The Leader Learner Podcast

Are Gen Z the Me, Me, Me Generation?

Theresa Destrebecq (formerly also with Vincent Musolino) Episode 66

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QUESTION: Are Gen Z Me, Me, Me?

BIG IDEAS:

  • Lots of complaints from a team leader around respect for him and org. His belief that his younger team members are overconfident and think they are superior
  • Do leaders need to prioritize the organization over themselves
  • Leaders looking for themselves in future leaders (projection)
  • Generalizations around generations 
  • We tend to overestimate when people were born, but what they went through and where are they now in their lives that make a difference
  • What 25-year-old prioritizes the organization over themselves?
  • Gen Z were hit really hard by Covid, and it defines how we see the world
  • Perception that Gen Z lacks patience and don't want to put in the work
  • Dunning Krueger Effect or status quos on timelines?
  • Learning can happen much faster, but they lack experience
  • When we judge others for judging, we are judging too
  • Is it a lack of patience?
  • Envy and resentment growing -- wish to have the attitude that Gen Z has
  • Tension between the "new way" and the "old way"
  • COVID shifted priorities for people, yet companies want to go back to the way things were (working in the office being a top priority)
  • What does it mean to "go back to normal"?
  • "That's the way we've always done it," can get in the way of growth
  • Adapt rather than fight it
  • Equity of treatment across generations and work preferences
  • It's not about working 50% versus, it's about working 50% or leaving the company
  • We only need to love 20% of our work to find meaning in all of our work
  • Only 14% of people are engaged -- how is that measured? 
  • Are we asking too much of people for their work?
  • How much is the perception of engagement valid across generations?
  • How much show off and show me rose due to the self facing camera?
  • Over praising leading to overconfidence
  • Instead of keeping them down, give them the opportunity to safely fail
  • Seeing the gray area between people's truths

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