From startled goldfish at Networking Day 2017

Today's society fights against the aging appearance, injects itself wrinkle-free, corrects the supposed inconsistencies and gets rid of the fat pads. Where does this dream of living forever come from? To want to stay young forever? Not only Sebastian Wörwag, the rector of the University of Applied Sciences St.Gallen, asked himself this question on September 8, 2017 in the Olma Halle, but also the approximately 700 participants of the 13th Networking Day of the FHS Alumni. Because the theme is "Forever Young." "The idea for this came about last summer during a hike up Alp Sigel. I really struggled up and realized: the mind moves forward, the body unfortunately backwards. Finally, the song by Alphaville helped me: Forever young," says Sigmar Willi, head of the FHS Alumni.

The eternal youth wears a unity face

"Today's man no longer accepts fate - the fate of aging," finds Philipp Tingler, philosopher and economist. Rather, he sees himself as a self-creator, a homo-creator. One no longer accepts his big nose, but corrects it. And so the Western uniform face takes its course: small nose, big mouth, face pulled back. "They all look like frightened goldfish." People get carried away by the tsunami of processed images, in the sense of: I may be getting older, but I don't have to look like this. In the process, humanity seems to forget: "Even if we're 85 and look like we're 40, we're going to drop dead at some point," says Tingler. Ute Frevert, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, agrees with him. She talks about her friend who lives in the USA. She is a woman in her 70s who decides to stop injecting Botox and to let her hair go gray. But she triggers a storm of indignation in her environment. "In the past, youth was not appreciated everywhere, it all depended on the circumstances. It was only in the 19th century that being young came to light, but only among men and in higher classes," says the historian. The first rejuvenation surgeries were handed down in the early 20th century, but without visible results, she smiles. "Today, youth means being self-determined and independent, mentally and physically."

Reflect back: More being than having

Before you know it, the "midlife crisis" will hit. Developmental psychologist Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello knows this all too well. "In midlife, we're not old yet, but we're not young anymore either. It's the time that is most prone to crisis." You're stuck at the bottom with your life satisfaction, going through personal, family or career changes. Often all at once. They feel overburdened, pressured by young people and are on the threshold of an important biographical transition. A big challenge that many would not be able to cope with. But she encourages the participants in the room: "Things start to look up again after 49, as numerous studies have shown. It is the best time to set a new course. To develop oneself again. And instead of defining oneself by having, to concentrate on being again.

The youthfulness in management

The question remains: Do young managers lead differently? "Thirty years ago, I made different decisions than I do today. Namely, with much more Sturm und Drang. The advantage today is that I can assess people better," says Alexander von Witzleben, CEO of Arbonia AG. Caroline Forster of the Forster Rohner Group remembers how, at the age of 27, she and her brother took over their father's company. At that time, she was still naive and simply did what she had to do without thinking twice. Today, experience plays a role. The third person on the panel is keen to experiment: Marc Stoffel, CEO of Haufe-umantis AG (see also Interview in issue 7-8/2017 of ORGANISATOR). In his company, each leader is re-elected or voted out by the entire workforce after one year, using anonymous voting via app. "Every product and company has an expiration date. That's why we have to keep questioning ourselves and stay agile."

Activity - for a long life

This is also the keyword of Beat Villiger, the doctor and manager who was trusted by top athletes for many years. He impresses with unbelievable studies, such as that Mediterranean food is the best diet and surpasses every diet, or that a little fat on the bones is a decisive survival factor in old age. The most effective medicine for a long life, however, is regular exercise. His advice is then: "Do not give up lifestyle. Drink 2dl of red wine every day, but no more. You don't have to give up the unhealthy as long as you don't leave the healthy aside. And remember to be active."

Networking Day 2017: Fresh cell cure for the mind

You don't have to tell networkers twice, and they're already sipping a glass of wine with a clear conscience, feasting at the Forever Young buffet and trying their luck at the Alpha Casino. Winning back the youth will be difficult. But thanks to the speakers, presumably no one wants to do that anymore. Instead, they remember: "More being than having. That's what has stayed with me most from today," says Marcel Thoma, Head of the Sports Office of the City of St.Gallen. Or as Wörwag likes to say: "The finite moment fulfills us much more than an eternal moment. That's why we should savor the now. And if a fresh cell cure, then only for the mind."

More information: http://www.networkingtag.ch/