Going With My Gut

Posted on by Wynne Leon

There’s an interesting aspect I’ve discovered in starting a new job at 54 years old. It relates to Arthur Brook’s book From Strength to Strength where he talks about fluid intelligence of youth versus crystallized intelligence of age 50 and beyond.

This is the first job in which I walk into this role of leader knowing I’m not here because of my smarts or my education but because of my experience. Nothing about the technology has changed – I’m still a computer consultant specializing in the Microsoft software that helps teams to collaborate – work on the same documents, route things for approval, pass on knowledge to others. And I’m leading a team of folks doing the same.

I’ve done this same role with similar objectives three times before in my career. But the last time I started an effort like this I was in my late 30’s. If I had to pinpoint a motto for that go-round, it would be something like, “We’re smart and energetic and can figure anything out.”

And four weeks into doing the same job but in my 50’s, I’ve realized my motto is tied between “Listen more. Talk less.” And “It’s all about people.”

The bottom line is that at this point in my career, I’m trusting my gut more and my mind less. Into the mix of the gut is intuition, experience, empathy. It’s not that I’m not thinking, but that I’m less likely to find that personalities are the inconvenient things that get in the way of the job and instead remember that they are the job.

I have a favorite story from the last time I did this job – the time we had an employee unexpectedly go to prison. This was drama on an unusual scale because with white-collar workers, it’s not like it happened every day, thankfully.

One of our program managers, Justin, just didn’t show up for work one day. As we were looking for this mild-mannered young man in his late 20’s that we’d hired away from Microsoft, I googled his name and came up with a Dept of Justice memo sentencing him to a low security prison for a year.

Turns out that Justin had been arrested for running a ring of people who pirated software and pled guilty. He’d taken some time off a couple months before the day he stopped showing up for work for “his cousin’s funeral.” But in actuality, that’s when he was sentenced to prison. Since he didn’t have to report to prison until a couple of months later, he apparently came back to work for us for two months without saying anything about his impending fate.

I’m not claiming that in my 50’s I’d be able to tell if one of my employees was imminently going to report to prison. But I’m pretty sure I have a better sense that something is wrong.

I think From Strength to Strength is a great title for Arthur Brooks’ book. Because as I’m getting a taste of this contrast, it doesn’t feel like loss to not have the energy and quick computing power of my youth. It feels like being more steady and scalable, kinda like the tortoise to the hare.

I’ve written a parallel lesson I’m learning about parenting on my personal blog: The Gift of Hard Things

(featured photo from Pexels)

51 thoughts on “Going With My Gut”

  1. Pingback: The Gift of Hard Things – Surprised By Joy

  3. Great post, Wynne, and WHAT a work experience THAT was!!! I loved when you said “The bottom line is that at this point in my career, I’m trusting my gut more and my mind less.” Now in my early sixties, I’m finding myself doing the same with people and situations in general. And the best thing? I’m finally TRUSTING my gut. I really appreciated this post! Thank you!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  5. One of the nice things about getting older as a working professional is indeed that life experience allowing us to trust our gut more. I agree that with confidence also comes the ability to listen more and talk less.

    Good luck with your new team and project and may you hopefully avoid felons in this new experience! 😆

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  6. The idea of different strengths in different stages of life rings true, and it’s beautiful to see people recognize and embrace that shift. It breaks my heart to see people longing to go back to their teenage beauty or the industriousness of their 20s, while failing to see all the wisdom and fortitude they’ve picked up on the journey. Wishing you the best of luck in your new position, Wynne!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. I probably have less opportunities to manage people now, but I find I’m much better at it. I listen better. I’m more empathetic and dig deeper in finding out why. Yes, I trust my gut. Thanks for putting these feelings into words Wynne and good for you in challenging yourself. You’re doing a great job. Excited for you!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  9. I can relate to your experience in a new job in your 50s. My husband asked me to come to work with him in the financial industry in my 50s. I did it and passed a bunch of tests like the Series 7. I found studying and taking tests was not as easy as when I was in college, but it was possible. I love how you learned to listen more and talk less. That’s wisdom.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. Find the magic in all the other days – maybe that should be written in every greeting card for every occasion to remind us to every day is an occasion, just as every moment – good or bad – is both a lesson and a celebration. I’d say no matter who you daughter has at the front of the room in school, she already has a pretty good teacher at home!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Sorry Wynne. I know this will still make sense to you but tI got the right comment on the wrong blog- That’s what I get for reading both before thinking

      Like

      Reply

  11. I think what you post says to me is that even with our senses, as tuned as they might be, we must never assume we can tell what’s going on with another person or what they are thinking. They are much a mystery to us, and like any good mystery, you can’t jus skip to the end!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. I think you are describing wisdom Wynne. I also think being smart and being wise are different. You noted how in years past that the technical aspects- the areas that you need “smarts” to figure out were the focus but you have that now. While that doesn’t mean you can’t/don’t learn new skills or tricks you’re confident in those areas and can sit back a bit, let others puzzle their way through, learn and grow because of applied wisdom- the fancy term for knowing from your gut what works and what needs more growth! One of the best things about this stage of life and certainly not just in a work environment. You dear lady are moving into that space and place whereby you can claim sage wise-one status regarding so many things. It’s a pretty great place to be 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  15. That is a wonderful book! I think the world puts too much emphasis on education and not enough on wisdom and experience. Wisdom teaches us to recognize and listen to that little voice in our head that tells us something isn’t quite right.

    I’ve just started into another good read. It’s called “You Can’t Google It” and it’s about how to manage in a cross-generational workforce.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  16. “… as I’m getting a taste of this contrast, it doesn’t feel like loss to not have the energy and quick computing power of my youth. It feels like being more steady and scalable, kinda like the tortoise to the hare.” There’s definitely something to becoming the tortoise. For sure.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  17. Oh, I love this part:”it doesn’t feel like loss to not have the energy and quick computing power of my youth. It feels like
    being more steady and scalable, kinda like the tortoise to the hare.”

    Your insightful post has made me think about myself as well. I’m 53 and realizing some of the same.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  21. How great that you can dust off your leadership skills on a higher turn up the spiral! Those in your everyday work circle will most certainly be the beneficiaries of the lifelong lessons that experience has taught and brought. Lucky them!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  23. Pingback: Let’s Not Be Grabby – Surprised By Joy
  24. Pingback: Well Said Saturdays – September 2 – The Heart of the Matter

  25. Congratulations on your new job and for finding your way. Thanks for sharing. This felt very relatable. Experiencing anxiety means that often both gut and intelligence are rather confused and this has led to inaction for me. But, I do feel that the gut or instinct tends to be what gets me moving when I eventually do. I’m in a state of that inaction right now and I hope I do. I had heard of the famous saying, “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will” and I struggled to make sense of it before but it is starting to make sense.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment