Gen X Raising Gen Z: Anxiety, Schools and Smartphones

School Superhead on Why Today’s Students Question More

Former school “superhead” Nick Bowen reflects on 20 years leading large secondary schools and turning around failing institutions. Nick explores how education has evolved, from low accountability to data-driven performance management and why today’s students demand earned respect rather than automatic authority. They discuss generational shifts in parenting, rising parental accountability pressures, and what business leaders can learn from schools about belonging, empowerment and accountability. 5 Highlights * The dramatic rise of accountability in education * How modern students require relational authority, not positional authority * The growing challenge of parental entitlement * Building belonging in newly merged school communities * The balance between empowerment and accountability Nick Bowen Takeaways: * Belonging is the foundation of performance * Accountability and empowerment must go hand in hand * Generational differences in schools mirror those in workplaces * Leaders must actively understand new generations entering their institutions * Legacy leadership means passing on wisdom, not clinging to authority Nick Bowen Links www.nickbowen.co.uk [http://www.nickbowen.co.uk/]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xmRCFprg7k [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xmRCFprg7k] https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-bowen-b40959260/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-bowen-b40959260/] Generationally Speaking Links: Generationally Speaking Website [https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/] Generationally Speaking on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationally-speaking-uk/] Alastair on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairgreener%20%20%20%20Alastair%20Greener%20on%20LinkedIn]

Millennials, Sport, and the Sandwich Generation

Alastair is joined by International archer and Civic Engagement Manager Lizzy Rees who reflects on growing up in a household of five millennials, competing at elite level sport, and working across generations at university. Lizzy shares insights on how sport funding evolved post-Lottery investment, how Gen Z students engage differently, and why millennials are navigating delayed milestones while becoming the dominant workplace generation. With Alastair she explores communication shifts, values-driven students, and how sport can bridge generational divides. Highlights include: * Growing up in a highly structured millennial household * The transformation of UK sport funding and athlete wellbeing * Why Gen Z won’t show up just for free pizza * The realities of hybrid communication across generations * Millennials approaching “sandwich generation” responsibilities Lizzy Rees Takeaways: * Structure builds discipline — but freedom builds resilience * Gen Z are highly values-driven and boundary-aware * Universities must adapt communication methods constantly * Sport’s social value now rivals its competitive value * Cross-generational understanding requires stepping outside comfort zones Lizzy Rees Links Lizzy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzy-rees/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzy-rees/] Lizzy on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lizzy_does_archery/ [https://www.instagram.com/lizzy_does_archery/] Generationally Speaking Links: Generationally Speaking Website [https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/] Generationally Speaking on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationally-speaking-uk/] Alastair on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairgreener%20%20%20%20Alastair%20Greener%20on%20LinkedIn]

Gen Z, Digital Wellbeing and Entering the Workplace

21-year-old mental health and digital wellbeing campaigner Paddy Crump shares what it’s really like entering the workplace as Gen Z. From struggling with OCD and school anxiety to campaigning in Parliament as Campaigns Director at Flip Gen, Paddy offers a candid insight into youth mental health, social media regulation, and intergenerational misunderstanding. With Alastair he explores onboarding challenges, digital safety policy, and why simply banning smartphones won’t solve complex cultural issues. * Entering the workplace straight from school and feeling infantilised * The invisible rules of office culture and onboarding gaps * Why Flip Gen opposes both the status quo and blanket bans * The mental health impact of algorithm-driven platforms * Using youth as both credibility challenge and networking advantage Paddy Crump Takeaways: * Workplace onboarding must address cultural norms, not just fire exits * Digital wellbeing needs education and design reform, not just bans * Parents require digital literacy support * Gen Z’s openness about mental health is a strength * Bridging generations starts with conversation, not comparison Paddy Crump Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/paddy-crump [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paddy-crump] https://www.instagram.com/flippgen [https://www.instagram.com/flippgen] https://www.instagram.com/paddy.crump/ [https://www.instagram.com/paddy.crump/] https://www.flippgen.com/ [https://www.flippgen.com/] Generationally Speaking Links: Generationally Speaking Website [https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/] Generationally Speaking on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationally-speaking-uk/] Alastair on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairgreener%20%20%20%20Alastair%20Greener%20on%20LinkedIn]

Gen X Raising Gen Z: Anxiety, Schools and Smartphones

In this episode Emma Clark joins Alastair live from Australia to explore rising anxiety in schools, generational differences in parenting, and the reality behind Australia’s under-16 social media ban. A former English teacher and now co-founder of Anxiety Uncovered, Emma shares her deeply personal story of childhood trauma, high-functioning anxiety, eventual burnout and how that journey now shapes her work supporting young people. Emma and Alastair unpack what’s really happening in schools in 2026, whether the social media ban for under 16s in Australia is working in practice, and how parents and educators can better bridge the generational divide. 5 Highlights * Emma’s powerful upbringing story and the long shadow of high-functioning anxiety * Why schools today are seeing unprecedented levels of anxiety-related absence * The reality of Australia’s social media ban and how easily it’s bypassed * The generational shift in how young people talk about mental health * The “Three H’s” framework: Held, Helped, or Heard Emma Clark Takeaways: * Anxiety doesn’t need to be “severe” to deserve attention * Gen Z’s openness about mental health reduces stigma across generations * Blanket bans on social media may miss deeper structural issues * Parents need education about the digital world — not just restrictions * Bridging generational gaps often starts with asking what support someone actually wants Emma Clark Links www.anxietyuncovered.com [http://www.anxietyuncovered.com]https://www.instagram.com/anxietyuncovered/ [https://www.instagram.com/anxietyuncovered/]https://www.instagram.com/emma.j.clark/ [https://www.instagram.com/emma.j.clark/] Generationally Speaking Links: Generationally Speaking Website [https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/] Generationally Speaking on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationally-speaking-uk/] Alastair on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairgreener%20%20%20%20Alastair%20Greener%20on%20LinkedIn]

The Practical Side of Self-Aware Leadership and its impact across generations

Natasha Wallace joins Alastair to unpack conscious leadership. This is a science-backed approach to building high-trust, high-performance cultures without burning people out. Drawing on her own experience of severe burnout, Natasha explains how values conflict, not just workload, drives disengagement. She also discusses why Gen Z’s refusal to accept “work at all costs” cultures may be a rational response rather than entitlement. Highlights * Burnout as values conflict, not just overwork * Why Gen Z has watched older generations collapse and learned from it * Inclusion as behaviour rather than branding * Conscious pauses as leadership tools Natasha Wallace Takeaways: * Self-awareness is the foundation of good leadership * Replace judgement with curiosity * Feeling seen drives retention more than perks * Compassion and accountability are not opposites Natasha Wallace Links www.natashawallace.com [http://www.natashawallace.com] https://www.instagram.com/_natashawallace/ [https://www.instagram.com/_natashawallace/] https://www.youtube.com/@natashawallacecoach [https://www.youtube.com/@natashawallacecoach] https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/] Generationally Speaking Links: Generationally Speaking Website [https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/] Generationally Speaking on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationally-speaking-uk/] Alastair on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairgreener%20%20%20%20Alastair%20Greener%20on%20LinkedIn]