9 Things Top CEOs Have Learned From Gen-Z

Navigating generational gaps isn’t always easy, but it is necessary if you want to hire–and retain–top talent. By surrounding yourself with workers who have life experiences different from your own, you’ll have access to more perspectives, empower unconventional ideas for solving problems, and learn more about your business’s specific needs.  

For Inc.’s annual CEO survey, more than 1,000 leaders of Inc. 5000 companies shared what they’ve learned from their younger employees, their own children, and Gen-Z in general. Here are some of their best lessons.

1. Lead with kindness 

“From my children, I’ve learned the profound impact of kindness and respect in leadership. They consistently show love and compassion to each other and to my wife and me, teaching me that genuine respect fosters a more willing and motivated team. Forcing someone to follow directives isn’t effective; rather, when you lead with kindness and show respect, people are far more likely to follow you willingly and with enthusiasm.” 

2. Empower your employees 

“The ‘do as I say because I said so’ mentality doesn’t work anymore. Younger generations have outgrown that style of fear-based control. They don’t want to be bossed around–they want to be empowered and inspired. They seek role models and mentors from their leadership whom they can aspire to be like.” 

3. Value personal growth 

“My oldest son is autistic. When you have a child with a disability, you realize very early that your parenting experience will be different from your friends’ and neighbors’. Milestones (e.g., first step, first word, first book) will happen at their own pace and in their own order. I learned not to evaluate my son’s growth relative to other’s. His growth was only important relative to himself. Today, he can do many things that he could not do five years ago. There is every reason to believe that he will be doing even more in five years. This has had a profound effect on my leadership. I evaluate my teams on the basis of growth. Are they getting better? Are they learning new things? Are they working together better?” 

4. Protect your curiosity 

“As they have grown up, my children have taught me the importance of remaining always curious and never believing you already know the answer. I like to say, ‘Dummy up.’ When you come from a point of curiosity and wonder (like kids), you may still come to the same conclusions, but with so many new insights. Kids are also blissfully ignorant of what can and can’t be accomplished. If there were prerequisites for qualifying as an entrepreneur, would that not be top of the list?”

5. Let employees fail (and learn)

“You don’t know what you don’t know. Sometimes, I observe my son or a new employee making a decision that I know is wrong because of my experience. However, it reminds me that there was a time when I didn’t know the right decision either. Everyone needs the space to make mistakes and learn from them. Allowing people to fail is crucial for their growth and helps them make better decisions in the future.” 

6. Be direct 

“If you try to beat around the bush or make a request in a roundabout way, the chances of the task being accomplished to the degree you expect or even at all are slim to none. Being direct does not mean being rude. It means providing a level of clarity that is understood by the child or the employee.” 

7. Attitude is everything 

“Leadership starts from the top and starts with your attitude. My kids don’t care about my bad day, or if I didn’t get enough sleep last night and am tired. They just know it’s time to play and want to hang with Dad. Employees are the same — they don’t want a leader who isn’t fully present and ready to go.”

8. Keep it simple and truthful 

“My children have taught me to keep it simple. Do what you say you will do; say what you are going to do; and always keep your word. In a child’s eyes, life is that simple, and they are so correct.”

“You can’t BS your kids, and you can’t BS your team. Transparency, candor, and consistency are key.”  

9. Love what you build 

“I remember telling my kids that YouTube was its own company before Google bought it for a billion dollars. They were shocked, wondering why anyone would sell something so cool, and questioning why they’d need a billion dollars when they could own YouTube. It was interesting seeing things through their eyes: Sometimes, the real value is in loving what you build and enjoying the journey, not just aiming for an exit. You don’t have to sell if you love what you do. Sometimes, you’re worse off if you give it up.”