Understanding Gen Z professionals matters more than we think.
- Stephanie Edward
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
It still kind of surprises me that the first book I’m writing is one about relating to and empowering Gen Z professionals. Certainly 6-year-old me who dreamed of one day writing a book could not have predicted this. For good reason: People were not really talking about generations in the 80s the way they are now.
Still, though, even a more recent past version of myself would never have guessed that this would be my first book. I would have put my money on it being a work of fiction, first, but, for non-fiction, I would have guessed something along the lines of inner work or building people skills.
And yet it feels right that my first book is one about understanding Gen Z professionals.
There are a couple of reasons for this.
For one, if you and I have ever had the chance to talk about my book in person, you will know that I get pretty animated when I discuss this stuff. I move my arms and hands a lot, my cheeks get pink, and I talk faster because I have so much to say.
I’m often surprised by my own passion for this, to be honest. But, as it turns out, I’m fascinated by the dynamics between generations, by our differences, and by what makes us more alike than we realize.
It’s daunting, to be sure, though. So much goes into generational theory and I’m not a generational theory expert. (Nor do I want to be!) I’m walking a fine line between talking about generational differences without trying to purport that I’m something I’m not.
The second reason it feels right that I’m writing this book is that it dovetails so nicely with my focus on making work work.
There are many angles to making work work for us (all of which I focus on through my keynotes, corporate training, and one-to-one development sessions):
Do we have adequate self-awareness to recognize when our own thoughts, perspectives, and emotions are thwarting our efforts to make work work for us? Are we getting in the way of our ability to derive personal meaning or enjoyment from our work?
Do we have the skills we need to do our work well? (I’m primarily concerned about the soft or professional skills needed, given that they are so rarely taught or taught properly, but “skills” also encompasses technical skills, too.)
Do we know how to interact with the people we encounter in our work lives?
This last one is, of course, where my book fits in to this conversation.
For work to work for everyone currently in the workplace, we need to try to understand each other.
Appreciating generational differences is but one way in which we can do that but it’s an important one.
While it’s true that we cannot label someone based solely on when they were born, it is also true that there are certain macro forces that shape our lives differently, based on our age.
So, the generation we belong to is one data point in our quest to better understand others and ourselves.
It feels right that I’m writing this book because I’m essentially translating the things I’ve learned to a simple format, with the goal of helping leaders relate to and empower this newest generation of professionals. And that’s something I’ve been told I’m good at: making complex ideas easier to understand.
It feels right that I’m writing this book now because divisiveness seems to be an all-time high. Every time I brave peeking at the news, I’m affronted by the “us” versus “them” rhetoric. It’s all over social media. It seeps into otherwise innocuous conversations. It’s in far too many places.
If ever there was a time to do something to help people bridge differences and find some common ground, now is that time.
Easing the tension between generations comes down to communication and education. We all need to listen and we all need to learn.
I empathize with older generations of professionals who just don’t understand why their younger colleagues can’t figure certain things out on their own or don’t get why things need to be done a certain way. The upbringing and life experiences of those older professionals set them up to succeed in the workplace the way it is currently structured. They don’t realize the advantage they have because of this. So, I understand why they might be baffled by the fact that younger people are not able to “just fit in”.
Yet, I also empathize with the younger professionals who come from very different childhoods, with different experiences and skills, and are expected to fit into a work world that was simply not built by or for them. That’s not a great feeling either!
Communication, empathy, and adaptation are required on both sides. While I hear about a lot of friction between generations at work, I also hear about a lot of partnership between them. This gives me hope.
Cross-generational collaboration and learning can be so powerful.
I think it’s one of the ways we will be able to heal the world but, for that to work, we must be willing to learn about others with an open mind.
That’s why I’m writing this book. That’s why I want to help leaders understand Gen Z professionals. I want to help them empower them.
Perhaps the goal of my next book will be to help Gen Z professionals understand their older colleagues.
Understanding, communication, empathy, and adaptability are critical right now and everyone has a role to play.
I view this book as one of the ways in which I can help make work work for everyone... and maybe even contribute to making the world a better place.
Warmly,
Stephanie
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