Mid-life career reinvention: Dancing with fear and confidence

Abstract

Most of us will be living and working longer, but what if we want something very different for the later chapters of our working lives? Research suggests workers in late career face unique career and psychosocial issues but there is little empirical research to help individuals and the coach practitioners who work with them. In this grounded theory study, three main features of late career reinvention coaching emerged and form the basis of a new practitioner model: discovering – journeying to be more of me; systemic readiness; and dancing with fear and confidence. Key implications for practitioners are highlighted.