What does Gen Z need in leaders?

Dave Blundell
Published on:
January 31, 2023

What does it look like to lead the next generation well and help build young people into great leaders?

This from the Gallup organization, “Millennials and Generation Z don't just work for a paycheck—they want a purpose. They want to work for organizations that have a purpose and mission. Millennials and Generation Z are no longer pursuing job satisfaction [in the narrow sense]; they want development. [They] don't want bosses; they want coaches. [They] don't want annual reviews; they want engaging conversations. [They] don't want managers that fixate on their weaknesses; they want to develop strengths. It's not my job—it's my life.”

One of the biggest mistakes I see seasoned leaders make is to continue to lead like they did 20+ years ago. That’s not the worse part though. When yesterdays leadership fails them today, many older leaders often blame younger ones rather than examine the way they lead. I hear commentary like, “Millennials are so entitled. They want influence before they earn it. They can’t handle feedback. The expectation to love their job is unrealistic. They should just show up and do what they are told”.  

If we “older” leaders justify to ourselves, “The way I lead got me to where I am today, so I’ll just keep doing more of the same.”, we will find ourselves without followers who will one day lead our organizations. The fact that we need to provide follower-centric leadership now is lost on many. Formally known as Situational Leadership, we need to learn how to change our leadership behaviours to the needs of those we lead. If we care about succession, if we care about our organizations thriving beyond us, if we care about our legacy, our leadership development plan calls for us to continue to learn, develop, and change to those around us.  

The older we get, the harder teachability becomes. Yet OUR self-awareness and continual learning is THE most important factor in the ability for us to build young leaders who will exceed our accomplishments and have a greater impact. If you’re looking to explore this further and grown in these skills, check out our website and contact us by emailing [email protected]  

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