65 workplace behavior in future years if Gen Z employees feel confident in their ability to positively impact social change and believe altruistic behaviors to be necessary and worthwhile. Research has shown that when servant leaders empower their followers, followers experienced increased self-efficacy and personal meaning in their work, and the time is now for parents, teachers, and adults to model servant leadership towards Gen Z.39 GEN Z AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP More research is needed in regard to the influence of external moderators such as parental or adult leader input early in a person’s development. It is possible that adult leadership input early in a person’s childhood could impact the Gen Z decision-making paradigm and ability to engage in ethical behaviors and increased corporate social responsibility later in life and career. For instance, parental influence was a major factor in the development of millennials, especially in regard to how they were highly sheltered, faced increased pressure to academically excel and outpace peers, and ultimately assume careers with higher salaries than their parents.40 These influences became factors that led to the entitled and self-absorbed mindset so characteristic of millennials in the workplace today.41 If parenting strategies of the 1980s and 1990s successfully shifted an entire generation to change behavior from previous generations, then it is extremely beneficial to examine the nature of early developmental influences on Gen Z, which can still be positively impacted for the next several decades. The realm of leader influence goes beyond just that of parents since many young people also attribute non-parental authority figures (i.e. teachers, coaches, pastors, mentors, etc.) to be sources of affirmation and belief for what they consider to be “good behavior.”42 The necessity for strong adult leadership towards Gen Z has never been more important. For instance, when parents and adult leaders pair increased pressure to succeed with an overabundance of praise on young people, this could lead the child or student to feel entitled to success, personal worth, and communal recognition—negatively impacting the way younger generations behave towards themselves, other people, and the world. However, if a young person was encouraged by his or her parents to volunteer, share resources, and give back to others, FORMATIVE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF GENERATION Z
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