A Gen Z Perspective on Building Trust, Communication, and Credibility

By: Mackenzie Boessenkool, Search Coordinator

When people talk about different generations, the conversation can get complicated quickly. We’ve all heard assumptions about how different generations work, communicate, and think about their careers, but generally, these are simply stereotypes that don’t hold true in reality.

Every 10 years or so, when a new cohort enters the workforce, they become the centre of discussion. Gen Xers were labelled slackers. Millennials were often seen as entitled, disloyal job-hoppers. Even Baby Boomers were once labelled as “long-haired hippies” rebelling against convention.

As someone early in my career, I think about this often. In my role as a Search Coordinator, I interact with candidates, clients, colleagues, and executives across many different generations and career stages. That has given me a perspective I did not expect to have so early in my career. The biggest thing I’ve learned is that people are people.

No matter how senior someone is, they still get nervous before interviews. They want to feel prepared and make a good impression, and to do that, they often seek clarity, support, and guidance.

In executive search, part of our role is to help candidates prepare for interviews. Many of these candidates have 20, 30, or even 40 years of experience. They’ve led teams, managed major decisions, and built successful careers. At first, it felt a bit odd giving advice to people much more senior than me. Now, I see it as part of the process. Everyone, regardless of age or experience, benefits from knowing what to expect and having someone help them think through how they want to show up.

Moving past generational stereotypes

One of the most common stereotypes about Gen Z is that we do not want to work hard, or that we’re entitled. I don’t think that is fair. From what I’ve observed, many younger professionals simply have different priorities than what previous generations may have had at the same stage. Work is important, but there is also more conversation now about balance, flexibility, health, relationships, and having a full life outside of work.

That does not mean people don’t care about their careers or that they’re not ambitious. It means many people are thinking more holistically about what success looks like.

Younger employees can also have stereotypes about older generations. There can be an assumption that Baby Boomers, Gen X, or more senior leaders are strict, intimidating, or not open to new ways of working. That has not been my experience. Most of the time, these stereotypes don’t hold up once you actually get to know someone.

What younger professionals bring

There is an assumption that the main thing Gen Z brings to the workplace is technology skills and know-how. When in fact, I think it’s much bigger than that (and many people my age actually view Millennials as the most tech-savvy).

What’s often missing in the conversation is the benefit a new generation brings to the workforce. Typically, younger generation bring a fresh lens that comes from having less experience. That may sound like a limitation, but it can also be a strength. When you are newer to the workforce, you’re not as set in one way of doing things. You ask different questions and may notice things that others have stopped noticing.

I also think younger professionals can bring creativity and strong soft skills to a team. Many people my age care a lot about workplace culture. They want connection, camaraderie, and positive relationships with the people they work with. They want to feel part of something that matters. People do better work when they feel respected, included, and connected to their team.

Learning from experience

I have learned a lot from working with more experienced people, and a lot of that learning comes from observation. I watch how people communicate. I notice how they interact with teams, candidates, clients, and peers. I see how they solve problems, handle pressure, and move work forward.

From this, one thing I’ve discovered is that senior leaders are still figuring things out too. They may have more experience, but they are still dealing with challenges, decisions, mistakes, and competing priorities.

It has also helped me understand the value of experience. Senior leaders are in those roles for a reason. They bring knowledge, perspective and lessons learned from situations I have not experienced yet, and there is a lot to learn from that.

Communication, feedback, and trust

For younger professionals, I think trust starts with listening and learning. That doesn’t mean staying quiet or not contributing. It means recognizing that people with more experience have knowledge worth paying attention to. It also means asking good questions, being open to feedback, and understanding why things are done a certain way before assuming they should change.

Good communication across generations depends less on age and more on the individual. It’s easy to assume that Gen Z only wants to text, or that older generations only want phone calls or formal meetings. In reality, all people are different. It’s more about preferred communication style than age. The better approach is not to assume. It’s to understand how each person communicates best.

Feedback is also important. It can be hard to receive early in your career, but it becomes more useful when it feels normal. Everyone has areas where they can improve. Everyone receives feedback, even the most senior executives. It’s not a sign that you are failing. It’s part of getting better.

Younger professionals often want to do well. They want to understand expectations and know how they can improve. Leaders can help by making feedback clear, specific, and constructive.

Don’t overthink it

One area where misunderstandings can happen is work style. Many younger professionals are more results-oriented in how they think about work. The mindset is often that as long as the work gets done and gets done well, there can be flexibility in where or when it happens.

That does not mean young people do not care. It means they may think about productivity differently. While flexibility can be misread as a lack of commitment, for many younger professionals, flexibility is about trust. It’s about being able to manage work and life while still delivering strong results.

My advice to leaders who want to better connect with younger professionals is not to overthink it. You don’t need to know every trend, use the same language, or be the “cool” leader who understands Gen Z. Most people just want to be treated like individuals.

To circle back to the title of this article, leading across generations without overcomplicating it means not putting people into boxes. It means recognizing that age is one part of someone’s experience, but it is not the whole story.

No matter what age people are, they want to be treated with respect. They want clarity. They want to feel like they belong. They want to know that their contributions matter.

That is not specific to one generation. That is just human.