Why ‘bowing out’ shouldn’t be a sign of failure, just look at Jacinda Arden

The high-profile ‘bowing out’ of various public figures this summer, from Joe Biden to Andy Murray, and the 'very much not bowing out without a huge fight' Rupert Murdoch, brought to mind the Enoch Powell comment that “All political lives end in failure.”

 Most people at the very top of their respective fields, be it sports, politics or business would, in their most honest moments, admit a strong emotional attachment to the prestige of their position, making it difficult to switch things up or retire when they probably should. Moreover, it is a core part of their identity so they naturally feel they are losing a part of who they are when forced into change.   

 But stepping aside or changing career shouldn’t be a mark of failure, more an acknowledgment of how our brains and abilities change with age.

 Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s much admired former PM, is someone many can agree stepped down with dignity and on a high. “After going on six years of some big challenges, I am human… I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

 Research shows that entrepreneurs and sportspeople in particular, achieve success very early in life and also decline much earlier than the average person. Indeed, a Harvard Business Review study from some years ago found that founders of bigger enterprises (valued at over $1bn) peak between the ages of 20-34, the same is true of most top sports people (if not younger).

 This can be explained by what psychologist Raymond Cattell described as the change from the “fluid intelligence” of the young to “crystalised intelligence” as one ages. Cattell describes fluid intelligence as the ability to quickly reason, analyse and solve problems - raw intellectual horsepower if you will. As we get older, we transition to what he calls crystallised intelligence - which is the ability to use knowledge gained in the past.

 Arthur C. Brookes, the famous Harvard professor and author noted that those who produce the most profound insights come from those in their 30s and 40s, whereas the best at explaining and synthesising complicated ideas tend to be in their mid-60s and beyond. In short, its innovation vs wisdom - the difference between being a poet or a tech entrepreneur vs being a teacher or a historian who gives TED talks.

 From a reputational standpoint too, changing tack around the peak of your ability (which is probably earlier than you think) will ensure that being the best is what you are remembered for, and transitioning to a career that better suits your abilities at a particular stage in life will ensure that you continue to excel and find life as rewarding as ever.   

 Since leaving politics, Jacinda Ardern is leading a new fellowship programme for political leaders about leading with kindness and empathy called Field. She has also taken on several unpaid NGO roles, worked at Harvard, alongside Prince William with the Earthshot Prize, and recently finished as the Prime Minister's special envoy on the Christchurch Call, which aims to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online - I would call that continued success.