Handle with care: mitigating mid-career crisis through neotenic leadership

Purpose This study aims to study the phenomenon of Mid-Career Crisis (MCC) in the light of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), emphasizing the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. It introduces the concept of Neotenic Leadership (NL) as a leadership-driven approach to addressing these needs during the mid-career phase. The objective is to bridge theoretical insights with practical application by proposing an integrated framework that enables structured, actionable interventions. Design/methodology/approach The methodology adopts an integrative review of literature to develop a conceptual framework grounded in established theories. The application of traits – Curiosity, Adaptability, Resilience, and Emotional Resonance (CARE), central to Neotenic Leadership – is illustrated through real-life vignettes in organizational settings, offering contextual evidence for applying NL strategies for addressing mid-career challenges. Findings The research underscores the crucial role of Neotenic Leadership (NL) in fostering intrinsic motivation for mitigating mid-career crisis (MCC). By integrating NL with Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the study operationalizes NL through CARE framework, providing a structured and actionable approach for real-world application. Research limitations/implications While this study offers a strong theoretical foundation, empirical research is needed to validate the proposed framework and assess NL’s effectiveness in managing MCC. Further studies should also test the real-world impact on workplace engagement and intrinsic motivation. Practical implications The study offers practitioner-oriented framework for leveraging NL to support transformative growth needed during MCC. By addressing the basic psychological needs (SDT), CARE-based leadership practices can help mid-career professionals rekindle a sense of control, curiosity and adaptability through interventions such as coaching, mentoring and targeted skilling programmes. Originality/value The originality of the work lies in its two-fold contribution to theory and practice. It advances literature on leadership and career by integrating Neotenic Leadership (NL) with Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to mitigate mid-career crisis (MCC). To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to formally define NL and present it as a structured model, expanding the original conceptualization of neoteny in leadership (Bennis & Thomas, 2002). The research further offers implementable CARE traits that bridge theoretical insights with practical applications, illustrated through real-life vignettes.