|
|
|
We've received several
questions about goals over the past few months. We uncovered a recent article
on time perception and goals and think you'll find it an interesting addition
to your thinking about goals.
How the Perception of Time
No doubt you have noticed that many older people make different choices and have a different life philosophy from younger people. In fact, we tend to think of older people as having more "wisdom" than the young. There be a logical explanation for this seeming disparity. Psychologists Laura L. Carstensen , Susan T. Charles (Stanford University) and Derek Isaacowitz (University of Pennsylvania) in a recent article, "Taking Time Seriously," in the American Psychologist (March, 1999) argue that time perception is integral to human motivation. They rely heavily on socioemotional selectivity theory which claims "that the perception of time plays a fundamental role in the selection and pursuit of social goals." In a nutshell, the authors talk about how humans, as they age, become aware that time is running out, and this influences their choice of social goals. When people perceive themselves to have a lot of time left to live, they tend to pursue "acquisition of knowledge" goals. On the other hand, when they perceive themselves to have only a limited time left, they will pursue goals related to emotions. They describe young couples who will argue over the way they communicate because they are looking to the future time they have together. They don't want recurring patterns of poor communication to face them the rest of their lives, so they invest considerable time and energy on resolving differences. An elderly couple never discuss communication difficulties, because they perceive that it is just better to enjoy the positive aspects of their relationship for the rest of the time they have together. A young man in a neighborhood where his friends are frequently killed in gang wars, is less likely to focus on the goal of attaining a college education because he doesn't see that much of life is left whatever he does. This perception drive the teenager to seek out the emotional rewards of a stronger gang acceptance. This be a logical choice for the teenager, while to an outsider it looks irresponsible. The authors are quick to point out that these two types of goals are not discrete categories. They definitely overlap. To simplify this overlapping, they encourage their readers to think of one set of goals as related to preparedness, and the other related to satisfaction in the moment. Herein lies a challenge for everyone. When we are younger, we perceive certain actions as necessary for our future success. However, when we are older, we look back and wonder why we wasted our time. Why didn't we spend more time with our children, form stronger relationships with close friends and family, instead of spending all those hours at work? This is a genuine issue for many people. Because towards the end of life, people begin to summarize their experiences and judge the totality of their life as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. The challenge is for all us to find balance between preparedness and emotional satisfaction at all times throughout our lives. This article, while somewhat dense, is a good summary of the research on time perception and human psychology. The authors have conducted a series of experiments, and then also refer to many other pieces of research, to raise a number of interesting questions. One of the things they do not discuss is the implications of this theory for the work place. For example, most Generation Xers perceive themselves to have a lot more time left, not only in their careers, but also in their total lives, than do the Baby Boomers. Could and should the differing time perceptions affect positions and work loads given to one group than to the other? Could the greater attention an aging population focuses on emotional goals perhaps mean that Baby Boomers will be more sensitive to a whole range of emotional issues that are not within the focus line of most Generation Xers? I have certainly noticed in the TMI Strategic Planning for Results seminar that older participants have a totally different reaction to certain ideas than do the Generation Xers. Goals, and goal selections, are viewed and made quite differently by younger and older participants in my courses. We talk about not showing age discrimination in our corporations. And, of course, TMI would never advocate age discrimination. But the reality of our differences influenced by the amount of time we each perceive we have left in our careers and our lives, , in fact, influence our work styles. There be strengths that the younger generation has that the Boomers have left behind them. And now perhaps many Baby Boomers have a more emotionally sound picture of their lives and can add that positive dimension to the organizational world. It's not a topic that I hear openly discussed within the corporate world. Perhaps it's time that we begin to systematically and seriously look at how age and time perception affect out day-to-day goal choices. Janelle Barlow, Ph.D.
Please submit your questions to Time Manager Questions and Answers. If you have questions, undoubtedly someone else has the same question. By asking a question, you'll help a fellow Time Manager user become more effective.
|
||
  
   |
|
TMI US 8270 West Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, Nevada 89117 tel: 702 939-1800
Website designed by |
Previous
"Time Manager Q & A Corner" pages:
