Gen Z poking the bears of this world

Many discussions occur about Gen Z in the workplace, including their handling of things in their own way, their obsession with social media, butchered words and emojis, their audacity in various situations, their disrespect for old stereotypes, their disbelief towards hierarchy, and many more.

One thing I personally love is their willingness to poke the bears of our society.

This reminds me of my daughters, who were toddlers a decade ago. Back then, they used to bombard me with a ton of awkward questions in the most shameless way:

• Why did you do that?
• Why did you say that?
• Why did you disagree with Mom about this or that?
• Why do you work in the night?
• Why you do not seem that happy today?
• Why are you that stubborn?
• Why are you that nervous recently?
• Why do you yell since this was your fault?

...and many more

Challenging questions, right? You see all these whys? Ouch!!!

I am 40+, so I have to admit that my generation preferred to adapt and assume the answers down the road. Gen Z does the opposite. They wait for the answers first, then consider whether they must adjust. Refusing to do so is always a valid option in the back of their head.

It's not about whether Gen Z's approach is right or wrong; time will judge that. What's truly valuable is the raw feedback they offer. If we're willing to accept it, it's a priceless tool for personal and professional growth.

Sure, there are people who consider such a way of communication extremely abrupt and insulting, especially due to age difference, but if we think about it, it is not. It is just feedback without round corners, unicorns, and fairytales. It is direct. After all, everyone has the right to share opinions and ask questions.

If a question makes us go ballistic, then we have to dig deep inside and find the actual reason that caused such a reaction. We may feel underappreciated. We may still seek others' approval despite our experience in the field. Maybe we hate dialog since we are used to our long monologs due to our position. Maybe we are used to being surrounded by people who praise and applaud us no matter what. These are not healthy, right? We got exposed!!

Direct feedback can really shake us and help us reconsider things.

As we age, it becomes increasingly important to embrace challenges, particularly those that challenge our perspectives and habits. This is the key to avoiding the repetition of past mistakes and propelling ourselves forward. Cheers!!