Bridging Generational Gaps at Work

I couldn't count how many times I've heard people complain of the new round of people entering the workforce, even if I tried. I hear the same remarks over and over again:

"These kids don't want to work anymore."
"They question everything."
"They don't believe in hard work."
"Lazy and entitled."

     What has always been so interesting to me is the fact that my experiences have been so incredibly positive with each new member of my organization. Generational shifts in mentalities and perspectives are a given. However, I feel the biggest rift right now is that Gen Z is challenging the status quo of what it means to be a leader or in a leadership position.  These dissenting opinions and ideas should be welcomed as an opportunity for growth since maintaining a status quo, mentally or otherwise, will lead to stagnation.

     To the detriment of many, the lasting mindset within most work centers has led us to believe that just because you are in charge, you are a leader. Now, we have a new wave of people who are forcing those in positions of power to prove exactly why they should be followed.  We are witnessing a clash as people quickly realize that sometimes you have to explain the "why" in order to foster that buy-in that is so necessary for organizational success.  This can be hard for some who were brought up in an environment where it was seen as disrespect to question anyone that was superior to you.  This doesn’t make any particular cultural mindset inherently wrong, but we cannot stop the shift of Overton’s Window as society moves towards a more EQ driven world. 

     Taking the time to show empathy, explain the vision, and genuinely know your people is going to pay dividends, hand over fist, moving forward.  You can look at countless studies and anecdotal stories and you will quickly realize one thing is abundantly clear: those who want to work for you will always outperform those who must.  True leaders connect with their people beyond the quotas and should have the ability to influence and inspire them.  These are the types of interactions that are needed in today’s workforce.

     Human dynamics will always come with frustrations, but having people willing to dig deeper into why we do what we do should never be a reason to be upset. This is the opportunity to cement your trust with your team and inspire their success along with your own.  We have watched as masses of Gen Z mobilized to support their beliefs as protests swept across the country and continue to do so.  This is a testament to the lengths they will go in order to fight for what they feel is right.  So, why would you not want this type of commitment directed in support of your organization and have it be instilled in someone you can work with.

     Being a leader isn’t easy.  This applies to titled positions and those of us looking to be a force of change within our given environments.  We must always realize that the biggest accomplishments in life never come without some sort of effort.  Being able to bridge generational gaps in the workplace is no different.  This decision must be made consciously and may take some time, but working to connect with your people will never be a waste of time, eventually leading to the realization that we are all not that different at the end of the day.  We just see things differently sometimes.