Expecting to wing the trends that GenZ and the "new normal" set? We suggest you prepare.

As coaches and people, affected by everything that has been going on around the world in the past three years, we can’t help but wonder...

Is all advice, on how to create a powerful mindset and how to successfully navigate reality, going down the drain in today’s world?

We believe key principles will remain valid, of course, and we’ll continue to, at least for a while, implement the fundamentals that we've known to be working in the past (even if they are no longer producing the same results). But the present seems very different to the times when those were developed. In fact, it not only seems different, but it is going to continue its transformation, with temps that none of us has experienced before.

Technological developments are the driver behind some of the major shifts. The global economy, constant connectivity, information flows, advancements in military technology, space travel, exploring options to live somewhere else but Earth, surveillance, facial recognition, vast databases, medical improvements, etc. - we can go on and on, can't we?

All of this is changing societies across the globe. On top of that, we've experienced COVD19, wars and the power of the media...

There are great implications, not only with respect to the practical and tangible aspects of our lives, but especially in relation to our psychology.

What do we mean by this?

While the obvious shifts are visible and the trajectory of where we are going is subject to constant analysis and speculations of all kinds, the changes in us as human beings are far more complicated to make sense of, describe or predict. Yet they are the ones that are truly worth the effort to grasp.

Think about this for a moment...

Those born after 1997 (neatly referred to as Generation Z) are developing their emotions, mental maps, beliefs and expectations in a completely different environment than previous generations. In other words, they will feel, think and act differently than any age group before them. In countries like Brazil, more than 20% of the population is already formed by Generation Z. What research from the area of consumer behaviour suggests is that their top priority going forward would be much different to what we are used to.

They are the generation searching for TRUTH above all else!

This priority differs greatly from what Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials focused on. McKinsey 2018’s research also points out Gen-Z’s need for individual expression and avoidance of labels. The children of 1997 and beyond are mobilised by causes. They believe profoundly in the efficacy of dialogue and are expected to make decisions about institutions in a highly analytical and pragmatic way. This could mean lowering the importance of tradition, symbolism, brands and much more. In comparison to the Millennials (1981 – 1996) – who are often accused of being the “me generation”, the Gen-Z are much more community-oriented.

Here comes the interesting part for all of us coaches, leaders, managers...

The “me generation” is the one that really embraced the concept of coaching with open arms and focused on the idea that we not only have personal agency at any given time but also that we have the right and obligation to focus on ourselves. ?

Thirty per cent (30%) of all people who currently work as coaches (be it full time or as managers, leaders, etc.) globally are Millennials. Generation X and Baby Boomers are with 27 and 23% respectively (Source: ICF Research 2021).

So what?

In a nutshell, there is a massive change coming and we need to prepare to effectively support the future generation. Bear in mind, at the moment 90% of coaching clients are in the age bracket 25-40 years old. Gen-Z is already making its way into it.

We expect to wing it, but can we?

Millennials got their start in an era of economic prosperity overall (at least in the so-called “west world”) and as a result became more idealistic, more confrontational, less willing to accept diverse points of view (despite the self-proclaimed ability to be tolerant) and ultimately more focused on themselves. Generation Z, on the other hand, will look to satisfy their ethical, analytical, expressive and pragmatic priorities. The search for authenticity, greater freedom and greater openness will surface more and more. Life in multiple realities, dimensions and circles, facilitated by technology and the internet are here and are also here to stay.

With all this, a number of questions emerge for coaches, the coaching practice overall and any leader or manager that will operate in the new environment:

• How does setting goals fit into this?
• Would planning for the future with SMART frameworks and milestones be as widely accepted as it is today or it will be questioned and perceived as too restrictive?
• How can coaching embrace and navigate the Undefined ID?
• How can the practice be of service when people live in multiple realities?
• Where would we put the ethical boundaries for clients’ online personas and offline ones?
• What questions would be considered powerful now?

I need to be free; I need to be myself, increasingly be myself, every day. With the internet, I feel much freer. —Female respondent, 22, city of S?o Paulo

I really like things that are unisex! I think it’s absurd that stores and brands split everything into “male” and “female.” After all, fabric is genderless. — Female respondent, 22, Goiania (Source: McKinsey Research, 2018)

Some researchers say that gender fluidity may be the most telling reflection of “undefined ID,” but it isn’t the only one. For Gen-Z, the self is a place to experiment, test, and change. Seven out of ten Gen Zers say it is important to defend causes related to identity.

We each have our own style and way of being, but what binds us is that we accept and understand everyone’s styles. —Male respondent, 16, Recife

Obviously, the boundaries between generations are not clear cut. We borrow and transfer, and we are shaped by the previous generations of course, but because there are so many factors that contribute to whom we become as individuals and as societies, the conditions play an important role.

What personal development looks like for those born after 1997 is very different to how it looked for previous generations.

In another survey conducted by NARU (a start-up focused on creating a safe space community for each individual to work on their personal growth), the results from 51 respondents were analysed. By using the framework WHO-DO-BE-FEEL-CONCERN they broke down the answers and presented their key findings on Generation Z. Some of the important ones suggest that:

1.?????For Generation Z there are two types of personal development journeys: 1/ life-visionaries and 2/ self-healers.

2.?????The biggest roadblock in pursuing their goals is the inability to be self-accountable, regardless of endless productivity tools already available to them.

3.?????The three areas of focus for generation Z include career development, self-improvement and maintaining a work/life balance (once the other two are accomplished)

It is fair to say that the future looks uncertain for many people today. Many of our clients currently contemplate the unpredictability of everything and experience cognitive dissonance on many levels. “How should I plan going forward” is a question that they don’t verbalise but often struggle with internally. The overview we give with this article aims at giving you a perspective in regards to this question. We are moving into a future where the fluidity of identities, authenticity, search for the truth and prioritising dialogues will come to the forefront. Practical thinking and orientation toward causes are expected to define the next decades. You can use this knowledge to adapt and make adjustments that will ensure your personal wholeness and happiness. What’s more, we can all participate actively in shaping up the world in the direction that creates a better new reality rather than one that’s simply marked by confusion.

What are your thoughts on this complex subject of "how does the future look like"?

Walking the talk.

The ILC International's Team

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