Learnings from the digital native generation

This article is authored by Prasad Shejale, founder and CEO, LS Digital.

As a father of two Gen Z daughters, I frequently tell people that the Gen Z factory line must be one of the most unique ones. There are moments when I don't understand the reasoning behind their actions or motivations. However, as an entrepreneur, understanding Gen Z is more a matter of necessity than interest or curiosity. As a business if we want this generation to be interested in the products or services that we are selling; learning about them and relating to this group is more important than ever.

Digital era (Shutterstock)

Gen Z is generally accepted as the true digital native generation. They never knew a world without smartphones and grew up with access to the internet. They've never experienced information deficiency; rather, faced an overwhelming surplus. Their skill at deciphering and making use of this information is one that we must all learn to develop. Here’s a list of things that I wish to learn and acquire from this generation and believe can be helpful for all leaders in their respective fields.

• Digital fluency and adaptability: Gen Z grew up with ubiquitous internet and portable digital technology and are therefore naturally technologically literate. They innately use technology for connectivity and quick fixes, easily moving between the offline and online realms. Their technical proficiency enables them to bring in technology-enabled enhancements effortlessly.

What I wish to acquire: Am I able to be as digitally savvy and versatile? There are platforms, such as Discord, that I am still trying to grasp. Although I've gradually tried out tools such as Notebook LLM, this generation's agility in adapting to digital spaces is what I dream to acquire. I wish to acquire their thinking of rapid adoption and exploration, going past my initial reservations regarding new technology.

• Entrepreneurial mind and goal-driven nature: Gen Z is usually referred to as entrepreneurial, independent, ambitious, and extremely goal-driven. They are usually early birds who pursue opportunities to earn and learn at the same time, and they have excellent clarity regarding their professional ambitions.

What I want to learn: My generation has grit, but it's as if Gen Z has a natural goal focus and clarity that I am in awe of. How do I bring the same acute focus and clear sense of direction to my endeavours, beyond ambiguity to a clear direction?

• Value-driven and socially conscious: This generation strongly believes in authenticity, inclusivity, and transparency. Having seen some huge social and environmental challenges in their lifetime, they are extremely aware of sustainable practices. They prefer organisations that openly advocate and practise socially responsible business models and are politically engaged, leveraging the use of the internet for activism to fight for issues that they care about.

What I aspire to learn: This generation teaches me that purpose is not just a word; it's a lens through which they see the world. I wish to learn how to better infuse values into all our decisions so that our organisational actions actually reflect our declared principles and move beyond mere words to real, effective practices.

• Need for growth and feedback: Gen Z values career growth and actively looks for employers who serve as mentors and coaches, providing them with new experiences and competencies. Gen Z hungers for continuous and instantaneous feedback, being used to instant liking and commenting from their social media experiences.

What I wish to learn: Their desire for growth and instant feedback is contagious. I wish to learn to welcome constant, quick feedback cycles in my work and in my teams. This entails creating a culture where seeking and receiving feedback is not merely tolerated, but highly encouraged, reflecting the iterative "working prototype" mentality that they intuitively embrace.

• Practical and realistic: Despite their optimism, Gen Z is often described as sensible and pragmatic, frequently fact-checking information before making decisions. They value financial security, with many saving money for future expenditures like buying a house or retirement, a mindset potentially stemming from witnessing challenging economic times.

What I would like to learn: This pragmatism is an essential anchor. I would like to learn how to combine this practicality with my own experience so that innovation is reality-based and decision-making data-driven, much like their instinct prompts them to verify facts before taking action.

• Preference for flexibility and work-life balance: Gen Z strongly appreciates flexible work schedules, telecommuting opportunities, and a solid work-life balance. They want to spend as much of their time outside of work as possible enjoying themselves and travelling.

What I would like to learn: Their explicit prioritisation of well-being and interests contradicts conventional work paradigms. I would like to learn how to implement this focus with flexibility and balance in my entrepreneurial life and in my company. Being well aware that optimizing nonwork time actually produces more productivity and creativity during work hours.

• Being real, not just right: In the earlier stages of my career, professionalism was about putting up a perfect façade, no doubts visible, no rough edges. Nowadays young professionals show their weaknesses more openly, their questions and even their vulnerabilities. And they are as effective. Often more effective because they're not hiding behind roles or expectations. They raise their voices, question things, and come to work with themselves.

What I wish to learn: I'm learning that authenticity doesn't water down leadership, it makes it stronger. I wish to learn to embody that openness, creating a space where vulnerability is strength, building deeper trust and more authentic collaboration.

• Learning a new language of connection: From reels and memes to emojis and abbreviations, Gen Z communication is quick, multi-layered, and evolving. I don't have to speak the same way, but I do need to learn, because this is how the culture today moves. Whether it's for internal dialogue or building a brand, the tone and texture of communications are shifting.

What I would like to know: Being connected is being curious about these new paradigms of communication. I would like to learn to read and enjoy this new language, allowing for better and more meaningful communication in every area of my business.

• Rethinking how we build and design: The design guidelines I learned in my early life were all about perfection and stability. Gen Z is different; they work in real-time, test rapidly, and evolve quickly. The focus is less on hierarchy and more on collaboration.

What I'd like to learn: I'm impressed with how nonchalant they are about rapid feedback cycles and constant iteration. There's a great deal to absorb there, not only in applications like Figma or Miro, but mindset. I'd like to learn how to appreciate this nimbleness, sacrificing speedy prototyping and constant refinement for the single, ideal answer.

• Speaking up without hesitation: Many of us were taught to ‘earn our voice’ over time. But this generation doesn't wait. They ask ‘why’ often, they question decisions, and they expect clarity. At first, this can feel like pushback. But often, it’s actually engagement.

What I hope to learn: I'm learning to listen more effectively, to receive questions as interest, rather than opposition. And to make more room for open discussion, even (and particularly) when it disrupts the status quo. I hope to learn how to build a culture where honest, curious communication is the standard, fully empowering every voice.

• Aligning work with values: The mission isn't a Gen Z slogan. It's a lens through which they view everything, from the businesses they work for to the work that they do. They want their work to matter more than business results.

What I want to imbibe: That's a good reminder to all of us. Impact and growth do not have to be mutually exclusive goals. I want to keep developing an organization in which values are not statements on the wall but decisions in action, motivated by real purpose.

• Unlearning what no longer serves us: The greatest lesson, perhaps, is being open to unlearning. A lot of the assumptions that worked for us before, on hierarchy, timelines, even success definition must be re-examined. And I think this generation is more inclined to do it.

What I want to learn: To me, unlearning is more work. But it must be done. It keeps us current, earthed, and receptive. I want to nurture their natural tendency to question the norms and easily unlearn, so that I too am flexible and creative in a changing world.

Gen Z is not only a population to be comprehended for commercial purposes; they are strong educators providing new insights into work, values, and life in general. By adopting their positives, we can all learn and prosper within this new time. Adopting to the Gen Z norm is like adding more flavours to our leadership styles and life.

This article is authored by Prasad Shejale, founder and CEO, LS Digital.