In this episode of Auditing the Future of Coaching,we examine what academic research reveals about women leaders navigating retirement, especially the hidden identity disruption that can sit beneath a seemingly smooth transition. Drawing on studies of meaning-making, professionalidentity, career pathways, relational loss, organizational conditioning, and continued work after traditional retirement age, the episode explores why retirement for high-achieving women is not simply an ending but an active process of renegotiating purpose, relationships, contribution, and self-understanding.
References
• Borrero, L., & Kruger, T. M. (2015). The nature and meaning of identity in retired professional women. Journal of Women & Aging, 27(4), 279–298.
• Duberley, J., & Carmichael, F. (2016). Career pathways into retirement in the UK: Linking older women's pasts to the present. Work, Employment and Society, 30(4), 582–599.
• Price, C. A. (2000). Women and retirement: Relinquishing professional identity. Journal of Aging Studies, 14(1), 81–101.
• Semyonov-Tal, K., et al. (2025). Working past traditional retirement age: Identity, purpose, and continuity among highly educated women. Journal of Aging & Social Policy.
• Wood, R. E., & Pachana, N. A. (2025). The role of meaning in the retirement transition: A scoping review. The Gerontologist, 65(1).
