“The stick just doesn’t work on this generation — you can’t give lip service to values. You have to live them, or they won’t engage.” — Jed Meyer

In this episode of Evolving Your Workplace, Carol Schultz sits down with Jed Meyer, CEO of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, to break down what actually works — and what fails — when leading and connecting with Gen Z workers. The conversation centers on a core shift many leaders are resisting: Gen Z is not motivated by fear, hierarchy, or delayed recognition. They respond to clarity, authenticity, and lived values — not slogans on a wall.

Jed explains how leadership expectations must evolve from command-and-control to clarity-and-support. He outlines a practical coaching framework built around responsibility on the leader’s side first: clear expectations, real resources, and visible support before accountability. Instead of defaulting to performance warnings, his organization uses retention-focused coaching, frequent recognition, and structured feedback systems designed to keep high-potential young employees engaged rather than managed through pressure.

The discussion goes deeper into what Gen Z is signaling to the workforce at large: they will not trade life quality for money alone, they question institutional loyalty based on what they watched happen to prior generations, and they expect culture to be measurable in behavior — not branding. Jed shares specific operational strategies including values-based culture teams, gamified engagement, flexible scheduling experiments, and leadership vulnerability as a performance multiplier rather than a weakness.

They close with a leadership reality check: every generation brings value, but connection requires adaptation. Leaders who slow down enough to show up for employees — especially on their worst days — build the trust that Gen Z uses to decide whether to stay, contribute, and grow.

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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