The Case of the Spineless Tyrant and the Lazy Gen Z
Photo by Zhang Kenny on Unsplash
I mean … it’s possible that you’ve got the laziest developers on the planet. That somehow, bad luck, karma, COVID, and the curse of Montezuma have all culminated and colluded to burden you, oh unlucky business owner, with the full dead weight of the hapless Gen Z.
Born between 1997 - 2012, there are 68 million of these so-called spoiled brats, inhabiting the dark caverns of their parents’ basements. Socially inept - thanks to being ushered straight through the vacuum of COVID homeschool - they are said to be forever online, endlessly entitled, and purely commerce-driven. Every industry needs these digital natives, but you can’t ask too much of them or they’ll just leave and find another job at the competitors’. Word has it they’re just making the rounds, soaking up as much free training as they can - and then - when they figure they can hit the big time, they make a break for it.
Now that’s one version of things. It nicely carves off any responsibility from the business owner and the cultivation of a healthy organizational culture. In terms of human psychology, it’s of course easier to blame everyone else first. We continue behaviours or processes we know are unproductive rather than attempt an unproven alternative. Most importantly, there is usually some reward inherent in that dysfunctional behaviour; which, despite all the risks and negative consequences, compels us to continue.
Consider the business manager in question: he’s been running a group of companies for the last fifteen years. They have incredible potential and a hungry market for their products. But not only are they not growing, they’re actually downsizing because they simply can’t retain the tech talent. He feels like he’s engaged in an endless game of Whack-A-Mole as he tries to “keep on top” of these “spoiled kids”. His entire days are spent in meetings, while evenings are for correcting what the staff has been doing. The fatigue on his face is obvious. Who could keep that up for fifteen years? Where’s the stop button on this hamster wheel?
Well, first the hamster has to want to get off. Clearly there is a powerful psychological need for retaining this kind of power and control - despite the costs. In its absence, what exists? How do you garner respect and compliance any other way?
To answer this, it is helpful to look at where the pattern for fear-based leadership comes from. Our needs are templated in childhood, and determine our behaviour despite what we may consciously believe to be our motivator, and may even be oppositional constructs to what we believe we are working toward. Our manager would probably be offended, insulted and affronted to hear that the problems he’s experiencing are largely of his own making.
So let’s take a look at clinically pathological types in order to understand the extremes of this behaviour. I did say extremes, so don’t freak out when I say “tyrannical sadism”. It’s the display of negativistic features that are energized through the menacing and intimidation of others. These types crave and abuse power and use words as weapons to get others to submit to them. Think: “Iron Fist” and “Velvet Glove”. This type also has its twin, “enforcing sadism”, which is the “rightful” infliction of pain on others because they have “transgressed”. You can find a lot of bad teachers, cops, and managers in this category, and almost all of us have suffered under one in our world of work. Their role allows them to exercise power over others - as well as seek out and punish those who don’t follow the rules or organizational practices. Think: “Bad Cop”.
If there’s a “Bad Cop”, there’s a “Good Cop” on the tag team, but they’re not as opposite as the name would suggest. They’re often “spineless sadists” who display avoidant behaviour - and not just conflict avoidant, but deep-seated insecurity and lack of courage masked by a fake sense of bravado. They’ll mark their victims and then call out “Bad Cop” - vicariously enjoying the exercise of power without getting their fingers dirty.
Individuals with Sadistic Personality Disorder are, in fact, extremely sensitive to criticism from others. After all, retaining power over others is their primary motivation. The “everyday sadism” we see in the workplace is, of course, subclinical - it’s the trolling on the internet, the bullying at work, inappropriate humour at the humiliation of others, and the distinct lack of affective empathy.
Considering that 4 ⁄ 5 Canadians have experienced some kind of physical abuse in their lifetimes, the likelihood of bullies at work is, well - sadly predictable. For former victims, it’s a way of taking back the power that had been taken from them by others. Over time, the brain chemistry is impaired to the extent that “feel good” transmitters fire only when they get their power fix. Extreme poverty can be another basis for this type of behaviour. There’s an underlying scarcity belief - not enough money, not enough food, not enough love.
So what do you do with the bully boss who - on one hand - wants to “fix culture” and “retain talent” and “scale business” - yet not take responsibility for their own role in the systemic dysfunction? It is nearly impossible for anyone to convince this type of boss that their own behaviour could be contributing to their sleepless nights and stressful days.
Acknowledgment of a problem is half the cure. Leaders must always accept that without their consent - implicit or explicit - bullying behaviour and other forms of “kaputkultur” can’t thrive and survive. So let’s reframe Gen Z (aka “easy targets”) with a few straightforward facts:
> Gen Z is actually highly ambitious. They don’t just want to be part of the game, they want to redefine it. If your game’s not up to par, expect them to move on.
> According to Forbes, Gen Z works harder and more passionately than any of us. They actively seek mentorship. If they receive that direction, things go well. The problem is that far too much of managers’ time and effort is spent trying to protect their own positions of authority over them.
> Gen Z’s want challenge and growth and genuine leadership opportunities - and not values and diversity tokenism in lieu of genuine actions.
> More than previous generations, Gen Z’s are more mutually supportive, more challenging of wrongs, less politically divisive, and less gullible.
Perhaps this generation is actually giving us the reality check we’ve all secretly been hoping for. Dysfunctional behaviour will unfortunately always lurk in the corridors of power. But for those who are willing, Gen Z offers a heaping dose of the authenticity that has largely been alluding their predecessors. So keep calm and carry on, Gen Z - carry on.
About the Author
Anna is an organizational psychologist and executive coach, with a special interest in all things technology. We’re part of the team at Garleff Coaching and Consulting Group. If this article has struck a chord, please let us know.
Anna Garleff Cell: +1 587 224 3793 / anna@garleffcoaching.com
www.garleffcoaching.com
