Gen Z is a stress test for every leader

On 19 June, the United States marks Junenineteenth. The holiday commemorates a historic event that is also remarkable from a communication perspective.

On 1 January 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. With this, the US government officially abolished slavery in the Confederate states. Yet many people did not hear about it for a long time, because the message did not reach every part of the country — or because it was deliberately withheld.

Only on 19 June 1865 did Union troops arrive in Galveston, Texas. There, they publicly announced that all enslaved people were free.

Junenineteenth therefore commemorates more than a political decision. It also shows that a decision only creates impact when people hear it, understand it and acknowledge it.

Any comparison between slavery and corporate leadership would be inappropriate. However, the communication mechanism behind this history is worth examining:

A decision changes very little if it does not reach the people affected by it.

This is exactly where many organisations fail today.

Companies decide on cultural change, formulate new leadership principles and develop AI strategies. They also talk about transformation, agility and trust. Yet many employees receive a very different message:

• “Do more.”
• “Ask fewer questions.”
• “Just go along with it.”
• “Trust us.”

Afterwards, leaders are surprised when younger employees, in particular, respond with scepticism.

Perhaps Gen Z is not the problem

People talk a lot about Generation Z. Quite often, the tone is accusatory: too demanding, too sensitive, not resilient enough, not loyal enough.

My colleague Susanne Nickel addressed this debate sharply in her book “Verzogen. Verweichlicht. Verletzt.” and clearly struck a nerve. However, the decisive question is not whether one generation is more difficult than another.

The more important question is this:

What does this generation reveal about leadership, communication and trust?

From a communication perspective, a different picture emerges.

Perhaps Gen Z is not acting disloyally, but is simply more sensitive to leadership that broadcasts a great deal and explains too little. It may not be disrespect either — often these are questions earlier generations tended to swallow. Nor is it a lack of willingness to work; rather, it is a refusal to accept communication that confuses presence with performance.

Deloitte describes stability, development and wellbeing as key expectations among younger generations. Leaders should therefore not dismiss these points too quickly as a “wellness” issue. Instead, this is about leadership, trust and communication.

Leadership must explain better

Many companies underestimate how strongly communication determines acceptance. A strategy may make sense, and change may remain necessary. A decision may also be commercially sound. Nevertheless, it will fail if people do not understand it, do not trust it or cannot recognise its purpose.

Younger employees, in particular, react sensitively to contradictions between aspiration and reality. They notice when a company announces dialogue but does not allow genuine participation. They also recognise when leadership demands trust while simultaneously increasing control. And they sense when organisations communicate purpose but, in everyday reality, mainly pass on pressure.

That does not make leadership easier. But it does make leadership more honest.

Communication belongs at the beginning

Many leaders still treat communication as the final step: first they decide, then they inform.

However, this does not create acceptance. At best, it creates awareness.

Effective leadership communication starts earlier. Before important decisions, leaders should therefore clarify several questions:

• What is the goal of the decision?
• What does it mean for those affected?
• Which concerns can we anticipate?
• Which message should really land?
• Which questions must we answer honestly?

Anyone who skips these questions leaves interpretation to others: informal rumours, social media or quiet disengagement.

Gen Z forces leadership to become clearer

The hardest generation for leaders is not Gen Z.

The hardest generation is any generation that no longer silently accepts poor communication.

Perhaps this is precisely where progress lies. Because leadership is not demonstrated by how often decisions are announced. It is demonstrated by whether people understand why those decisions are made — and whether they trust the people who represent them.

Communication is leadership skill no. 1