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How to Handle a Surprise Milestone Party

In an ageist society such as ours, some employees go to great lengths to play down their age. Even increasing numbers of men are dyeing their hair and turning to plastic surgery to look younger than their years.

So the last thing people like that want is for someone to call attention to their age through a milestone party at work. The organizers of such events, usually much younger colleagues, believe the fetes are a fun way to mark important birthdays. Boy, are they off the mark.

I know of workers who have taken the day off to avoid being singled out for being of a certain age. Or they pressure the organizers to call off the festivities.

If you are dreading the day because you can’t take it off, relax and take command of the ceremony. Draw up a list of reasons why getting older is better, sort of like David Letterman’s Top-Ten Lists. When you are asked to speak, read the list and make every word count.

For example, you might say, “Now that I’m 55, my IQ trumps that of the person giving this party.”

If you take control of the party, you can show up the idea for what it is: a very bad one.