{"id":16127,"date":"2023-02-20T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=article&p=16127"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:11:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:11:21","slug":"tips-for-coaching-generation-z-from-eton-college","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/tips-for-coaching-generation-z-from-eton-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips For Coaching Generation Z, From Eton College"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 20 Feb 2023 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Tips For Coaching Generation Z, From Eton College<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Coaching & Development<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/tips-for-coaching-generation-z-from-eton-college\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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Head of Teaching & Learning Jonnie Noakes offers learning and development advice from the world-renowned boys boarding school.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By John Portch<\/h6>\n
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    The characteristics highlighted in recent studies aren\u2019t unique to Generation Z (broadly 11 to 24-year-olds in 2023) but they are emphasised in this group.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
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    Yes, Gen Z must be willing to adapt to other generations, just as everyone else must adapt to them.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
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    What applies to students in a scholastic setting may or may not apply to young athletes.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Allow them to show their individuality and competitiveness<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cThey\u2019re the first generation of digital natives,\u201d said Jonnie Noakes when speaking of Gen Z, the group most often defined as having been born between 1997 and 2012. \u201cThey\u2019re used to what is sometimes called \u2018hyper-customisation\u2019.\u201d As such they value expressing their individuality. Noakes is the Director of Teaching & Learning at the world-renowned Eton College and, in 2020, he spoke at Virtual Leaders Meet: Coach Development about the traits of Generation Z as defined in a series of recent studies.<\/p>\n

    He ended his presentation with some steps coaches can take to effectively engage Gen Zs in learning and development. \u201cThis is a generation at ease with fluidity. That doesn\u2019t just apply to their idea of their careers it actually applies in a way that is interesting and quite complex to their identity, their sexuality, to who they see themselves as being.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Coaches should also allow them to be independent and competitive, which is one of the strengths of those who grew up post-9\/11 and post-the 2008 financial crisis. \u201cThese are not dreamers, they know that life will not always be easy, they know they\u2019re likely to experience significant failures before achieving success, but they\u2019re willing to fail forward and try again. They\u2019re very focused on skills and building their skills for future flourishing; and they are self-starters.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Communicate with them face to face<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The research recommends face to face communication. \u201cThey prefer this,\u201d said Noakes. \u201cThey prefer to receive their feedback individually and in person.\u201d Remember: \u201cThese are a group of people used to choosing exactly what they want, exactly how they want it, and this has a relevance too to the way we might reach them educationally.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Show them how to collaborate<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The research suggests that while Gen Z enjoy stories about their peers, they are less-collaborative than Millennials. \u201cThey have to be taught how to collaborate in a way that Millennials perhaps didn\u2019t,\u201d said Noakes. “They must also adjust to us just as every generation must adjust to others who don\u2019t think in quite the same way as they do,\u201d he added. \u201cThey\u2019re not natural collaborators but we know the value of collaboration. Therefore, we can insist having shown them how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    On that note, Noakes referred to a study conducted at Eton around holistic education where the premise was that teaching students a traditional, narrow band of cognitive tasks was not equipping them for life. Growth mindset was a major consideration. \u201cWe were very interested in whether if we taught 17-year-olds growth mindset, that is an understanding that their abilities are not fixed, but that they improve with practice, and that crucially also applies to intelligence, which is not a fixed thing, would they become more pro-social?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Experiential learning<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cGeneration Zs learn by doing \u2013 they like experiential learning,\u201d says Noakes. \u201cThat\u2019s not to say they\u2019re not capable of learning by listening, of course they are; learning by reading, yes, that works too, but when you can give them an opportunity to learn by doing \u2013 give it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Gen Z are also responsive to \u201cblended learning\u201d. \u201cThat\u2019s a combination of online and experiential learning, partially because it allows them to personalise the online element. Involve them in the planning and iteration stages of whatever you\u2019re doing with them. They want to have a say in what\u2019s happening to them. Don\u2019t forget: they\u2019re used to hyper-customisation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Focus on the future<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cGen Z like to know they\u2019re going somewhere,\u201d said Noakes. \u201cGive them interaction with those in the years [cohorts] ahead, give them clear goals, help them to focus on their career development stages.\u201d He also stresses that they\u2019re pragmatic and tenacious. \u201cThey respond to the idea of \u2018work hard and see the rewards\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n

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