The generation that doesn't want to lead: An opportunity for rethinking
Op-ed in DN on October 23, 2024
In the past, it was those in leadership roles who had the most influence. Now, technology and social media have made the path to influence much shorter - and my generation understands that.
"The generation that doesn't want to lead," writes Dagens Næringsliv on October 4. Yet another negative angle on a real issue. Why do we always choose the most critical words when we talk about generational differences? This helps to create an artificial divide in the workplace, a divide that we don't want in the first place. After all, most workplaces strive for community, collaboration and common goals.
When we constantly point to generational differences with a negative angle, we overshadow the opportunities that these differences bring.
I myself am part of Gen Z, a generation that is often referred to as lazy, demanding and difficult to work with. When I took on the role of Head of Sustainability at Cegal, it wasn't because I dreamed of being a manager. It was because I wanted to work with something meaningful. For me, it's crucial that the job has meaning, that I can contribute to a more sustainable future by combining technology and the environment. That's what motivates me, not a title.
At Cegal, I get the opportunity to work with something meaningful, here I can contribute to a more sustainable future by combining technology and the environment.
The difference today is that there are many ways to influence. In the past, those in leadership roles had the most influence, but now technology and social media have made the path to influence much shorter. My generation understands this. We no longer need a leadership title to influence.
We can create engagement, initiative and change from completely different platforms. As a result, we may not look at traditional leadership roles with the same interest as previous generations did.
For others in my generation, it's about something else. Some would rather have a stable 8-16 job, and that's fine. It doesn't mean they lack ambition or drive. The point is that we have different ways of looking at working life, and there must be room for that. When we use generational differences as a negative label, we overlook this variation and create unnecessary barriers. It's time to recognize the diversity of what motivates us and use it as a strength instead of pigeonholing each other.
I would never have accepted this role with an employer who didn't understand the importance of balance, flexibility and challenging the status quo.
Too many companies talk a big game about being innovative, but fail to live up to these values. This is precisely where I see that we can learn from each other across generations.
When we say that Gen Z doesn't want to lead, we give a simplified picture that leaves out the complex reasons why many in my generation think differently about leadership. When these reasons are simultaneously portrayed as weaknesses or a lack of ambition, we lose a golden opportunity to learn from each other.
We all have something to learn, regardless of which generation we belong to - that's what will drive us forward. It's time to turn the negative narratives into something constructive and look at generational differences as an opportunity.
Instead of dividing ourselves into "us" and "them," we need to ask what we can learn from each other. Maybe we need to redefine what it means to lead? Maybe we can combine the experience of older generations with the innovation and values of younger ones?
