintain my standing balance. How could I also handle a camera and maintain my balance at the same time?
In the 1960s, a good camera was bulky, required film and needed flash bulbs.
I eventually discovered a tripod that was not heavy but gave me stability and a mounted camera. During a photo shoot, I would leave my right Canadian crutch in the car or in my office and use the tripod as a substitute crutch, ready to stand alone whenever I stopped to snap a photo.
During the subsequent 10 years on that job (and as I grew into managing people instead of completing tasks), I became quite proficient as a photographer and actually enjoyed taking my own photos, even if it was not always the most productive use of my time.
* When did you take a risk which eventually proved to be a helpful step in your career?