Episode: 572

Episode Title: The Respect Expectation

Why do young people demand respect before they’ll show it? It has a lot to do with how they were raised. Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 572 show:

Hello and welcome to The Perna Syndicate! Yesterday we talked about how vital it is for young people to have a human connection with the adults in their lives. This type of authentic connection is just the first step in my “connect, engage, and answer why” strategy, and it’s what we’ll be focusing on this week. 

Any real human connection begins with a feeling of respect. I’ve shared many times about respect and how it works differently today than it used to. Young people don’t automatically give older generations respect; they believe it must be earned. And the way you earn respect, is to first give it. 

When this lightbulb turned on for me, it changed everything about my parenting and other interactions with young people. It’s not that I treated them rudely before, but I wasn’t always intentional about showing respect. 

Just think about it: Gen Z and Millennials grew up being told they were unique, special, and important. They expect these qualities to be respected. This isn’t their fault; it’s just the way they were raised. 

This insight can help us tremendously in connecting with our children, students, and younger coworkers. Make a point of making them feel respected and valued, and they will quickly reciprocate. 

Whether you’re a teacher, employer, or parent, Gen Z wants to know that you see them as worthwhile individuals. And once they feel that, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish.

Tomorrow: Another aspect of connection is a feeling of validation, and it’s something every young person wants. We’ll cover that and more on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. See you then!