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The Retirement Syndrome:: The Psychology of Letting Go

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  • Kets de Vries, Manfred

Abstract

This article analyzes a problem that can be described as the retirement syndrome. In exploring the difficulties many leaders face in letting go at the end of a full career, it reviews a number of the barriers to exit: financial, social, and psychological. It looks at the physical and psychological effects of aging, in the context of retirement; examines the experience of nothingness that single-minded careerists often feel after retirement; describes the talion principle, a subliminal fear of reprisals; and discusses the 'edifice complex,' the wish to leave behind a legacy. The article concludes with suggestions as to how individuals and organizations can develop more effective and humane disengagement strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Kets de Vries, Manfred, 2003. "The Retirement Syndrome:: The Psychology of Letting Go," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 707-716, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:21:y:2003:i:6:p:707-716
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Baruch, Yehuda & Grimland, Shmuel & Vigoda-Gadot, Eran, 2014. "Professional vitality and career success: Mediation, age and outcomes," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 518-527.
    2. Alassane Diaw, 2017. "Retirement Preparedness in Saudi Arabia," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(1), pages 78-86.
    3. George Emmanuel Iatridis & Daniel Senftlechner, 2014. "An Empirical Investigation of Goodwill in Austria: Evidence on Management Change and Cost of Capital," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(2), pages 171-181, June.
    4. Hongyan Yang & Jun Ma & Hongwei Hu & Fanjie Li, 2020. "Identification, Trend Analysis and Influencing Factors of Mental Health Status of the Chinese Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Masters-Stout, Brenda & Costigan, Michael L. & Lovata, Linda M., 2008. "Goodwill impairments and chief executive officer tenure," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 1370-1383.
    6. Caspar Rose, 2019. "Stock market reactions to CEO succession announcements: inside versus outside recruitment?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(1), pages 33-65, March.
    7. Ine Umans & Nadine Lybaert & Tensie Steijvers & Wim Voordeckers, 2020. "Succession planning in family firms: family governance practices, board of directors, and emotions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 189-207, January.

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