A Gen-Z Guide To Creative Problem Solving

Currently, 50% of the workforce consists of millennials, born between 1981 to 1997. And they’re already being challenged by the latest generation, known as Generation Z. Gen-Z is the future of the global economic market. They’re already huge in numbers, surpassing the boomers and millennials by a wide margin. They’re more technologically advanced, have a more diverse approach to life and even though the last of the millennials and Gen-Z don’t have a wide gap in age, their thinking processes are entirely different from each other. With the former having old-school touches to their mentalities and the latter taking up on life as it approaches them with the latest solutions.

With their modern approach to life and its challenges, they will have a more creative strategy to tackle every task they come to face. In this blog, we’re providing you with a look into their perspective through a Gen-Z guide to creative problem solving.

1. Technological Sophistication

We live in a technologically advanced world, so the generation this world has been shaped for HAD to be aware of all the new changes and how they’re going to conform to them. Gen-Z has a basic knowledge of everything from social media to computer and mobile tools to different gadgets and software. This awareness is a bonus as it can help them take a pragmatic and modern approach to face their troubles and coming up with new and innovative solutions. As you’d remember, the only mobile phone we had access to was that heavy Nokia 1100 that had a snakes game which we all loved to play. Now, kids have access to everything from the latest gadgets to social media platforms. This doesn’t only make them aware of the latest trends at an early age, it will also make their problem solving approaches aligned with modern times, and as a result, creative.

2. Researching

Gen-Z, being experts in the technological domain, is constantly looking for new methods and ideas to do things not just efficiently but also at a fast pace. This new generation waits for no one. Hence, they need quick solutions to every problem. Their fast-paced approach and technological pragmatism make for them becoming excellent researchers who can find anything from anywhere with the utmost efficiency. This ability makes them an important asset in any environment as it ensures their capability to bring effective and creative results to the table.

3. Non-Discriminatory Approach to Life

Gen-Z is more ethnically open and accepting, as a result, they have a non-discriminatory approach to life. This approach not only allows them to take into consideration different people and cultures while introducing different plans and executing them. Not only this, but it also makes them accept different perspectives and individual personalities because they know everyone isn’t the same and they can’t make everyone think and feel the same way as they do. This open and accepting outlook on life will allow them to make teams with members of different backgrounds and personalities that can lead to a better approach to introducing creative ideas and innovative solutions.

4. Not Swayed by Luxury

Gen-Z does not get swayed by luxurious incentives. They need purpose and they need it immediately. Unless they’re motivated to work for something, they won’t do it. Their fast approach also entails that they will lose interest more quickly than the next idea you present to them. And you will not regain that interest by using materialistic incentives alone rather you need to present a purpose that will make them feel like their investment is of value to them. This non-materialistic approach also means that when it comes to solving problems, it’s their passion and creativity that will make them find solutions rather than selfish ulterior motives.

5. Focused to Bring Change

Gen-Z is driven by the idea of bringing meaningful social change in their environment, if not the world. Their main focus when it comes to problem solving, also revolves around this agenda of bringing change. They want to be the revolution, the rebels who do something good for the sake of doing good. This need to bring change in the world will provide for better and more creative ideas for how this change can be implemented. And this is the approach they will take to whichever business or niche they join. They can’t have you be lazy workers who follow a simple set of rules rather they’ll require you to be ‘woke’ thinkers and innovators who do things differently.

6. Entrepreneurs

If you pay attention, you will find at least 10 out of 15 of your Gen-Z socials to have an influencer-based account. I know I do. Even if they’re new and don’t yet know about how to strategize these accounts, they seem to have a proper idea of what they want to promote. Gen-Z are born entrepreneurs. They have the ideas, the means, and a little bit of the audience too. All they need is to optimize their strategies and they’ll be good to go! This ability to create everything into a brand is something no one in previous generations had the idea of. And this shows their vast ability to take something tiny and turn it into something huge. This is the creativity that will help the brand thrive.

7. Know-It-Alls

Nothing is new for this generation. Movies, T.Vs, cinematography, technology, everything got invented before or at the time Gen-Z came into this world. Which means they’ve already seen all the changes which we used to believe were miracles. Hence, nothing is new to them. They already know the latest trends, and so, it’s hard to surprise them on anything anymore. This leads to them coming up with new and unique ideas to present in front of the world. They won’t go old school, and even if they do, they’ll come up with innovative perspectives on it. Because they don’t want to conform or lose interest and this will ignite their creativity to come up with better ideas.

8. Collaboration Not Leadership

Studies show that Gen-Z is not interested in leadership as much as it is in collaboration. And if they even do, they look at leaders as guides instead of heads. Gen-Z practices into taking every individual to count and promote a group-work approach to solving whatever problems they face. Taking every individual’s opinion to be important means that they listen to everyone’s input on a subject and come up with a vast amount of ideas to approach any project.

These are the most basic rules that Gen-Z follow and their creativity also thrives under these guidelines. Learn further about the coming generation so that you can align your perspective accordingly to avoid any differences of opinion that might put you into the latest generation’s ‘old-school’ list.