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s Stephen's story familiar? After more than thirty years in a solid career, he’s just been made redundant. He’s sent out dozens of applications — but hasn’t had a single reply. He doesn’t feel old. He’s still sharp, curious, and full of energy. But the world of work has shifted. Younger hiring managers. New technologies. Different expectations. And suddenly, experience doesn’t seem to open doors the way it used to. Retirement? Not yet. He’s not ready — and can’t afford — to s

My late father-in-law, Jim, retired at 60 and spent the next 38 years pottering happily — gardening, grand-parenting and living life at a gentler pace. He represented the end of an era. For most people leaving work in their 50s or 60s today, the old model of work → stop → leisure no longer fits. Many don’t want to retire — and most simply can’t afford to fund a life-stage that could last 40 years. Welcome to the age of ‘the 100-year life’, the subject of a fascinating book

Something can shift in mid-life. You stop running on autopilot and start asking deeper questions. It’s not always a crisis that provokes...

In recent weeks, two of my coaching clients told me they had deliberately “dumbed down” their CVs when applying for jobs. Both felt their...

As part of my Henley Business School PCEC (Executive Coaching Certificate) studies, I’ve been exploring the concept of “life stages”...

The past nine months have been a turning point for me. I finished the Henley PCEC programme, stepped away from full-time work, turned 67,...

I was fortunate enough to be taught by Professor Charles Handy, who is credited with coming up with the idea of the portfolio career,...