How should I communicate? How to get along with Gen Z youth 👦👧

Have you ever thought, "I really don't understand what young people these days are thinking..."?

Actually, with just a few simple tips, you can significantly close the distance with Gen Z 😊

In this article, I will explain how to get along with Gen Z youth ✨

Introduction: What kind of generation is Gen Z? ~How to close the distance with the smartphone-native generation~

You hear the term "Gen Z" often, but don't you wonder what their actual characteristics are?

They were born between approximately 1996 and 2012, and are the so-called smartphone-native generation📱
SNS and videos are second nature to them, and they also place great importance on "individuality" and "empathy."

When you try to talk to them, have you ever felt like there's a wall between you?

I am a man in my 30s writing this article, so I am not Gen Z 😓

But you still have that desire to interact and get along with young people, right? 😊

I will provide some tips for naturally getting along with Gen Z ✨

I have actually had opportunities to interact with young people called Gen Z, so I will introduce these tips while weaving in my own experiences 🙂

1. Be conscious of "story-based conversation" that values empathy

Gen Z kids are more moved by "stories" than by just being given information 📖

Therefore, when you talk to them, if you include episodes in your conversation, they will be much more interested.

For example, like this 👇
❌ "Back in my day, it was like this"
⭕ "Actually, I was struggling with this at the time... and that experience led to how I think now"

By sharing "how you felt" and "why you think that way" together, the distance between you will naturally close 😊

I remember when I was with some young people during new employee training, we had a conversation with a "story" element based on a certain theme, and even though it was a small talk, we were able to share our thoughts.

I recall that after we talked, the distance between us closed, and I felt it became easier to talk to them.

2. Closing the distance with topics about social media and videos

For Gen Z, their main source of information is social media, TikTok, and YouTube 🎥

Because they value "information that reaches them," they are sensitive to trends and algorithms.

So, if you take even a quick look at social media, you'll find plenty of conversation starters!

If you can casually say things like, "This is that thing I saw on TikTok, right?" or "This popped up in my recommendations recently...", the conversation will expand all at once 🌈

Just by the way you use emojis and stickers, they might think, "You get it!" 😉

This is a personal experience from when I interacted with young people at a company orientation in the past, but I had an experience where I interacted with them by weaving in topics from social media that were easy to relate to.

Perhaps because I incorporated those topics, I felt that the distance between me and the young people closed in an instant 😃

3. Avoid being condescending and adopt a "learning from each other" attitude

This is an extremely important point 💡

Gen Z is often quite wary of the "adults teaching one-sidedly" style.

That is precisely why, if you take the stance of "I don't know, so please teach me! ✨," they will often be happy to help.

Saying things like, "Oh, really? I had no idea! Thanks for telling me!" can really help close the distance between you. 😊

If you don't put up a wall just because you're older and honestly think, "Let's learn together," a relationship of trust will naturally form.

When I was a company employee, I made sure to maintain an "equal relationship," so that the age gap wouldn't be felt when teaching work.

In terms of older expressions, it was about interacting in a way that maintained an equal relationship, just enough so that I wouldn't be "looked down upon."

I consciously avoided being condescending, and instead made an effort to always exchange opinions as equals, saying things like, "What do you think, A?" or "B, that's a great idea! 👍" 🅰️🟰🅱️

Looking back, I feel like that was the catalyst for building trust.

4. Gen Z values "diversity and individuality"

Don't we often tend to lump them all together by saying things like, "Gen Z is like this, right?"
But actually, Gen Z themselves tend to really dislike that. 😅

In an essay I read on note, there was a voice saying, "I don't really like being stereotyped just because I'm Gen Z."

That is why it is important to interact in a way that respects the individual, such as by asking, "What do you think?" or acknowledging that "there are many different ways of thinking." 🌱

Because they value "diversity" and "individuality," they appreciate it when you don't try to force them into a mold.

Summary: The key to getting along with Gen Z is 'listening skills'

Do you remember the points we covered so far? 😉

✔ Talk based on empathy
✔ Be a little aware of social media and trends
✔ Interact on an equal footing
✔ Respect individuality

These are all hints for becoming someone who 'truly listens' to others.

To get closer to Gen Z, let's start by 'trying to understand the other person' ✨

Closing the distance isn't that difficult. A small spark can change your world 🌏