3 Lessons Every Leader Can Learn From Gen Z
We all need a fresh perspective from time to time, but finding the right source of inspiration can be a challenge all on its own. While ruminating on today’s hot topics and business challenges, it’s easy to feel bogged down with the same tired solutions. In atypical times, your employees are looking to you to lead fiercely and steady the course. So instead of barreling ahead with the same old approach, why not learn from an unlikely (and often mislabeled) source: your Gen Z employees.With technological intuition, your 20-something employees are ahead of the curve and can acclimate themselves quickly in uncertain situations. Having grown up with unlimited access to information, they are independent and resourceful, and are not afraid to back up their ideas and opinions with researched facts.What does this mean for leaders stuck in a rut? It’s time to leverage your youngest staff and harness revolutionary solutions to define a fresh perspective. Here are three lessons every leader can learn from Gen Z and apply to their workflow immediately:
1. Embrace change
Having grown up in a fast-paced world, younger professionals are no strangers to change and can easily acclimate to new situations. This has made them the perfect candidates for the predominantly virtual workforce that the pandemic has brought us this year.A vital lesson in embracing new processes and technologies can be found from your 20-something employees: despite the sometimes awkward adjustment period, embracing change will ignite a team’s creativity, inspire bold ideas and actions that can radically change (and improve) a company’s direction, and ultimately lead to new business.
2. Strive for more
A 20-something’s career checklist is quite robust, and often includes strong company values, diversity training, paid-leave, a solid insurance plan, and much more. Speaking of the generation as a whole, Gen Z craves employment in an industry they are passionate about and are not willing to settle for anything less.Taking inspiration from your impassioned young team, it may be time to re-evaluate what projects and clients are really worth your full attention and energy. Remember, passion is the key to success. And if you’re wasting energy and motivation on a project you’re less than enthusiastic about, it’s not worth it.
3. Speak your mind
Solid feedback is one of the most important components of good leadership. When people are too afraid to share criticism or offer solutions to improve current processes, businesses begin to fail. Admiring Gen Z’s honest and transparent attitudes can benefit any leader, especially those looking for new perspectives.Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and provide critical feedback to your team. In turn, be open to and encourage critiques from employees, and make it a priority to implement true change as a result. This will lead to a more productive environment that instills confidence in employees while boosting your leadership skills.
