The world has changed. And not because screens, social networks and AI have appeared. No. The change has been much more radical, much deeper. It is a change of perspective, of values, of perceptions. The entire world has noticed when Generation Z has entered the workforce.
But what has changed? We found many explanations, some more critical, others more positive. But one thing is clear: We no longer work out of fear, we work to feel fulfilled.
And this change in perspective requires that the way we lead adapt to the new times, as researcher Brené Brown points out in her new book, Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit.
The new motivation
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With a more critical and pessimistic tone, philosopher Byung-Chul Han analyzes the change we have experienced with respect to work in The fatigue society. From their perspective, the paradigm shift is found in motivation.
Before we went to work out of fear. Fear of not having income, of being separated from society, of not being able to feed our children, of not being able to prosper. Now the motivation of the new generations is personal fulfillment. We believe that to be happy we need a purpose, and that we can only achieve it through work.
Leaving aside the philosophical implications, what Han points out in her work is what Brené Brown also seems to have perceived in her latest research, and this is stated in an interview she gives to The Interview.
“I think we have a new generation that will not work like the previous one”confesses the expert in the aforementioned interview. “Generation Z is not going to be allowed to lead by fear for long.”
The tactic that no longer works
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A few years ago, we imagined the leader of any organization as a fearsome person, who caused terror among his employees. If he was present, no one could even blink. His voice firmed even the laziest. And if he called you to his office, ‘goodbye, very good’.
That image of an authoritarian leader, however, no longer works for Generation Z.. And that is why one of their most famous tactics, that of creating a sense of fear in their interactions and direct reports, has its expiration date approaching.
“The fact that the world in general thinks that you have to be a complete idiot to believe that with fear you can get good performance from a team, means that there is actually very little evidence of this in the long term,” explains Brené Brown, who firmly believes that “Fear has a very short life.”
And, faced with this leader of the absolute, whom his employees must fear, Generation Z aspires to have leaders who motivate, inspire and guide them in their careers. Let’s remember that the goal is no longer to have a job that allows you to survive, but rather one with which you can grow and enjoy.
New leadership models
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Brown’s data is confirmed with figures. A Deloitte survey for Generation Z and Millennials in 2025 pointed out that Z gene They believe that the key role of a manager is to give them guidance and support, keep them motivated and inspired, offer them mentoring and help them set boundaries to ensure a work-life balance.
The modern leader, therefore, is no longer an authoritarian despot.. Now he is an inspiring and empathetic person, who knows how to bring out the best in each of his team members through personal motivation, and not fear.
In fact, more than a third of Generation Z, almost 37% assure that Your priority at work is to enjoy it. It’s no longer enough to barely endure the workday and come home feeling miserable.
This new work philosophy has to be reflected in the leaders of the future, because generation Z no longer reacts to fear. If they feel intimidated or believe they work in a toxic environment, they leave their job and look for another.
In fact, according to data collected by Randstand, job rotation among those who belong to this generation is so high that the average suggests that they last just 1.1 years in their jobs. And the main reason they do it is because they want to advance and learn.