Hi Reader,

A Fortune 500 executive recently confided in me: "We offered our best Gen Z employee a promotion – team lead, more money, clear advancement. She turned it down flat."

His confusion was palpable. "Don't they want to move up?"

Here's the thing: Gen Z absolutely wants to advance. They just don't want YOUR version of advancement.

The Career Ladder Is Dead

Traditional career progression: Entry level → Senior level → Manager → Director → VP

Gen Z career progression: Skills-based growth → Impact-focused roles → Portfolio careers → Entrepreneurial opportunities

See the difference?

What Went Wrong With the Old Model

The Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey revealed something startling: 52% of Gen Z would rather develop expertise than manage people.

But most companies still equate advancement with management responsibilities.

So when you offer a Gen Z employee a "promotion" that involves managing others instead of deepening their expertise, they hear: "We want you to do less of what you're good at."

The Skills-First Revolution

Gen Z doesn't think in terms of titles. They think in terms of capabilities.

Instead of asking "How do I become a manager?" they ask:

• "How do I become indispensable?"
• "What skills will be valuable in 10 years?"
• "How can I create multiple income streams?"
• "What expertise can I build that no AI can replicate?"

The New Career Framework

Smart companies are abandoning linear career ladders for career lattices:

Vertical Growth: Traditional promotions

Horizontal Growth: Cross-functional skill development

Diagonal Growth: Project-based leadership opportunities

External Growth: Industry recognition and thought leadership

What This Means for Managers

Instead of asking "Do you want to be promoted?" try asking:

• "What expertise do you want to develop?"
• "What problems do you want to solve?"
• "What would make you feel like you're growing?"
• "How can we help you become known for something?"

The Portfolio Career Reality

Here's a stat that might surprise you: 67% of Gen Z employees plan to have multiple income streams by age 30.

This isn't disloyalty. It's economic strategy.

Gen Z watched Millennials get laid off despite decades of company loyalty. They're building careers that can't be eliminated by one company's downsizing.

Your Action Step

This week, have a "growth conversation" with a Gen Z team member. Focus on capabilities they want to develop, not positions they want to hold.

Ask: "If you could become the go-to person for something in our industry, what would it be?"

The Opportunity

Companies that embrace skills-based advancement will attract the best Gen Z talent. Those that cling to traditional career ladders will wonder why their top performers keep leaving.

Next Week's Focus

I'm diving into the communication channel that Gen Z prefers for work discussions – and why email is actually hurting your productivity.

Keep evolving,

Dr. Colleen

P.S. September marks the beginning of something big. I've been developing a comprehensive system for managers who want to crack the Gen Z code once and for all. Early details coming this month...