Gen Z Is Not the Problem: Unprepared Leadership Is
Every generation gets blamed for the workforce it inherits. Gen Z just happens to be walking into a labor market that is exhausted, understaffed, distrustful, and deeply skeptical of corporate promises and then gets criticized for reacting accordingly.
The dominant narrative says Gen Z is entitled, sensitive, impatient, disloyal, and unwilling to “pay their dues.” What’s often missing from that conversation is context. This generation watched institutions fail in real time. They saw layoffs disguised as strategy, burnout framed as ambition, and loyalty rewarded with silence. Expecting blind commitment from a generation raised on receipts is unrealistic.
Yes, some of the critiques are valid. Many Gen Z workers struggle with professional communication, consistency, and resilience under pressure. Some expect flexibility before demonstrating value. Others reject hierarchy without fully understanding how organizations function. These are real challenges and pretending otherwise does no one any favors.
The part leaders need to hear is that everyone of those challenges is manageable. None of them are disqualifying. Now before you go clicking off of this, hear me out.
Gen Z will not thrive in environments build on fear, ambiguity or performative culture. They will test systems, question norms, and exit quickly when something feels off. Perhaps that isn’t fragility, but instead boundary literacy. And organizations that refuse to adapt will interpret that as a work ethic problem instead of a leadership one. The mistake many leaders make is assuming Gen Z needs to be fixed. They don’t. They have God, parents and others they hold close for that.
They need structure, honest expectations, coaching, and visible accountability. They need managers who can explain decisions instead of hiding behind authority. They need workplaces that reward curiosity without punishing candor. Most importantly, they need leaders willing to evolve. This generation will dominate the workforce sooner than most organizations are prepared for. And when they do, the companies that thrive will be the ones that chose stewardship over superiority, guidance over ridicule.
Being a positive steward of the next generation means doing uncomfortable things:
Teaching professionalism without shaming
Setting boundaries without weaponizing power
Modeling resilience instead of demanding it
Offering mentorship instead of mockery
Gen Z is not here to save broken systems. They are here to expose them. And leaders who understand that have a rare opportunity not only to manage a generation, but to build something greater alongside it.
