It’s not a Z thing.

Photo by Wyron A. on Unsplash

I was never one to share too much of my personal life online. But, as COVID lingers on, I can’t help but take cues from the younger generations, putting myself out there … teetering on the brink of authenticity and privacy. I am deliberate in my intent to learn from these younger generations, from the Gen Z 20-somethings on Clubhouse, to the millennial INSTA-millionaires who have built empires out of nothing but crochet postings, to the everyday tik-tokers whose fame around things like morning routines, and “what’s in your closet” continue to mystify me. But, I am fangirling all of them, astounded by their power and brilliance. I am following the GenZ’ers on clubhouse, dropping into their rapid fire brilliant conversations despite the prodigious use of “bruh”, “lit”, “dank” and “boujee”. As I am listening in while I labor over my “unpaid work”, I can’t help but wonder if I am older than their own mothers, despite how young I feel.

But seriously, this young generation is on fire and if we don’t pay close attention to who they are and what they stand for, we might as well get right back under our rock.  Soon GenZ will be one-third of the worlds’ population and the most diverse generation in our nation’s history. My kids are on the younger end of Gen Z but the older part of the generation is already out in the workforce, starting companies, and some already making millions. Born between 1995 and 2012, they are the first digitally native generation of all time. To a Gen Z nothing is too sacred and the value of authenticity and putting oneself out there (in the name of building a world that is diverse, personalized, and socially just) overwhelmingly outweighs any risk.

The more I learn about GenZ, as both a mother raising them and as an armchair ethnographer, the more I feel a deep affinity for this cohort whose impact will be more profound than any other generation before. Their unique perspectives on how they define success in life and in the workforce will cast an entirely new light than the millennials before them. Gen Z will refuse to fit neatly into little boxes that others define. They will prioritize social-activism and will not work for an organization that does not align with their values. They are true  global citizens. They are resurrecting the reverence for the “renaissance figure” and they won’t be defined by a “job description”. 

Gawd, I love ALL of  this. Seriously, how can you not? This is so lit (channeling, here).

So, here’s the tea, while I do not wish to be a Gen Z (especially the part about going through my teens and twenties again) I will stay open to learning from them, standing on the edge with them, and believing in them, all while flirting with my own authenticity despite all that I hold close. 

Most importantly, I believe that the future leaders they will become will completely upend the outdated ideas that we have about what constitutes “good leadership”. So, get out from under your rock my fellow Gen-Xers, Millennials, and Boomers and know what this generation is all about and understand your role within it. 

What they are into is not just a “Gen Z thing”, it’s the future for all of us.