Revealing the Leadership Characteristics of the Modern Age: Generation-Z Perspective

Abstract

Over time, the increasing modernization of enterprises and the coexistence of different generations in business life have changed perceptions about leadership as well as management and managerial issues. As a result, the characteristics that a successful leader should have on have also developed. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics that a leader should have from the perspectives of Generation Z and to reveal their differences from the traditional leadership approach. For this purpose, 183 participants of Generation Z over the age of 18 were interviewed and asked to indicate the characteristics they expect in a leader. As a result of the content analysis made by coding the answers received, the leader characteristics that the participants considered important were determined. Accordingly, it has become clear that the characteristics of foresight, management ability, ability to take responsibility of mistakes, caring about privacy, awareness, fairness, being able to act like a teammate, having digital skills, being able to discover talents, emotional intelligence, and strong communication skills should exist primarily in a leader for generation Z. Considering that generation Z is gradually participating in business life, revealing the changes in leadership skills in this direction reflects the importance of the study.