What Kind of Leaders Will Generation Z Want? An Exploratory Study of Preferred Leadership Styles Among the Next Generation of Employees in Italy

Research on generational differences within the field of organizational behavior has grown over the years. This growth has resulted in the recognition that generational characteristics play a significant role in how employees prefer to be led and managed. The present study explores what leadership behaviors are more valued by members of the Generation Z using data obtained from a unique sample of 1,188 high schools students in Italy. Our results indicate that both transformational and transactional leadership are the preferred leadership styles of Generation Z while the laissez-fair leadership style is the least desired.