‘‘Snowflakes’’ & the Spirit of Leadership to Come - December 2025

As the wondering begins about whether we'll see a white Christmas, I encourage us to also be curious about a different type of “snowflake”: younger members of our workforce who are often seen as challenging traditional working ethic expectations.

Generalising is something we, as coaches and leaders, try to avoid in preference of getting to know the individual; yet we must acknowledge that as the world around us continually evolves, so does the generation of people being born and raised within it. This discussion needs to be rooted in evidence-based trends, not blanket assumptions, and it is on that basis that I invite you to reflect this month on how these emerging patterns could be shaping your school workplace culture.

The rather derogatory term ‘snowflake’ attributed to Gen Zers (currently aged 13-28) indicates a perceived ‘softness’ and ‘flakiness’. There is plenty of evidence which helps to explain this perception: The Burnout Report 2025 Mental Health UK which compares generational attitudes to work pressure and absence, reveals that Gen Z are the most likely to change their workload or reduce hours due to high or extreme levels of pressure or stress. The 2024 Vitality Report evidenced that British Gen Z and young millennials are missing equivalent of one day’s work every week due to mental health issues. McKinsey & Company’s extensive global research shows that, unlike previous generations, Gen Zers prioritise wellbeing over climbing the traditional career ladder and that, according to the Business Insider, Gen Zers are 1.7 times more likely to avoid management roles in order to protect their mental health.

But, is this ‘soft’ and ‘flaky’? Or does it instead reveal a strength in holding firm boundaries which lead to a healthier work/life balance? Perhaps this is a reasonable - and brave - response to their lived experiences, including through the Covid19 shifts, and their observations of the stressful lifestyle of their parents and older generations?

The Burnout Report also revealed that only 56% of young professionals feel comfortable opening up to their manager about feeling stressed. I wrote last month about the damaging impact of a judgemental culture, which may be having a significant impact on Gen Z.

To nurture and retain this young talent, let's ask ourselves, “How can we do better at creating open dialogue through easily accessible, non-judgemental channels?”

Gen Z have high expectations of themselves, and others. They aren’t afraid to question the status quo – or the leadership of others! In fact, New studies from November 2025 on 'The Gen Z paradox' show that younger workers are the most motivated and optimistic about their future career, yet demand the most of employers to support their ambitions. 

So if they are asking for something different from their employers, do we, as their leaders, have the will and skill to listen and provide it?

In this 12min masterclass on Managing younger members of the workforce, Kate Waterfall Hill asserts that “Gen Z is pushing managers to rethink leadership”:

And being smart, with information and headlines at their fingertips, Gen Zers look at jobs in the education sector with a realistic and questioning nature.

Teach First’s 'Tomorrow's Teachers' Report highlights the patterns in their priorities and concerns:

The report concludes we need to “change conditions to change the narrative”. Conditions - alongside pay - include work/life balance, getting on with their team and feeling a sense of purpose and personal contribution towards it. The narrative includes how employees, the media and parents present their views of the teaching profession.

Former Headteacher, Alex Atherton, recently released ‘The Snow Flake Myth, looking at the immense potential of Gen Z to guide us in creating workplaces which unlock their full potential.

I invited Alex for a conversation to discuss these insights within an education context. You can watch or listen to the full 45mins here or an abridged 13min version here.

Key insights focused on how we can better support Gen Z colleagues given their ‘more likely than not’…

• Limited experience of being in a workplace and their need for considerable, and considerate, onboarding

• Highly structured learning experiences to date, often mismatched to being “thrown in at the deep end” and the expectation of self-reliance in teaching

• Expectations of robust and frequent feedback to ensure they’re making progress

• Need to work for highly professional leaders who demonstrate competence, rigour and support

• Desire to be managed with humanity, transparency and a collaborative mindset

Much of Alex’s work resonates with Kate Windmill-Hill’s conclusions that leadership hasn’t kept up-to-date with the needs of the younger generation coming through, who, instead of chasing titles, want to focus on growing their skills. This makes them strong learners and agile contributors … if we can recruit, engage and retain them!

Kate Windmill Hill’s 4 big lessons Gen Z is teaching us about leadership:

1. Emotional intelligence isn’t a bonus, it’s absolutely essential (they expect their manager to create environments where they can speak up without fear)

2. Transparency beats authority (they’re used to having information and context at their fingertips)

3. Boundaries aren’t disloyalty (they’re refusing to carry the baggage older generations have done)

4. Purpose isn’t a buzzword (Gen Z want to know the work their do matters, and their ideas and values are taken seriously)

Above all, let us remember that, in the words of Brene Brown, "Look to your left and right... we raised them!" She goes on, “The difference between them and other generations is they want the Why. They’re not the ‘I told you so’ generation.” And “We should be rewarding effort with the most precious resource we have: our time.”

This all aligns closely with the core principles of PURE coaching: being Personally understood; listened to Unconditionally; given permission to decide what is Relevant and to commit to self-determined and Empowering actions.

If we leave it too long before responding, there’s a risk we fail to change the conditions or change the narrative in time. After all, Generation Alpha are now in our classrooms: "This generation is different, so the same strategies from decades ago simply don't work anymore. We need more hands-on, student-centred learning experiences - projects, discussions, simulations, real-world applications." Elizabeth McPherson (Miss Mac)- Generation Alpha Is Causing Problems for Teachers - Newsweek

So I encourage you - and your colleagues, of all ages - to take a few quiet moments to reflect on:

1. What beliefs or assumptions might I be holding about colleagues from different generations?

2. Which issue or behaviour could it be helpful to explore through the lens of another generation?

3. What one intentional action can I commit to that would help unlock more of the richness within my multi-generational team or community?

   
   

Christmas feels like the perfect time to get intentional about this. As we gather to celebrate with extended families, chosen families, or wider communities, we’re often surrounded by loved ones shaped by different decades. If we can use this time to get curious, to really listen, we open ourselves to a greater depth of mutual understanding and connection.

And when we embrace this same approach as leaders and colleagues, we are better equipped to provide the inclusive, responsive and person-centred leadership which will sustain our profession and the people within it well into the future. 

Each generation brings its own mix of parenting influences, educational experiences, economic realities, and social norms that have shaped their values, beliefs, skills, and behaviours. And what a gift to have this richness of perspective, opinion and insight all around us! And what a perfect opportunity Christmas provides to embrace it. 

Warmest wishes, everyone, for a wonder-full Christmas season! 

Catherine Hulme

Owner Director

catherine@leadershipedge.org.uk

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Leadership Edge is a growing team of experienced school leaders who have seen person-centred coaching create high-performing, happy and healthy cultures within our schools. Our mission is to empower other school leaders to create positive workplaces where staff are solution-focused and actively responsible for their own personal wellbeing and professional development.

Our 3-Tier Coaching Accreditation Programme is low-cost and self-sustaining, providing a systematic and structured model for staff across your school to become powerful coaches for each other, enhancing colleague relationships and their feeling of being valued as an individual within a supportive school community.