FOBO

“My fear is a fear of being obsolete. This is a world that changes very fast, and one of the main human desires is to belong to, to be part of something. It’s probably one of our greatest needs next to oxygen.”??Paul Polman

This coming Friday will mark the eighth (8th) anniversary of my last day of fun (I never called it work).? A new segment of my life began the following week, and it’s also been fun, but in a much different way.? These eight years have provided me with the opportunity to pursue new interests, find greater opportunities to give-back and most important learn some new things.? But perhaps most significantly, I’ve avoided?FOBO, the Fear of Becoming Obsolete.

Back when I was having fun and being paid for it, I loved visiting the classroom of a former student who later became one of our second grade teachers.? Even then?her classroom was unique; students were totally engaged in the learning experience.? Mrs. McKay let learning become a personal experience for her students.? Two years ago, she commenced and began a new segment of her life by becoming a key member of Albright College’s Total Experience Learning Team.? Working with TExpl colleagues, Jane Marie, and now her daughter, Abby, provide educators with instruction in an ?award-winning methodology that encourages ?interdisciplinary learning through student-led experiences.? Teachers?are empowered to implement project-management techniques in their classrooms and personalize their teaching practices. Jane Marie and the TExpl team have no FOBO, in fact they are on the cutting edge of effective, engaging instructional practice.

Ron Carucci is co-founder and managing partner at Navalent, working with CEOs and executives who are pursuing transformational change.? In a recent HBR post he shares his insights into spotting evidence of the feelings associated with FOBO and equally important, addressing them in healthy, honest ways.

For the more experienced professional, fearing obsolescence means we fundamentally question our professional significance . For those who have retired, and whose identity was strongly tied to their professional stature, FOBO can have significant impact.? Unlike the occasional bout of self-doubt, it can have a negative impact on our mental health, sense of joy, and ability to participate in meaningful relationships.

One might believe that FOBO is most often found among those who are older, especially those who continue to work into their later years.? Nothing could be further from the truth.? Fear of becoming obsolete has been on the rise for U.S. workers.? According to a 2021 PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) study, 40% of all workers fear their jobs will be obsolete within five years.? And according to a 2024 CNBC Survey, concern diminishes with age: 32% of workers aged 18-24 say they are worried, compared with just 14% of workers 65 and older.

So what are the signs associated with FOBO:

1. Attention Seeking Behavior:? Fearing obsolescence can lead to significant self-involvement.? Younger-career professionals may name-drop or embellish their expertise to signal superiority and intimidate, while those with significant career/life experiences may make excessive references to past achievements to boost credibility.
2. Daydreaming of Future Successes or “Encores”:Newer-career professionals might fantasize about future successes and accolades, while more seasoned professionals might imagine “encores” to resurrect past successes.
3. Being Hypervigilant:? When we doubt our significance, it becomes easy to project those feelings onto others and assume they see us as irrelevant. This may also show up as feeling instinctively threatened by change, such as the introduction of new technologies you don’t understand or the arrival of new colleagues holding?skills you don’t have.
4. Drawing Unhealthy Comparisons:? When we feel uncertain of our value, it’s common to make comparisons to others we fear are seen as more relevant. When those comparisons are triggered by our fears of obsolescence, they can become destructive.?

It’s one thing to be frightened or scared, these are temporary emotions, but fear is different.? Fear can take control of our life.? So how do we break free of the fear associated with obsolescence?

1. Take Inventory:? Speak with colleagues and friends asking them their thoughts on what makes you uniquely valuable.? Likewise, speak with others you respect on how you can strengthen the skills you have, to keep them valuable and relevant in the future.
2. Focus on Human Capabilities:? While the skills associated with technology and the challenges of AI will always be changing, the soft skills of empathy, resilience, curiosity and humility will always be highly regarded and valued.??“The ideal team player is humble, hungry and people smart”. (P. Lencioni)
3. Honor the Past and Box it Up:? A young Springsteen put it to?music;?“I think I'm going down to the well tonight, and I'm gonna drink till I get my fill.? And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it, but I probably will.? Yeah, just sitting back, trying to recapture a little of the glory.? Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister but boring stories of Glory Days”? Honor the past, box it up and look forward!
4. Take on New Challenges:? One of the strongest signals you can send to the world about your relevance is by demonstrating a continuing desire to learn and adapt to new conditions.? If you are younger, stay focused on being curious, fascinated, and eager to learn.? Older?? ?Find ways to use your experience to help others grow.? Develop new mentoring and teaching muscles?that graciously transfer knowledge to others, and in return allow you to learn something new as well.

Feeling obsolescent is a self-created mindset.? While there may be factors that contribute to the associated fear, ultimately the decision to embrace or reject a mindset of obsolescence rests with us, as we are the only ones who have true control over ourselves.

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Embrace the Challenge.