Which is it?

Is Gen Z lazy? Entitled? Promotion-hungry? Unwilling to pay their dues? Resistant to authority? Obsessed with work-from-home?

Or are their managers missing the point entirely?

I see too much evidence that it’s the latter. What I see is judgment. And when I see wholesale judgment—of a generation, of a group, of an identity—I see dismissal. To write off an entire generation as deficient because of behaviors that can be perplexing is to abdicate a basic premise of leadership—when things are not working out look in the mirror and take ownership to understand, solve, and lead rather than blame.

In work and communications across differences what often looks like incompetence, irresponsibility, or defiance is often a different interpretation of how to accomplish similar objectives.

So where could managers be misreading their younger talent? Let’s start here: What is it that Gen Z says it wants from work? They want autonomy, flexibility, financial security. How different is that from what more experienced workers are seeking today? It’s pretty much the same list.

Where things diverge is in why they want it and how they want to go about getting these things. To answer these questions let’s be curious. What has shaped this generation’s disposition, priorities, and ways of doing things?

This generation grew up with active shooter drills between learning their ABCs and advanced algebra. They’ve grown up in the shadow of existential climate change and ugly and destructive political polarization. They came of age—yet missed out on major coming of age milestones—during a global pandemic. They grew up with digital screens that unlocked fast learning but also were unchecked channels for brutal shaming and cyberbullying. Their economic outlook is dimmer than their parents’ at the same age. The AI revolution has made their future uncertain just as they’re starting to define who they are professionally.

This generation grew up with active shooter drills between learning their ABCs and advanced algebra.

They’re not just stressed. They’re traumatized. They are, in many ways, the PTSD generation.

According to the American Psychological Association, 91% of Gen Z report experiencing at least one physical or emotional symptom of stress—difficulty sleeping, frequent worry, feeling overwhelmed—and nearly every young person is showing signs of chronic stress. The suicide rate for Americans aged 10–24 rose sharply—increasing 62% from 2007 to 2021 (from 6.8 to 11.0 per 100,000 people)—making it the second leading cause of death in that age group.

Sources: Anxiety and Depression in Gen Z comparatively; The Generational Gap in Perspectives on Mental Health

These stats shape a worldview and lifestyle manifested in everyday Gen Z phrasing and slang such as “that’s stressy,” “I need to regulate,” “I’m spiraling,” “I need a reset,” and “that’s not in my window of tolerance today.” In fact, seeing a therapist—especially among middle-class young people—is part of life. 87% of Gen Z report feeling comfortable discussing mental health, and nearly 40% have been to therapy. This mainstreaming of mental health then makes comments such as “I’ll unpack that in therapy,” “my therapist said,” “my mom guilt-tripped me again,” and “that was a trauma response” commonplace.

This is the world Gen Z walks within when they show up to work.

What’s a Manager to Do?

Managers are being called to lead in ways they weren’t trained for. Many managers tell me, “I was not trained to be a psychotherapist, but that’s what they are asking for!”

This common exaggerated response can become a deflection to not do the work that managers should be doing. The key for managers is to not judge Gen Z as “difficult,” but rather see them empathetically as deeply impacted by trauma. With this pivot, managers can clear the way within themselves to lead them to meet them where they are, without fear of lowering the bar or abandoning the mission.

What this moment calls for is character. As much as character emerged with the ancients such as Aristotle, the call to meet this moment with deeper, more grounded character could not be more urgent.

What this moment calls for is character. As much as character emerged with the ancients such as Aristotle, the call to meet this moment with deeper, more grounded character could not be more urgent.

I shared with a group of managers in a training session earlier this week: in a world where everything around us is off center, including our team members, and so many major disruptive forces are outside of our direct control, the one thing we can control is centering ourselves.

It’s why I created CharacterGPS™ which offers a set of seven traits—Authenticity, Purpose, Courage, Resilience, Kindness, Humility, and Gratitude—that aren’t just morally admirable. They are practically necessary for leading in this time of trauma, disconnection, and generational distrust.

When it comes to managing this PTSD Generation let me zero in on three of these traits: Kindness, Humility, and Gratitude.

Kindness – Like Water in the Desert

It’s a hard-edged time. Social media can be a house of horrors. Authoritarianism is shutting down free speech. Hyper productivity pressures are leaving everyone burnt out. In this climate, Kindness is oxygen.

A manager who offers a listening ear, who checks in with sincerity, who doesn’t crack down on small mistakes becomes a lifeline. Kindness builds trust, and trust is the only path to engagement. When someone believes you care about them, they’ll go further for you. They’ll take more calculated risks. They’ll recover faster. Kindness creates safety. And safety fuels performance.

Humility—Let Go

Too many managers still operate with the mindset: “I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I know what works. Why can’t they just get on board?” The fallacy of this stance is that world that shaped this type of leadership style no longer exists.

The PTSD Generation didn’t grow up in the same system as their elders. Given the mess the world is in right now they don’t trust leaders, they don’t trust institutions, they don’t want to be told how to get things done. Humility means recognizing that younger people in key ways have more experience than those older than them. They were shaped by the very forces threatening to devour the established order. For managers to say they by default know better, is so full of hubris that the eye rolls by Gex Z are justified. Humility here means taking the stance of “I’ve got a lot to learn from you. Help me see this through your eyes—and see how we can solve together.”

Gratitude – Watch How Much Comes Back

Resenting Gen Z is both unfair and unproductive. Take a closer look: they want to contribute. They want to lead. They want to make a difference—and they want to do it now. What may seem like entitlement is a gift.

They may not have all the experience or polish yet—but they’re ready to learn and often bring a kind of energy and insight that can’t be taught. In a time of overwhelming complexity, with so much to solve and so much uncertainty to navigate, Gen Z is one of your greatest assets. With the right leadership, their raw drive can become an engine of progress. What an advantage!

This mindset shift—seeing Gen Z’s urgency as energy, not rebellion—builds connection. When people feel they matter, they give their best. So the next time you’re tempted to judge a Gen Z “ask,” pause. Then celebrate the ambition behind it.

Bottom Line

The neuroscience is there: people who feel appreciated are more productive, more loyal, and more likely to speak up before a small issue becomes a big one.

As complex as it all may feels, let’s strip this down to its essence: Your people are traumatized. They need the healing balm of calm, empathetic, and kind leadership. Therefore be more human in your management.

Take care of them, and they will take care of you.