Age, Enjoyment and Competence

When I see an old person (around my age or more) hanging on to an important position at the expense of younger, more fit and qualified individuals, I usually cringe. 

Then I’m told “Well, these older folks enjoy their job so much, their output can’t be that bad, so why don’t you leave them where they are!” Okay, one can enjoy a job, any job, but that doesn’t makes them fully qualified and filled with sufficient energy and creativity to carry on the work that’s expected of them. 

Indeed, there’s a huge difference between being enjoying a position and qualified to do it optimally. I do believe that leadership positions are best suited for folks in the 50 to 60 age category. 

Not more and also not less. Look at examples like France’s Macron or America’s Obama, for which younger leaders are not quite up to the task as they have not garnered yet the necessary acumen and life experience. 

The problem with leaving older persons at command posts is that it creates a vacuum as the following generations won’t have any opportunity to garner the leadership and decision skills needed to lead, while their brain are still malleable enough to learn. 

Lower and upper age limitations should always be a consideration while selecting leaders, at least that the opinion of a 75 year old like me. What’s yours?