Struggling with change
An interview with Alan Deutschman Drawing on a startling range of compelling case studies — from heart patients and heroin-addicted criminals who transform their lives, to major corporations that revamp their cultures and pull off astonishing turnarounds — Deutschman is an enlightening and energetic speaker who conveys great insight and passion about the process of change. Alan Deutschman is the former Executive Director of Unboundary, a strategy consulting firm whose clientele includes top executives at major companies such as FedEx and Charles Schwab. In a 19-year career as a business journalist, he has been the Silicon Valley correspondent for Fortune; a senior writer at GQ, where he wrote the "Profit Motive" column; and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, where he has co-authored the "New Establishment" power list for the past decade. Most recently, he was a senior writer for Fast Company. There are so many books and websites devoted to change and personal development, many of which offer quick-fix solutions. Your book goes beyond facile answers. What made you write Change or Die? I was inspired to write Change or Die Dr. Frank You write about ordinary people, such as criminals and heart patients, who have enormous difficulty turning their lives around, who face seemingly “hopeless situations.” You recommend the support of "unreasonable" people to restore hope. How would you relate this message to Third Agers (45 to 75 years of age) who face their own challenges? The criminals are an extreme example, of course, but I think that most people struggle with major change between the ages of 45 and 75, whether it's needing to switch to healthier lifestyles, adapting to the wrenching changes in the economy and the business world, dealing with mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, coping with family issues (going through divorces, living with teenagers, caring for elderly parents) and entering different stages of life (the empty nest, say, or reaching a plateau at work, or adjusting to retirement). Many Third Agers are old enough to have achieved some real success in their careers and position in the world, and that actually makes it even harder for them to acknowledge their problems and to seek out other people for the help and support they need. The American culture emphasizes individualism and self-reliance rather than community and connection. Dr. Frank You also emphasize learning, practising and mastering new habits and skills with the help of a support person or group. This person could be a coach or mentor who guides, encourages and directs you on your road to change. What new patterns of behaviour would you suggest for Third Agers? It depends on the individual, of course. A lot of Third Agers need to learn how to live in much healthier ways, whether it's physically, emotionally, or spiritually. This is the time in our lives when things break down if we don't keep them up. And the changes in the working world might demand that people who've thrived on predictable routines in big, stable companies learn instead how to deal with constant uncertainty in a more entrepreneurial environment. Dr. Frank You talk about "reframing," or learning new ways of thinking about a situation and life that gives you a fresh lens for looking at the world. Can you give us an example of how Third Agers might benefit from this notion? A lot of us have relied on doctors and the healthcare system to heal us when we get sick. We look to pharmaceuticals or even surgery as the solutions. We see ourselves as essentially helpless when it comes to our health, but we know that we can always turn to our doctors, who are heroic in our eyes. But a new way of thinking is that we can try to take much more responsibility for our health through the lifestyle choices we make every day--that we too can be heroic in a way. That's one example of "reframing." Another example would be to switch from the very American ideal of individualism and self-reliance to a new notion of seeking community for emotional support, spiritual connection, and higher purpose. There's certainly a romance to being a lone wolf when you're in your teens or twenties, but later in life so many people suffer from feelings of isolation and loneliness and seek a greater sense of meaning. Dr. Frank Your most recent book, Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders, deals with leadership as “the art of transforming how people think, feel and act.” Third Agers have an opportunity to take on new leadership roles, especially in community development and non-profit organizations. In what specific ways can Third Agers contribute to the growth and development of others? Walk the Walk Dr. Frank What message would you like to leave with midlifers and beyond who value midlife development and who wish to bring about change in their lives? In recent years the revolution in neuroscience has proven that our brains are capable of extraordinary change and new learning at nearly any age--certainly well into our senior years--if we keep at it. The neuroscientists call this "brain plasticity." That's so encouraging. Of course our grandparents could have told us the same thing--it's essentially "use it or lose it"--but all the research enabled by MRI scans has reminded us of this powerful truth. Dr. Frank What new projects are you working on? I've been busy traveling around the country talking about leadership and change to audiences from corporate America as well as in fields such as health care and education.
|
, debunks our myths about this crucial topic and reveals the surprising truths about what actually inspires and motivates real change. 
is all about how leadership relies overwhelmingly on the power of personal example. I think that role-modeling and mentoring is especially important, whether it takes place informally or it's part of an organized effort either within a corporation or through community and non-profit groups. We learn by modeling ourselves on others we admire, or by working with a good coach or teacher or mentor, or by being part of a group of peers who are striving together. Third Agers can be great role models and mentors and they can help organize programs that provide the crucial peer support as well.
