“No one wants to take responsibility.”
“They have very little work experience, but extremely high expectations.”
We hear statements like this regularly in conversations with executives and customers. This is often followed by the question: How should Generations Y and Z be managed?
Behind these statements often lies a mix of surprise, uncertainty, and a search for guidance. The world of work is changing—and with it, expectations of leadership. What is perceived as “different” can be unsettling, and sometimes even alarming. I remember a discussion with the members of the executive board of an engineering firm who were seriously concerned about the future of their company because younger employees preferred to meet with clients online and handled many other things differently than they did.
But what does the research say?
The empirical evidence for significant differences between generations is surprisingly weak. Studies show that generational effects—if they can be detected at all—are usually small (Ravid, Costanza & Romero, 2025). Often, the differences we observe are mistakenly interpreted as generational effects, even though they are more likely related to age or life stage.
For example, values change over the course of a person’s life. What matters to people in their twenties often differs from what they prioritize in their forties or fifties (Lersch, 2023). At the same time, societal conditions—and with them, notions of good work, attractive labor markets, and career paths—have changed. Aspects such as meaningfulness, opportunities for growth, flexibility, and psychological safety are increasingly discussed today and are viewed by many employees as important characteristics of attractive work (Rosso et al., 2010; Kossek et al., 2015; Edmondson, 2019).
If the evidence for fundamental generational differences is so limited, we may be asking the wrong question.
Perhaps the issue is less about how we lead Generation Y or Z, and more about how leadership can remain effective under changing conditions.
The key challenge is to design working conditions in such a way that people with different needs and life circumstances can reach their full potential—while at the same time achieving common goals.
This is precisely where relationship-oriented and individualized leadership approaches become increasingly important. Research shows that trust, high-quality leadership relationships, individualized support, and a sense of autonomy are key drivers of motivation, performance, accountability, and commitment (e.g., Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995; Deci, Olafsen & Ryan, 2017).
What are your experiences in your day-to-day leadership role? Where do you face the biggest challenges? We look forward to hearing from you.
GenZ, GenY, Leadership
- High expectations and a lack of accountability are often not the problem—but rather a symptom of a relationship that hasn’t yet fostered enough trust.
- Responsibility rarely grows as a result of pressure, but rather when people feel seen, taken seriously, and trusted.
- The future of effective leadership therefore lies not in more control, but in more trust and genuine relationship-building.
- Perhaps the real leadership question isn’t, “What’s wrong with the employees?” but rather, “What do they need to be able to realize their potential and fulfill their responsibilities?”
- After all, commitment, responsibility, and growth ultimately stem not from demands, but from trust and relationships
Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-Determination Theory in Work Organizations: The State of a Science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 19–43.
Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.
Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 6(2), 219–247.
Kossek, E. E., Thompson, R. J., & Lautsch, B. A. (2015).
Balanced workplace flexibility: Avoiding the traps. California Management Review, 57(4), 5–25.
Lersch, P. M. (2023). Change in Personal Culture over the Life Course. American Sociological Review, 88(2), 220-251.
Ravid, D. M., Costanza, D. P., & Romero, M. R. (2025). Generational differences at work? A meta-analysis and qualitative investigation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 46(1), 43–65.
Rosso, B. D., Dekas, K. H., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2010). On the meaning of work: A theoretical integration and review. Research in Organizational Behavior, 30, 91–127.
