High Touch Teamwork

Maybe I’m an idiot. You see, I have turned down some lucrative proposals because of my Top Talent: Belief. There are core values I work and play by. Even if it means walking away from potentially good paying jobs. One manager was very interested in our Inpowered Leaders program but wanted to move to a virtual format for group meetings and allow for more online coaching sessions rather than in person. I eventually didn’t engage with him because that approach misses a huge development gap for emerging leaders- the priority of in-person connection and collaboration. Both are key pillars for high performance teamwork.

One of the biggest paradigm shifts from the pandemic is the number of people who now see working and learning remotely as the norm. Despite Gen Z's reputation as collaborative values-holders who care deeply about inclusion, their actual experience of collaboration in professional settings is limited and often uncomfortable. Though they are the most digitally connected generation, 9 in 10 report social discomfort at work — with more than half experiencing it at least half the time. The pandemic replaced team-based, project-driven in-person work with solo screens, removing the conditions under which collaboration instincts are built. While Gen Z frequently cites teamwork and collaboration as values, only 7% of their job profiles demonstrate actual evidence of interpersonal collaboration skills. (Cornerstone, 2024)

This gap between stated values and demonstrated competency is significant. Gen Z genuinely wants to work in collaborative, inclusive environments — but many have not yet built the behavioral repertoire that makes collaboration functional. This is precisely the opportunity that strengths-based development frameworks can be designed to address: translating values and intentions into practiced interpersonal skills.

In the Inpowered Leaders program we use the CliftonStrengths as a gateway to interpersonal team dynamics. After learning about their own Top 5 Talents, we build a framework and language that allows them to engage with the Strengths of those around them. The result we see is that Strength-based teams often lead to high performing teams as they learn about the talents of their entire team. This process also includes practical ways they can better communicate, motivate and leverage others to play to their Strengths.

As one project manager who went through the Inpowered Leaders experience commented: “The vulnerability and the open dialogue from the workshops were the biggest highlight for me and allowed me to learn insightful things about my teammates. It was enlightening to hear what motivated everyone and what caused the most concern for everyone. It was helpful to see where my fellow leaders are coming from, and one big takeaway was the similarities we shared even with all our noted differences.”

This is significant because for Gen Z the root cause of much disengagement is not pay or perks — it is connection. Research from Jabra (2024) found that even a single meaningful conversation per week with a manager can make the difference between a Gen Z employee feeling connected to their work or disengaged from it. The cost of neglect is retention failure. Inpowering your young leaders can not only attract but retain the good talent companies are competing for. It is my Belief that enhancing Zoom and Facetime with “in-the-room” face time is a game changing team dynamic that needs to happen.