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There is an exciting opportunity hiding in the wings that could fundamentally change the flexible office space industry for the better. Something that will bring vibrancy, energy, relevance and innovation to our workspace management, and will ensure the evolution, growth and sustainability of the sector.
Sounds amazing, right?
• What is it, and why isn’t it being utilised?
The ‘what’ is simple. The ‘what’ is youth; young entrepreneurs and future leaders. Gen Z’ers who understand the needs and wants of the modern emerging workforce because they ARE the modern emerging workforce.
Who better to bring insight, ideas and energy into the workspace conversation than the workforce that took flight during one of the most innovative, challenging times in modern history; Covid.
There is nothing like a global pandemic hitting in your first few years of work to get you thinking on your feet, embedding an agile mindset and nurturing a new level of creativity.
As to why Gen Z’ers aren’t being utilised more, that’s a bigger question
I believe it comes down to one thing; confidence. Confidence in ourselves and confidence in others. Without confidence, we are less likely to take the action that will ultimately benefit ourselves and our industry, and that is a problem.
People mistakenly think that confidence is the absence of fear and/or doubt, and presents as extroversion and/or arrogance. I work with many people who are quite literally afraid of becoming ‘too confident’ for fear of becoming egotistical and detached from reality.
I want to start by busting that myth!
Research has shown that there are actually two main presentations of low confidence; firstly, (the one we most recognise) shrinkage and minimisation (think retreating, hiding, people-pleasing and avoiding) and secondly, and perhaps surprisingly, over-compensation (think domineering, confrontational, arrogant and controlling). Both presentations act as a survival mechanism to distance us from others when we are feeling less than sure of ourselves.
Confidence is also something we make infinitely conditional, and therefore perpetually unattainable. We are led to believe that when we have more experience or when we get that next promotion we will be more confident, but in my experience, that shift to feeling more confident simply doesn’t happen. We just place a new lofty condition on our entitlement to feel confident.
• So, if it’s not experience, knowledge or the absence of fear, what is confidence?
It’s actually quite dull.
Confidence is the quiet knowing and acceptance in who we are, who we are not and belief in our ability to survive when the going gets tough.
This means having deep, ongoing self-awareness, the courage for honesty and vulnerability and the tools to ‘lean in’ with composure when we need to,
You don’t need to shout and you don’t need to hide. You just… are.
So what about the second part, confidence in others?
Senior leaders who have been in the industry a while may struggle to have confidence in a generation who have yet to ‘earn’ their right to feel confident, which can create a bit of a paradox for young people.
Present as too confident they can be labelled as naive, rash or cocky, yet if they present as unconfident then they are considered ‘not ready’, lacking in resilience or inexperienced.
Overlay this with the likelihood that newbies will have different ideas and approaches that go against the norms. This can feel unnerving and risky to those who have carved out deeply rooted guard-rails based on lessons learned ‘the hard way’.
But these new ideas and challenges are exactly what every industry needs, and confidence isn’t bestowed in the waiting room. Confidence comes from doing.
Initiatives in the industry like The Flexible Space Association’s Flex Generation aim to do exactly that – provide young people in the industry with the opportunities, tools and knowledge to gain confidence and competence. Resources like these play an important role helping emerging professionals navigate a fast-changing sector, build meaningful networks, and access guidance that accelerates their growth. They create a foundation for success.
• But what can you do to build confidence and competence yourself?
Firstly, (and possibly most importantly) investing time in developing your self-awareness (this goes for everyone at every level of the sector). Get to know how you think, feel and behave in different situations. Understand what your strengths and blind spots are. Spend time exploring your values and boundaries. Be curious about what you believe is true about yourself and others. Know how you self-sabotage. Recognise what emotional dysregulation looks like for you. Know what help you need and when.
The more you know, the more confident you will feel because you are limiting the opportunity for surprises, and therefore trust yourself more deeply.
Secondly, developing and utilising emotional regulation and support practices that work for you. This includes having positive routines (eg. sleep, hygiene, meals), some sort of spiritual practice (i.e. gratitude, mindfulness, religious beliefs, time in nature) and a positive and supportive lifestyle (i.e. food, digital management, social, movement, health management).
These will help you stay emotionally grounded, energised and positive when you need it the most.
Finally, get into the habit of parenting your mind. Tuning inwards frequently during the day to note what you are thinking, what you are focusing on, how you are feeling, and asking what you need in this moment will help you be the best version of yourself. This is about developing the mental muscle to interrupt unhelpful patterns of behaviour.
The more we can invest in these practices, the less we will feel the need to distance ourselves from others and the more comfortable we will feel being authentic in our work. This will free up a huge amount of emotional and mental space that can be put to much better use.
So, whether it is finding the courage to take to the stage, apply for that promotion, create space for fresh energy, take a risk on a new idea or have that tricky conversation, investing in our foundational confidence is the key that unlocks it all.
Lucy Cox is an experienced coach and trainer and co-founder of the multi award-winning organisation The Academe. She is a fierce advocate for humanness in the workplace as a leadership strategy, and is renowned for bringing teams together via high energy, high impact workshops. She recently partnered with the Flexible Space Association (FlexSA) on its Flex Generation initiative.
