Gen Z Perspectives on Authentic Leadership in the Automotive Industry

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In this episode of the Automotive Leaders Podcast, Jan Griffiths shifts the focus to the next generation of leaders—Gen Z. Joining her are Wayne State University students Victoria Shubelyak and Andrew Stocke, who share their perspectives on the future of leadership in the automotive industry.

Jan's book, "AutoCulture 2.0," had a significant impact on Victoria and Andrew. Victoria reflects on her role in its creation and how being valued for her input shaped her understanding of authentic leadership. Andrew appreciates the book's focus on trust and empowerment, contrasting with his past micromanagement experiences. 

A deep dive into their favorite sections of the book reveals Andrew's fascination with the Blockbuster vs. Netflix case study. He praises Netflix's resilience and innovation in the face of skepticism while pointing out Blockbuster's failure due to its arrogance. Victoria, on the other hand, finds inspiration in the chapter about Sandy Stojkovski, the CEO of Vitesco. She admires her honesty about overcoming imposter syndrome and the impact of a supportive manager on her leadership approach.

Together, they dive into the leadership traits they believe are most important in today's workplace. They talk about how their generation is pushing back against outdated command-and-control management styles, advocating for a more inclusive and empowering approach.

Jan ends the episode by offering valuable advice to the next generation, stressing the importance of personal accountability and the benefits of embracing the diverse range of perspectives that come from having multiple generations in the workforce.

Tune in to get a clear and relatable view of how leadership is changing—and what it takes to truly connect with and inspire the next generation of automotive leaders.

Themes discussed in this episode:

• Gen Z's perspective on leadership
• The negative impact of micromanagement on employees
• Gen Z's desire for leaders who provide mentorship and guidance
• The need to understand and respect different leadership styles across generations
• How younger generations value trust, transparency, and mentorship over traditional leadership
• Leadership traits that Gen Z values most in a leader
• Jan’s advice for Gen Z and future leaders in the auto industry

Featured guests: 

Name: Victoria Shubelyak, Finance and Global Supply Chain Student at Wayne State University - Mike Ilitch School of Business

Name: Andrew Stocke, Finance and Global Supply Chain Student at Wayne State University - Mike Ilitch School of Business

Mentioned in this episode:

• Meet Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company
• Episode with Craig Keeys: Breaking Barriers: From Humble Beginnings to Industry Leader
• Meet Sandy Stojkovski, CEO of Vitesco Technologies, North America

Episode Highlights:

[00:03:11] Creating AutoCulture 2.0: Victoria reflects on her role in creating Jan's leadership book. Together, they explore how involving fresh voices at all levels can shape the future of automotive leadership.

[00:05:14] Trust is the Key: Reflecting on the importance of trust in authentic leadership, Andrew shares insights from his journey. He compares his current empowering role to a time when he was micromanaged, showing that for employees to thrive, leaders need to trust them.

[00:10:52] Shifting from Traditional Leadership: Victoria dives into the generational shift in leadership styles and how Gen Z prefers mentorship over micromanagement. She points out that her generation values supportive leaders and a culture of trust and growth, and they are ready to leave if these are unmet.

[00:14:34] Lessons from Rivalry: Andrew reflects on the striking lessons from the Blockbuster-Netflix rivalry, highlighting Netflix's resilience in the face of skepticism and Blockbuster's downfall due to arrogance. It's a powerful reminder that humility and adaptability are crucial for success.

[00:16:12] Mentorship Matters: Victoria admires Sandy Stojkovski and talks about a part of her story that shows how Sandy overcame self-doubt despite her success. Victoria uses Sandy's experience to show how one person can change their leadership style and create a positive team environment with the help of a mentor.

[00:19:10] Leadership Traits that Gen Z looks for: Andrew and Victoria outline the essential traits they seek in leaders. Andrew stresses the importance of leaders who roll up their sleeves and lead by example, while Victoria highlights trust and transparency as vital for fostering open communication.

[00:23:37] Take Accountability, Future Leaders: Jan advises Andrew on the power of personal accountability as the cornerstone of effective leadership. She emphasizes that fulfilling commitments—big or small—builds trust and credibility, ultimately shaping a solid foundation for his future career.

[00:27:00] Understand Differences: Jan advises Victoria about stepping into a diverse workforce, reminding her that each generation brings its values and experiences. She highlights how understanding different viewpoints can create stronger connections and foster teamwork as they embark on their career journeys.

Top Quotes:

[00:05:45] Andrew: “I liked that there were prompts at the end of each chapter, calls to action that you could actually apply in your everyday life. And I'm thinking if I was a leader in the automotive industry, I would probably take advantage of that. And you even say to discuss it with your team and that, it's such a simple detail, but it allows the words to kind of like make it off the page and you put into motion. You can actually use the concepts in practice. And I think that the main theme really was focused a lot on trust. It's impossible to be an authentic leader if you don't trust your employees. I mean, because otherwise, like, why are you hiring them? That kind of defeats the purpose. There was a quote from Steve Jobs in there that said, "It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do. They should be telling us what to do.”

[00:11:21] Victoria: “I feel like the older generation, they're more used to this typical command and control leadership style; while we, as Gen Z and Gen Y, we're really wanting a different type of leadership style. We want to have a mentor, have guidance, and I feel like our generation, if we are not getting that, we're more comfortable of letting the person know, letting the manager know, and if we're continuously not getting that, we're less afraid to leave, I feel like, than the older generation. So, it'll be interesting. And I think for me, specifically, I feel like I really value a person who helps build me up, provides mentorship, and provides guidance on ways to improve. In that way, I'm learning from them, they're learning from me, and you're both in a mutually beneficial relationship compared to, like, when we have micromanagers or people who really nitpick things.”

[00:14:50] Andrew: “There are lessons that can be learned from both sides. Netflix demonstrated great resilience in the sense that they were told time and time again that this would never work, but they didn't care; they kept pushing through. And, you know, look at them today. They're probably the biggest streaming service there is. And on Blockbuster's side, it’s more of a cautionary tale of arrogance and hubris, that they were almost too big to fail and that, I forgot the name of the CEO, but he basically held back laughter when discussing the Netflix acquisition. And so, I think that's kind of not only something that you can apply in leadership settings, but to your life in general, because I mean, who doesn't want to be resilient? Who doesn't want to push themselves to be the best that they can? And conversely, hubris kind of leads to being content, and at that point, you're never going to improve.”

[00:26:09] Jan: “If you say you're going to call somebody tomorrow, you call them tomorrow. Don't try and convince yourself that it's okay. He or she won't mind. It's okay if I'm two days late with this. It is not; it is never okay. Unless you do need some more time for something, you go back to the person and say, "Hey, I can meet the deadline, but really, I'm having trouble getting some data or some information. I would like an extension of two days. Is that okay with you?" Before the due date. That's how you manage those situations. You build rapport, you build credibility, you build integrity. Thinking about how you follow through on your own personal commitments, no matter how small, I think is incredibly important to set the right foundation for a career.”

[00:27:42] Jan: “Recognize that with five different generations in the workforce, there are five different answers. And they're not all wrong. They're just different. So, rather than judge people for their differences in the way that they think, take a moment to have some empathy… Take a moment to understand the other person's point of view. Don't think you have all the answers, and it should be a certain way. It's never black or white. It's always about taking time to understand the other person's view and perspective and then coming together to make the right decision.”

Mentioned in this episode:

This episode is sponsored by Lockton, click here to learn more