Is Gen Z Really the Problem…or Is It Your Leadership?

Every generation gets blamed for breaking something.
Too lazy. Too entitled. Too sensitive.

Now it’s Gen Z’s turn in the spotlight.

But what if the problem isn’t the next generation—it’s the way we lead them?

The Generational Drift

Walk into almost any workplace and you can feel it: a quiet tension between those who built the system and those inheriting it.
One group craves stability; another seeks flexibility. One values experience; another values meaning.

That friction isn’t a failure—it’s a signal. A sign that leadership habits built for yesterday’s world no longer inspire today’s workforce.

The Leadership Gap

Leaders often mistake compliance for connection. You can make someone follow a rule, but you can’t make them care.

If you’re frustrated that younger team members “don’t get it,” ask yourself:
Have I shown them something worth getting?
Have I built a culture where curiosity, learning, and belonging matter as much as results?

When we stop listening across generations, we stop leading altogether.

Building Cultures That Learn, Not Blame

Blame is easy. Learning takes courage.

The next generation isn’t rebelling against work—they’re questioning the meaning of it.
They want to contribute, not just comply.
They want mentorship, not management.

So the question isn’t how do we fix Gen Z? It’s how do we evolve leadership to meet a world that’s already changing?

Want to go deeper? This week’s episode of The Story in Your Head explores what happens when we stop blaming generations and start reimagining leadership.

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