65. Hard Hats and Heart Work: Facing Life’s Biggest Transitions with Lana Johnston

Building Doors with Lauren Karan

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Lana Johnston—executive HR strategist, leadership consultant, and founder of Ageing Connect—to unpack a deeply human conversation around aging workforces, career transitions, and the urgent need for intentional connection in our personal and professional lives.

With decades of experience at the crossroads of people strategy and organizational change, Lana brings fresh insight into the emotional and structural challenges facing today’s leaders, especially as the workforce ages and generational expectations shift. From the quiet grief of retirement to the sandwich generation’s struggle to do it all, this conversation is filled with warmth, wisdom, and practical takeaways.

Whether you're an HR professional, executive leader, or someone navigating aging parents and career priorities—you won’t want to miss this one.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Building Connection in a Disconnected World:

• How to turn small moments into meaningful bonds with aging loved ones.
• Why we must rethink retirement and redefine legacy.
• The overlooked cost of being task-focused in both work and life.

Career Transitions & Aging Workforces:

• Why many professionals in their 60s and 70s aren’t ready to retire—and what companies can do about it.
• The emotional and logistical rollercoaster of redundancy and restructure.
• How to recognize and repurpose your transferable skills in times of change.

Leadership, HR & Culture:

• Why caregiving should be a workplace conversation—not just a personal one.
• How mentoring across generations can drive innovation and inclusion.
• The leadership lessons we can apply at home—from delegation to ecosystem thinking.

Small Steps, Big Shifts:

• The philosophy behind Lana’s upcoming book Small Moments and Strong Bonds.
• How to live with intention in the “sandwich generation”—and why small shifts matter more than big bangs.

About Our Guest:

Lana Johnston is the founder of Ageing Connect and a powerhouse in HR strategy and leadership consulting. With over 20 years of experience across industries—from mining to banking—Lana supports individuals and organizations through change, transition, and transformation. Her latest work shines a spotlight on aging workforces and the human side of leadership. Lana’s mission? To reimagine connection at work and at home—and to help people avoid regrets by making time for what matters most.

Key Quotes from Lana:

• "Small steps create shifts. There’s rarely one big thing that fixes everything—impact comes from the accumulation of moments."
• "We tend to go tactical with aging parents, and the connection gets lost. That’s what we regret later."
• "Your network is still the most powerful tool you have—especially during career transitions."

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is a recruitment leader and development coach passionate about helping professionals unlock their potential. Through this podcast, she shares powerful conversations that empower you to stop waiting and start building the future you want.

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Don’t Miss Out

• Listen to previous episodes here.
• Interested in being a guest or providing feedback? Email us at [email protected].
  
  

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