Business
Generational Gaps Require Active Listening in Leadership
Josiele Saugo analyzes multi-generational teams, workplace boundaries, and modernization in traditional institutions.
Multi-generational teams are reshaping workplace dynamics, prompting managers to prioritize active listening. In a discussion on leadership and innovation, Josiele Saugo explores how younger generations transform work culture and drive change across established organizations.
Josiele Saugo, marketing coordinator at HiGestor, joined Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast to discuss the impact of generational shifts on team leadership and business growth. While the full episode explores niche B2B marketing and the creative economy, the discussion on workplace relationships highlights why managers must adapt to the evolving communication styles and values of younger professionals.
In the video above, Saugo and Gimenes discuss how corporate workplaces and innovation hubs absorb professionals entering the market with distinct career perspectives and work ethics compared to previous generations.
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Management and the evolving professional mindset
The arrival of professionals in their 20s requires managers to rethink traditional supervisory habits. Leading younger teams demands greater empathy and patience to understand priorities that depart from past norms defined by overwork.
Saugo notes that this dynamic highlights contrasting approaches to the standard workday. "They don't share the mindset that we in our 30s often had—viewing being a workaholic as something impressive or cool, when in reality, it isn't," she states. According to Saugo, younger workers' ability to establish firm workplace boundaries provides valuable lessons for curbing high rates of anxiety and burnout.
Active listening as a core leadership tool
To manage younger teams and identify consumer behavior trends, active listening has become a vital asset for marketing professionals. Observing younger demographics, from pre-teens to college students, broadens market understanding and strategic perspective.
As a methodological framework, Saugo points to the book O Palhaço e o Psicanalista, emphasizing the importance of understanding the audience before suggesting interventions. "At the management table or in any leadership role, we need to listen more than we speak," she explains. "Ultimately, we are there to serve those team members just as much as we serve the company."
Intergenerational collaboration in innovation hubs
Practical experience within startup ecosystems shows that collaboration across different age groups speeds up solution validation. While leading initiatives such as the women-focused Techstars Startup Weekend in Itajaí, Saugo observed direct cooperation among women aged 18 to 50 over 54 hours of business model development.
With 75% of participant slots reserved for women, the event highlighted how experienced professionals' background complemented the fresh problem-solving approaches of younger participants. This collaboration broadens creative perspectives and yields solutions closely aligned with real-world needs.
Passing the baton in traditional organizations
The need to engage younger generations also impacts established institutions, including labor unions, trade associations, and industry federations. Historically viewed as conservative environments, these entities are launching hubs, innovation labs, and introductory programs to facilitate leadership succession.
Saugo points out that initiatives at institutions such as FIESP, FIEG, and ABRH reflect efforts to connect with younger talent to ensure operational longevity. "A leader who is 50 today will have to pass the baton in another five to ten years," she explains, noting that meeting the needs of emerging professionals is vital for the future of these organizations.
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