People and Performance Podcast · 2025-09-09 · 9 min
What happens when we forget the human beings behind job titles? Kristen Nielsen Donnelly, PhD, COO of Abbey Companies and founder of Abbey Research, tackles this question with refreshing candor in our conversation about workplace dynamics across generations. Breaking from typical generational discourse filled with negativity and fatalism, Kristen offers a provocative perspective: "Nearly everything people complain about in Gen Z is the fault of the older three generations in the world." She challenges leaders to recognize how we've created systems that didn't equip younger workers with necessary coping skills, then unfairly criticize them for struggling within those very systems. The most overlooked factor for improving workplace performance? "Remembering that they're people," Kristen states, noting how uncomfortable this simple truth makes many leaders feel. She cautions against the growing trend of AI-driven training solutions that flatten organizational culture and eliminate the nuances that make workplaces distinctive and attractive to diverse talent.
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