The Power of Showing Up

Imagine holding a job where most of your stakeholders had no idea you existed. During the 15 years I’ve lived in my Brooklyn neighborhood, I’ve never met (or even heard of) my District Leader who has held the office for 30+ years. That changed a few days ago when a young candidate pressed a flyer in my hand announcing her campaign to challenge this absentee incumbent.

She confidently explained why she was running, what she wants to accomplish and the experience she’ll bring to the role. In other words, she showed up.

She’s emblematic of a trend we recently added to the Insights Playbook called The Power of Us.

It’s about how if Gen Z wants to inherit a better tomorrow (or a tomorrow at all), they must act with a sense of urgency today and how a generation that feels leaderless is doing the work to take power into their own hands. And they’re going to make change-making moves whether or not brands and businesses get involved.

61% of Gen Zers surveyed across the globe say that Gen Z youth have more ability to positively affect change than other generations (Velocity, Power in Progress, 2019).

½ of Millennials would pay 20% more if a brand supported a cause they care about (Velocity, Culture of Proximity, 2018)

Next-generation brands that want to build lasting relationships with Gen Z can't afford to be like that absentee District Leader. They will need to operate at the speed of culture by anticipating and serving the needs of a globally networked community which demands social consciousness, an innovation mindset and authentic leadership... or a challenger is going to come along and do it for them.

In other words, we need to show up.