Gen Z wary of ‘trusting their gut’ – potentially reshaping future leadership
With the rise of AI, our technology is thinking more — even as the newest generation of workers may be thinking less.
That’s the conclusion of a groundbreaking study encompassing nearly 400,000 respondents and spanning 160 countries, revealing that Gen Z employees trust their instincts far less than any previous generation — signaling a fundamental shift in how corporate leaders of the future could approach decision making.
The research, from AI-powered workplace analytics firm Marlee, shows a massive decline across generations in workers’ willingness to validate and stand behind their own points of view. Rather than “trusting their gut,” younger workers tend to seek external validation and reference points before making decisions.
“They need to bounce their ideas around to form any kind of decision,” said Michelle Duval, Marlee’s founder and CEO.
Gen Zers will not naturally stick their head out unless they have the data to back up their opinions, according to the study. Gut feeling or intuition diminished by 60% compared to earlier generations.
The findings are deeply rooted in how digital natives appear to process information. “When you think about Gen Z, they’ve been Googling or looking on YouTube for how to do something ever since they got a phone,” as Duval put it. “They’re asking to be spoon-fed.”
A recruiter who happens to be part of Gen Z disagrees with the study’s conclusions, arguing that her generation often balances decisiveness with a desire for feedback.
“It’s not about lacking instinct — it’s about valuing alignment and taking a thoughtful approach to decisions,” said Jaycee Schwarz, talent acquisition specialist at the employee recognition and rewards platform Prizeout. Gen Z, she added, “grew up in a time that emphasized transparency and collaboration, so it’s natural to seek input, especially in new or complex professional settings.”
Such an approach can sometimes extend decision-making timelines or place a higher demand on managers for guidance, Schwarz admitted, but it also “promotes a workplace culture of thoroughness and collaboration, where people are intentional and willing to ask questions. This can lead to a more inclusive, communicative team dynamic.”
The propensity of Gen Z to deliberate versus going with their instincts may well have implications for the future of business and leadership. For one, Duval predicts far fewer entrepreneurs coming out of Gen Z, seeing as their general mindset lies in direct opposition of that of successful company founders studied by Marlee.
How to change the dynamic? Duval advocates an “exposure therapy”-based approach to their integration into the workplace, explaining, “We need to onboard Gen Z, not drop them in the deep end.”
Duval recommends providing Gen Z with precisely defined procedures for doing their jobs; clear consequences rather than abstract goals; concrete, direct language versus big-picture thinking; buddy systems for idea validation; and gradual exposure to independent decision making. Further, she stresses that HR plays a crucial role in leveraging the organization’s millennial leaders as a bridge to Gen Z team members.
Schwarz said that to support younger workers, employers might consider setting up clear feedback structures and mentorship opportunities — explaining that when they feel there is support in place, they are more likely to trust their instincts and make decisions confidently.
What is clear is, considering how high the stakes are, there must be a shift in how Gen Z is incorporated into the workforce — for the good of an entire generation of workers and the future of work.
“If we don’t help them learn how to trust themselves and think for themselves, learn critical thinking, learn to have their own point of view, stand behind themselves and have core values they hold as true, we’re going to really end up in a very serious situation,” Duval said. “But we can avert that now.”