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A Generation Z Perspective from Generation Z

Everything changes when given time. Interests, people, society, music, technology, and so on, all change. The workplace is no exception, with change not just being present, but expected. Part of what contributes to those changes are the perspectives and knowledge of the workforce. As different generations enter the workforce, they bring their own experience. The oldest members of Generation Z are now in their early 20s, and many more are entering the workforce every day. This generation will have a considerable influence in how we shape our organizations and the workplace of the future.

Forbes and Deloitte agree that Generation Z will revolutionize the workplace. Motifs from articles and other resources share the idea that Generation Z expectations include a high-tech workplace with a good work-life balance and a decent amount of human interaction, allowing the employees to be creative with their work. Other sources and first-hand interviews confirm these same ideas. While outside sources can be a highly viable option for gathering trends and general information, nothing can match firsthand conversations with those working with Generation Z.

After gathering opinions and experiences, I have a general understanding of what current employers think Generation Z desires in the workplace. The most common things I heard included diversity, transparency, equal opportunity, technology, flexibility, less bureaucracy, independence, and a relaxed work environment. This information was gathered by speaking with individuals I know who deal with Generation Z in a working environment on a regular basis as well as colleagues of my own.

As a Gen-Z-er myself, I think they got much of this right. I wholeheartedly agree with the topics mentioned. However, I have my own perspective and suggestions for the ideal workplace that I am certain will help with attraction and retention of the next generation of talent entering the workforce. In an ideal work environment, I would want a diverse cast of people, both senior leaders and individual contributors. There would need to be a good balance between projects requiring collaboration and projects requiring independent work. I would want my employer to be invested in both the employees and the local community, especially through outreach and group events, and I would also want the entire staff to be as transparent as possible. Having confidence that coworkers and leaders are not keeping information from me builds trust and deepens relationships. Well-informed employees tend to make well-informed decisions, so transparency is key to engaging others.

My ideal workplace would have an” open-door” policy. Any employee regardless of rank or seniority could have access to interact one-on-one with the CEO or any senior leader at different points in time without penalty. Access to leadership and being able to be a contributor fosters a sense of welcoming and engagement, and most importantly, makes me feel valued. In addition, equal opportunity, regardless of any unique trait, should be non-negotiable.

Embracing and utilizing new technology is a key requirement for my ideal workplace. Generation Z, me included, is highly technologically able and wants to demonstrate that in the workplace. A relaxing and comfortable environment is important to me and my generation. There really needs to be a casual, laid back, and welcoming environment. Many of my generation do not like the extra-formal, suit-and-tie workplace in which everyone sits in a sterile cubicle. We thrive in modern, welcoming, fun workplaces that stimulate growth and innovation. My office at LAK Group is a notable example of this, where the laid-back atmosphere combined with fun activities and beautiful grounds stimulate my desire to be productive and work effectively.

A Generation Z-friendly workplace should allow open thoughts, commentary, and criticism, fully embracing free speech and contribution for the better of the company. On the topic of freedom, employees need to have freedom to complete tasks their own way, rather than doing it in a way set in stone. Generation Z is highly creative, and they think critically in new and innovative ways that may push traditional boundaries.

Primarily, the workplace needs to be flexible with scheduling and where we work. A combination of working at home and at the office would be a fantastic benefit and frankly would be highly enjoyable. There should be little bureaucracy and drama, as well as less management where applicable. Speaking from experience and research from resources such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, sometimes senior leadership can hinder progress rather than advancing it. Where applicable, there should be a promotion of a ‘let me do my job’ mentality. These factors, combined with reasonable hours and above-market pay with benefits and no taking advantage of employees, fulfill my ideal workplace.

So, what does this all mean? This list given here is simply my personal wish list and a general list of helpful suggestions for employers looking to satisfy Generation-Z employees entering their workplace. Needs and wants will always vary from worker to worker, but Generation Z is a different kind of worker and we all have our own changes we want for the workplace. The old ways of running a workplace will not work for Generation Z, and the new generation of workers need to realize that the incoming workers are not the same.

A current senior at Catholic Memorial High School and graduate in spring of 2021, Sam has been an Intern at LAK Group since October of 2020. He has been a business student for three years and has a wealth of experience assisting others and studying business as well as owning his own start-up.

His strengths include collaborating with others, his work ethic, willingness to learn, and always-positive demeanor. In his free time, Sam enjoys collecting and restoring retro video games and systems, driving, and running his own 3D printing side business, which he uses to serve others and finance his hobbies. He is looking to study business in college, with a focus in human resources or international supply chain management. You can reach Sam at his email, smen heer@lak-group.com.

The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.

Terry Orlick

“Where do you hope to be in five years?”

It’s a common question asked during interviews and goal setting conversations with employees. “I hope to be in a leadership position,” or “I hope to be promoted to a Vice President role” are not uncommon answers. When asked why they want to achieve that position, their usual answers include: “Because I want to be in charge,” “Because I want to be the boss,” “Because I will make more money,” or “Because I’ve been told that I am good at what I do and that is the next step for my career,” and the most common, “It is the obvious next steps for my career.”

Unfortunately, while all of these are most likely genuine answers, they’re not the right answers when it comes to pursuing what we term: Leadership ON PURPOSE. “Because I want to be in charge” expresses a desire for control and oversight of others; “Because I want to be the boss” expresses a motivation to run the show; “Because I want more money” is a motivation for self-benefit; and , “Because I am told that I am good at what I do and that is the next step for my career” is a statement that serves one while appeasing others. It seems the obvious next step in their career is more of an entitlement. Leaders need to want to be leaders for the “right” reasons.

Our belief is that to have what it takes to be a leader who others truly want to follow; one must have a leadership mindset that is purpose-based rather than results-based. Moreover, Leadership ON PURPOSE has two aims that must intertwine: one is pursuing a leadership role with intention; the other is ensuring that one’s vision, plans, actions, and behaviors align with the vision, values, and goals of the organization. Leaders aren’t simply born and developed; they have a mindset that believes their purpose is to impact others.

A perfect example of greater purpose versus personal results can often be found among highly skilled professionals like engineers. There are many energetic engineers, with aspirations to be the heads of their engineering departments, groups, or divisions. They feel a need to lead other engineers. They see it as their means to a greater title and a higher rate of pay, even though their real talent and satisfaction comes from designing new and innovative things. It’s what compelled them to become engineers in the first place.

The outcome is not surprising. Many extremely talented individuals aspire to leadership roles, only to find once they arrive that they are no longer able to concentrate on and do what they do best. They realize, often too late, that the role of a leader is completely different from what they had expected, what motivates them and what they are skilled to do. We’ve experienced this outcome in every organization we’ve worked with.

Let’s look at an example we have seen in many organizations and in many different roles (sales, operations, finance, product development, information technology, marketing and other). This example is that of a high-performing engineer. In this example, the chosen successor for a senior leadership role was identified in succession plans as one of the emerging leaders in the organization, a highly-skilled electronics engineer who had tremendous success with design innovation, margins, and market share. He seemed to be a great choice for leadership, yet this turned out to be a poor decision for both the organization and the chosen leader. Although in a new position, he was still getting too deep into the design tactics. He kept spending his time on technical matters and not leading and building his team. He couldn’t separate himself from his passion and talent as an engineer. This inhibited his ability to build the organization and lead the team.

This new role didn’t work out for the engineer and he was later exited from the organization. A talented professional, identified as top talent, now out of the company. It happens often because we tend to promote for technical capability, not leadership capacity. Organizations also need to assess aspirations and desire to be in a leadership role for the “right” reasons. In the example above a new leader was identified who did demonstrate the qualities and attributes of leadership. And although he wasn’t as technically skilled as the members of his team and was actually being paid less than most all of the engineers on the team, he was able to build a very strong, united, and focused group of skilled professionals.

ON PURPOSE Leaders want to be in a leadership role for a reason. It is not about the title or attaining credit for being at the helm when the team’s engineering designs would lead to patents but helping the organization to excel in its capability and expertise.

John C. Maxwell notably said, “Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” This is what we mean when we talk about Leadership ON PURPOSE. Agile leaders have the character traits, behaviors, and skills to be the leader of others.

It is our belief that Leadership ON PURPOSE serves the greater good of self, others, and the organization. A leader who establishes a vision and goals, develops new opportunities for the value and prosperity of others, and unites the organization in that quest is Leading ON PURPOSE. It means that behind a vision there is purpose and the right mindset to create and pursue that vision in the first place.

Personal Integrity is Key for Agile Leaders

An analogy we like to use about building trust and integrity is having change in your pocket. Every time you do something that builds trust or helps people align with you, you collect change in your pocket. It could be a quarter here or a dime there for your promises made and kept.

You want to continuously build the amount of change you have, for there will be times – and hopefully not often – where you’ll have to give back some of that change for missing a commitment or some other deficit. The key is making sure you’ve built enough integrity and credibility that when you make those mistakes, people will understand. Everyone makes mistakes. Your goal is to make them rare: to always have change in your pocket.

Many leaders make mistakes without establishing a level of integrity and credibility. Many don’t feel they have to establish their persona in the eyes of others. They view themselves as the most senior people in the room who don’t require feedback or a need to explain themselves.

John Maxwell once said, “The respect that leadership must have requires that one’s ethics be without question. A leader not only stays above the line between right and wrong, he stays well clear of the gray areas.” In Warren Buffet’s words, “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you.”

Personal Integrity is a foundational attribute we focus on when defining an Agile Leader. A leader’s integrity is often based on one’s leadership presence and the principles followed. We believe one’s personal brand, trustworthiness, ethical resolve, and communication and transparency are key to being viewed as a leader with Personal Integrity.

Booher Research surveyed over 200 professionals in a variety of industries to ask them their reasons for wanting to increase their personal presence. Forty-eight percent said their reason was either to increase their credibility or sell their ideas and projects. According to Booher, that percent of respondents hasn’t changed over the past 30 years. Additionally, when participants were asked, “In general, how much does someone’s personal presence affect how much credibility they have with you?” almost 75 percent replied, “A great deal.”

Agile Leaders convey their unique presence through their values. They make and meet commitments while demonstrating ethical resolve in every circumstance. It is the primary quality that gains the loyalty and trust of employees. They act with resilience and determination even when decisions may not be popular. They demonstrate genuine curiosity, active listening, and transparency when engaging with others by quieting their inner voice, focusing on the person, listening to understand, and repeating what they said.

We believe that when Agile Leaders establish their leadership presence and define the principles they follow. They lead with integrity through their personal brand, their trustworthiness, their ethical resolve, and their communication and transparency. But what exactly does Leading with Integrity look like? It’s actually a combination of many behaviors and practices, including:

Leading by example and being a role model to others. This defines your personal brand and presence in the eyes of others.
Having the consistency of being honest and trustworthy in all your actions.
Following through on commitments and doing the right thing.
Demonstrating ethical resolve.
Communicating with intention and transparency in all situations and in all formats, whether spoken or written.

Agile leaders realize that their Personal Integrity as reflected by their words, actions, decisions, and methodologies help to create their organizations’ true values and culture. Studies show this attribute extends benefits to both leaders and their organization.

Research has linked greater integrity with increased workplace performance.
Leaders with integrity foster greater trust and satisfaction from their direct reports, who are more likely to follow suit.
Employees serving under leaders with high integrity demonstrate more positive workplace behaviors (e.g., helping others during busy periods) and fewer negative workplace behaviors (e.g., falsely calling in sick).
Employees who trust their leaders to have integrity are likely to work harder, perform better, and have greater company loyalty.

The journey to become an agile leader is rife with complexity and ambiguity. One of the key elements that must be established is a level of trust and personal integrity. Leaders who lead ON PURPOSE understand the importance of building credibility. If you want to be a leader others will follow, trust and integrity is where you need to start.

What Leadership Shadow Do You Cast?

On Purpose leaders must own and lead the behaviors that shape the culture of an organization. They’re accountable for creating the experiences of employees, customers, and the communities they serve. This is the badge of honor that comes with being a leader. The reality is that organizations become “Shadows of their Leaders.”

It’s a heavy burden to consider for people who want to be leaders. They have to navigate shifting landscapes, changing markets, a demanding workforce, and expectations of boards and outside constituents. It is a bit of a cliché to say that they must “adapt and overcome,” but that is one of many sayings that are simply realities that have proven themselves over time.

After Goodyear Tire lost money in 1990 (the first time in 60 years), the board persuaded Stan Gault, a member of the Goodyear Board of Directors and former CEO of Rubbermaid, to come out of retirement and replace Goodyear’s current CEO. When Gault arrived, he began to unplug lights and unscrew light bulbs in the former CEO’s large office to reduce costs. He ate in the company cafeteria with the rest of the employees and got rid of executive parking spaces.

The word spread like wildfire among Goodyear employees that Gault believed “thrift is a virtue.” When Gault then asked all Goodyear employees to help reduce the company’s bloated costs, they already knew their leader walked the talk. Goodyear employees responded to Gault’s integrity and plea to reduce costs. As a result, the company paid down its debt and invested in new research and development. Soon thereafter, Goodyear launched the newly developed “Aquatred Tire.” It was a huge success and Goodyear was restored to profitability.

As leaders, we all have a shadow that we cast over others in the organization that is either positive or negative. The key question you need to ask yourself is, “What is your shadow saying about you?”

A leader’s shadow can strengthen a company’s culture and the engagement and commitment of its employees. In March 2020, when retail outlets were initially forced to close their doors because of the COVID19 pandemic, Tim Boyle, president and CEO of Columbia Sportwear Company, cut his salary to $10,000 a year while Columbia retail employees still received their regular pay. His pay cut helped to keep almost 3,500 retail employees compensated during that time of uncertainty. In addition to Boyle’s own pay cut, 10 top executives voluntarily took a 15 percent pay reduction.

That’s the shadow of a leader. It’s someone who acts—someone who doesn’t just talk about the values but lives the values. With this mindset, you gain the respect of others; even those who disagree will hold you in higher esteem for your convictions.

One of the more important aspects of the Shadow of a Leader is that people will watch and follow you. Sometimes they won’t even be aware of what they are doing. Your attitudes and behaviors become their attitudes and behaviors.

The best examples of this mirroring are found in our personal lives. Sons and daughters watch and emulate their fathers and mothers—the most influential people in their young lives. This brings to mind the song, Boy, by American singer-songwriter, Lee Brice who sings about his son who is going to be great because he does what his dad does.

Boy, you’re gonna know it all. You’ll think you’re ten feet tall… You’re gonna drop the ball. Hit the wall… I know you will, ’cause you’re a part of me. And a part of you will always be a boy.

We believe leaders are like dads and moms. People watch them and follow them. They want to make their boss happy with how they’re performing. They’ll mimic how their leaders behave, because if they do that, they know that they’re probably going to connect with their leaders and be viewed favorably.

We’ve met leaders and up-coming leaders who, upon learning about the influence of their shadow, will shy away from assuming the burden or deny their influence altogether. Basketball legend, Charles Barkley, once boldly declared to the media that he was not a role model and that kids should be taught to emulate their parents, not athletes or celebrities.

The reality is that if you’re in a position of influence, people are going to emulate you whether you want them to or not. Leaders are role models, and we believe that if you’re going to be a leader, you need to be one who leads On Purpose. You need to become the model of behavior that others will trust, emulate, and follow. It’s then a matter of what you want your shadow to reflect.

As you reflect on your leadership shadow, ask yourself the following questions.

What shadow does your leadership style cast on others?
How consistent are you at making and meeting your commitments to others?

Think back to some of the recent choice you have made. What could you have done differently?