From Control to Creativity: Leadership Secrets for the Gen Z Era

Every generation is different from the previous one. And each new generation brings with it new ways of thinking, working, and communicating. But every current generation needs to make way for the next, providing a pathway for them to fit into the world. How do we handle this with the so-called Gen Z, the new generation in our workforce today?

Recently, I had a discussion with fellow leaders, and we agreed on one thing: we didn’t know how to manage colleagues of the new generation. Gen Z is constantly engaged with social media, seeking real-time feedback and open communication. These behaviors differ greatly from what we’ve seen in previous generations, and it became clear that our traditional management approaches weren't working with this group.

In my one-on-one conversations with younger colleagues, I’ve noticed something different: they love creativity, inclusivity, and diversity. The question became: how do we harness this energy and guide it productively?

There are a few options we considered. The first option was to encourage Gen Z to conform to past approaches that have been tried and proven. While this ensures consistency and stability, it may also stifle their creativity and engagement, leading to frustration as they seek more flexibility.

The second option was to adapt our systems to fit their style, incorporating more digital tools and flexibility. However, adapting too much could create challenges in maintaining consistency and might even cause inefficiencies in integrating changes across teams.

The third option, which I found most promising, was to create a new paradigm—a balance between traditional methods and the innovation Gen Z craves. This hybrid approach allows us to harness their energy while maintaining organizational structure, benefiting both the individual and the organization.

The breakthrough for me came when I realized that instead of managing them, I needed to lead them. Hamza Khan, a Gen Z leader and speaker, reinforced this insight in his TED Talk Stop Managing, Start Leading. In his talk, Khan argued that managing today's workforce with old, rigid structures wouldn’t get the best results. Instead, he emphasized that leaders should focus on inspiring their teams by providing autonomy and purpose. Using a metaphor, he said if you wanted your team to build a ship, you shouldn’t just assign them tasks—teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

Based on Hamza Khan’s TED Talk insights, here are three practical tips for leading Gen Z colleagues:

Trust and Empower – Provide autonomy and let your team take ownership of their tasks. Trust builds accountability and creativity.

Create a Shared Vision – Guide your team by aligning them with a broader purpose. When people see their work as part of a bigger picture, they feel more connected and motivated.

Foster Collaboration – Encourage co-creation and active involvement in decision-making. This leads to greater engagement and a more innovative team culture.

Khan’s approach helped shape my thinking, and I decided to implement a new strategy with my team. Instead of the usual "get to know each other" icebreakers, I introduced the idea of a team contract—a set of norms we could all agree on to work together more effectively. For example, I laid out my expectations for when deadline submissions should be completed, clearly stating the need for timely off-deadline handovers. Meanwhile, team members were able to share their personal schedules, such as needing to leave early on certain days for personal commitments like yoga or childcare. With this understanding, we all agreed on a system that allowed flexibility while ensuring work commitments were met. This contract became a living document, guiding our daily interactions and serving as a reminder of our collective commitment to one another and to our shared goals.

-Later, some colleagues told me how useful that exercise was in resolving conflicts and building a positive culture. This exercise taught me that regardless of generation, what truly matters is aligning individual expectations with the team’s overall purpose.

Manage things. Lead people. But we often swap the order, focusing too much on managing people rather than leading them. By setting clear expectations through the use of a team contract, for example, leaders can create environments where team members know exactly what is expected, how flexibility is allowed, and how their personal needs can be balanced with work responsibilities. This approach builds trust, accountability, and mutual understanding, making it easier to lead people effectively while keeping work on track.