Managing younger team members

Managing younger members of the workforce and why some managers struggle with leading those in different generations and what we can do about it. This is what we'll be talking about today on how to lead the podcast for CEOs, founders, and leaders who want some clear tools, techniques, and strategies to help them lead well so their teams thrive and results follow.

I'm Kate Waterfall Hill, and I'll be sharing some ideas from over 30 years of working in business and leadership development.

Before we dive in, a quick reminder, if you find my take on leadership useful, but want to go deeper into elevating your own leadership skills or those of your managers, then do check out my website, waterfall hill.co.uk.

You'll find their details of my book, ‘How to Lead’ my online course, the How to Lead Digital Academy, my group coaching program, the Leadership Accelerator Premium, those last two are both accredited by the Institute of Leadership, by the way, and my team workshops and one-to-one coaching programs. But today's episode is all about managing younger members of your team.

Now, I'm not keen on sweeping generalizations or stereotypes, but it has to be said, Gen Z or Gen Z, whichever way you want to say it, they do get a lot of bad press. It is often the generation that, depending on who you ask, is either the future of work or the reason it's all going downhill.

But let me be clear, this episode is not about generational bashing, no snowflake talk, no lazy stereotypes, no sweeping claims that they don't want to work. Instead, we're going to talk about the question I get asked a lot by senior leaders, how can I best manage my younger team members, because Gen Z is pushing managers to rethink leadership, and in my opinion, it's actually a good thing.

So let's start as always with a quick word from Linda, the bad manager who's read just one article on TikTok and now considers herself a Gen Z expert.

“Managing Gen Z is easy. I mean, everyone goes on about how difficult it is, how challenging they are, but honestly, I think I've cracked it. Yeah. Well, I put a beanbag in the staff room, you see? I know what they're after. Quirky, creative ideas, splash of colour, little bit of Google. Of course, they don't actually sit in the beanbag.

No. They just perch on the edge, take a photo, post it on Instagram, and then complain that there's no charging point nearby. Mmm. But I think it sends the right message, you know? We get you. Yeah. Honestly, who needs clarity and career development when you've got a beanbag? Hmm.”

There she is again, thinking she knows it all. She's just recommending an office beanbag in the corner of the staff room, and then she thinks she's mastered it. Inspiring stuff, indeed. But let's talk about what actually helps when managing multi-generational teams and how to make the most of what Gen Z brings to the table.

Firstly, let's talk about what's really going on with Gen Z at work. If you've led anyone under say, 30 recently, chances are that you might have heard somebody say something like, they're so sensitive, they don't stay late, so annoying, and they just want to be influencers or YouTubers.

Well, none of that is particularly helpful and what the older generation might call entitlement is often just them having really clear boundaries. What some might call laziness is often a rejection of pointless busyness and what some might call disloyalty is often frustration with stagnant leadership.

Okay, so there's one thing I'd like you to really take away from here. That Gen Z isn't breaking the workplace. They're actually revealing where it was already broken. And if we're willing to pay attention, they're also going to help us fix it.

So what are they teaching us about leadership? What they need from their managers isn't radical or coddling. It's actually just human showing some humanity and empathy and really good listening skills. Something I talk about quite a lot. But here are four big lessons that we can learn from this generation.

Emotional intelligence isn't a bonus. It's absolutely essential because when a Gen Z employee openly discusses their mental health or asks about psychological safety, they're not being dramatic. They're telling you what they need to do their best work, and why wouldn't we, as managers want to hear that?

They expect their managers to create environments where they can speak up without being punished.

And that means being open about wellbeing, having really meaningful one-to-ones, not just status updates and responding with empathy. Not eye rolls. So this isn't soft. It's actually genuinely strategic. People don't innovate, speak up or stay in environments that punish vulnerability. If you want more on psychological safety, there's another podcast episode that I suggest you have a listened to if you haven't already.

Secondly, transparency beats authority because gone are the days of saying things like, because I said so. Gen Z grew up with infinite information at their fingertips. They're used to having context, explanation, and challenge, so they expect their managers to explain the why, not just the what, to be honest about what's working and what's not, and to admit mistakes and invite feedback.

So if you are clinging to old school command and control style tactics, I'm afraid you might well be being ignored because this generation doesn't want to just be told what to do. They want to understand, they want to contribute, and they want to collaborate, which is actually really useful.

The third point here is that boundaries aren't disloyalty. you might feel a bit of a quiet panic when someone leaves at 5:00 PM because it's just not what you are used to. But actually staying late isn't that a character trait isn't a badge of honour.

It's often a lack of boundaries and Gen Z are refusing to carry the same baggage that we might have done.

They genuinely value that work life balance thing. It's for real, not just as a slogan. And they also want flexibility, but they don't want to be made to feel guilty about it, and then they want time off that's actually off not being interrupted, not being made to feel guilty or asked to join meetings when they're on holiday or taking a day's leave.

And they're not lazy. They're not disengaged. They just know that burnout isn't a badge of honour that they want to wear. instead of judging them for it, maybe we should thank them for reminding us that wellbeing is part of performance. Good wellbeing means you're likely to be better at your job.

And then the fourth point here is purpose isn't a buzzword, and this one really matters more than we maybe give it credit for because Gen Z doesn't just want a payslip. They want to know that the work they're doing matters.

So that could look something like having really clear links between their role and company impact.

I've talked about this before in the podcast about clarity, and it's about linking the overall organization's objectives to the team, common purpose, and then each individual's contribution to that as well.

And then having a sense that their ideas and values are taken seriously.

This doesn't mean you need to be the sort of organisation that's trying to save the planet or though very good if it does. But it does mean you need to stop pretending people will stay loyal to vague missions and meaningless metrics. If you want more help on finding team goals without the corporate buzzwords, have a look at one of my earlier podcasts.

So why do I hear of so many managers who are struggling? Because all of this is good, you know? But why do so many leaders find managing Gen Z hard? And there's a bit of uncomfortableness around this. It's because they're not just asking for different things. They're exposing the leadership gaps we haven't filled.

So if your leadership style relies on assumptions of deference, you're expecting people to respect you because of your title. If you think that people will be motivated by pressure, that there will be loyalty both ways, even though there's no trust or that's sort of my way or the highway type decision making.

Then, yeah, this generation will be a challenge, but the real issue isn't Gen Z. It's that leadership has often been learned by osmosis and not kept up to date. And that's why I do what I do. I help people get up to date with their leadership. So what can you do differently? Here's my suggestions on how you might manage Gen Z or any younger employees, and let's be honest, it's how you should probably manage everybody.

So get curious, not critical. instead of eyeing them suspiciously, start by asking what helps you do your best work? What are your career goals and how can I support you better as your manager?

If you treat people like capable contributors, not a problem to solve, they're more likely to step up to the table and try and help you solve the problem. Number two, make expectations completely explicit. Don't assume anything is obvious. Spell it out again and again. So what does success look like?

What's the timeline? How updates should be communicated, and what's negotiable and what's absolutely not.

this generation really values clarity more than that. Sort of just figure it out chaos that you might have had to deal with as you were coming up the ladder.

Then the golden buzzword, which is accountability. I really encourage you to hold people accountable, but without the shame. Gen Z can absolutely handle feedback, but what they don't respond well to is being blindsided, humiliated, or made to feel disposable. So if things go off track, you can use language like, I noticed this happened, or Here's what I was expecting and here's what I noticed.

Instead, what's going on from your point of view? But make sure it's a tone of curiosity, not judgment. And then something like how can we course correct together, make sure it's a joint initiative, and then what support might help Another great question. Accountability doesn't have to mean blame. It can mean growth.

Number four, give regular useful feedback. Don't save it all for a formal review. This generation craves feedback, but only if it's specific, fair, and it helps them to improve, so you can try something like that. Report was well structured, clear and concise. Next time, let's check the figures earlier so we're not rushing.

It's short, it's honest, but it's actionable. It's not vague.

And most important at all, it's at the time, don't leave it for six months before you say something that's actually really got under your skin. Number five, stop assuming management is the end goal. One thing that often confuses senior leaders is the younger generations ambivalence towards climbing the ladder because they might actually not want your job.

They might not want to manage a team. They might value skill development or project ownership more than hierarchy. But don't take it personally, you know, don't see it as a lack of ambition. Instead, ask them, what does growth look like for you?

What kind of impact do you want to have here? And then really find ways to help them get there, even if it doesn't follow your path.

So what you can do this week, if you want to improve how you manage younger team members, and frankly, your whole team, here's where to start.

Have a proper check-in. Ask what's helping you thrive here and what's getting in your way? Set or revisit expectations. Don't rely on what you believe to be common sense, because you need to clarify outcomes, timelines and communication.

Don't make any assumptions. Number three, acknowledge something that's going well. Look for effort, progress, or attitude, not necessarily just polished perfect results or the way that you would've done something. Then ask what career growth looks like for them and actually listen.

And number five, reflect on your reactions. Next time you feel triggered by someone's boundary or question, take a bit of a pause. Ask yourself what story you're telling about it.

In summary then managing Gen Z isn't a new leadership skill as such. It's the same leadership skill you should have always had, but it's got less ego, more empathy, and a whole lot more clarity. This generation isn't soft. They're smart, they're values driven. they're asking for things many of us just wished we could have had when we started out.

And yes, they'll probably push you and maybe even push your buttons, but if you're willing to learn. They'll also make you a better leader because this isn't just about generations, it's about evolution and things change. It's about leadership that actually works not just for them, but for all of us.

That's all for today's episode of How to Lead. Until next time, keep leading with Clarity, Care, and Curiosity. If you've enjoyed this episode, do follow for more leadership insights. And if you'd like my personal support, take a look at my website, waterfall hill.co.uk. You'll get more information there about my one-to-one coaching and the Leadership Accelerator Premium Group coaching program, there's never been a better time to take your professional development seriously than right now.

I'd be delighted if you could like, leave a review and share with your fellow leaders to help spread the word. Don't forget the best leaders are clear on the vision, care about their people, and approach interactions with curiosity, not judgment. Don't be a Linda. See you next time.