I love seeing all of the articles around how to navigate multiple generations crammed into one workforce that we see today. And the headline that caught my attention was, “Gen Z doesn’t respond to scare tactics.” And I’m thinking, what generation does respond to scare tactics?!
This isn’t a Gen Z thing, this is a human thing. Human beings do not truly respond to scare tactics.
Furthermore, what leaders are out there today still using scare tactics as a way to “motivate” people to move forward? And I put motivate in quotes because scare tactics truly don’t move the needle. They are used as a very short-term strategy, because human beings are only reacting to scare tactics out of fear; they’re doing it to avoid your wrath, they’re doing it to avoid further stress, anxiety.
And when they’re doing it just to avoid something, that becomes a very short-term strategy. So instead, because we’re dealing with human beings and human beings want to be connected, we want to use connection-based leadership. We want to find ways to get our team connected to the mission at hand. When we get them connected, not only are they more engaged, but they truly feel ownership over whatever that mission is.
When they own it, they see it through to the end. That is a long-term strategy. So before we go on, trying to create these stereotypes around our generations, when we’re thinking about things that are just true, humanity-based ideas and humanity-based responses, please don’t label them with a particular generation. Think about the fact that every single day, you as a leader are working with a human being who has different emotions and backgrounds and experiences, and ultimately they’ve got those feelings.
And while we want to navigate our feelings and temper our over-heightened emotions when it comes to the professional workplace, at the end of the day, we are hardwired to have those emotions and feelings. So as a leader, how do you tap into those? Connection-based leadership is going to help you connect that human being to the ultimate mission, so that they are engaged and own it, see it through to the end for that long-term strategy.
So today, how can you connect with your individual team members so that they are bought in and own what it is you’re getting them to work toward?