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Are you struggling to truly connect with Gen Z team members at work—or maybe you’re a Gen Z professional frustrated by colleagues who don’t seem to get where you’re coming from? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I tackle a challenge that’s becoming more important every day: How can we break down the generational communication barriers at work to build authentic relationships and boost performance for everyone?

I’m Tim Newman, a former college professor turned communication coach, and as your host, I’ve spent years watching the dynamics between Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z play out both in classrooms and boardrooms. Today, I unpack what really prevents us from connecting and share practical, powerful strategies you can use to start bridging the gap now—no matter which generation you’re in.

In this episode, I share plenty of real-world stories from my own career and consulting experience, plus research insights from leadership expert Dr. Tim Elmore. We dive into why the old “positional authority” model just doesn’t work with Gen Z, who grew up with access to unlimited information and have learned to question everything—including your title! Instead, we explore how building trust and authentic connection is the key to motivating and retaining Gen Z employees, and how these skills make us stronger communicators with everybody.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• How making people truly feel heard (not just tolerated) leads to better motivation and results
• The single biggest communication mistake managers make with Gen Z—and how to fix it
• Why authority means nothing if it isn’t backed by trust and demonstrative competence
• Three essential pillars for rebuilding your communication style: listening like you could be wrong, radical authenticity, and co-creating clarity with your team
• Step-by-step ways to transform feedback meetings from judgmental monologues into collaborative, solution-focused dialogues
• Simple, actionable tactics for onboarding new hires so they feel like they belong from day one—starting with relationship building over rules and policies
• Real case studies showing how these changes boost performance, deepen psychological safety, and drastically improve retention
• The difference between high accountability and strong connection—and why you don’t have to choose between the two
• A practical behavior change you can implement this week: brief, consistent, agenda-free check-ins that help you solve problems before they become resignations

Whether you’re a manager trying to motivate your Gen Z talent or a Gen Z professional craving genuine dialogue, this episode will arm you with strategies that work. Join me as we move beyond outdated authority models and start building the trust, clarity, and connection our workplaces—and our world—sorely need.

Thanks for listening and don’t forget to check out the free resources and courses at speakingwithconfidencepodcast.com. Let's make your voice—and your conversations—powerful enough to change your world.

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