Programs Lead at UNESCO Youth Orientation for Development (YOD), Inikpi Amodu, has cautioned leaders—particularly those working with young people—to abandon outdated, control-driven leadership models, noting that such approaches are increasingly ineffective with today’s generation.
In a widely discussed commentary, Amodu emphasized that many leaders still equate authority with control, a mindset she says is responsible for friction when engaging Gen Zs. According to her, modern leadership requires empathy, clarity, and collaboration rather than rigid command-and-obey structures.
She recounted a recent experience during a collaborative meeting involving her director and a representative from an international organization who had flown into Nigeria for a youth-focused partnership. The official spent over thirty minutes lamenting how “difficult” Nigerian youths are to work with—an irony not lost on Amodu, given that the individual leads a youth-based institution.
Amodu questioned why an organization with such biases would seek youth collaboration in the first place, arguing that the real challenge lies not with the young people but with a leadership approach rooted in control rather than coordination.
She noted that today’s youth respond more effectively to clarity of purpose, shared goals, and authentic collaboration. “Leadership is not about how loud your voice is, but how aligned your team becomes,” she wrote, stressing that the goal of leadership should be continuity, not mere compliance.
Amodu underscored that Gen Zs are not “unleadable”; instead, many leaders struggle because they insist on imposing authority rather than fostering alignment. She added that her experience at UNESCO YOD continues to reinforce the value of empathy-driven leadership in empowering young voices.
Her core message was clear:
control breeds resistance, coordination produces results; leadership thrives on empathy, not ego; and collaboration depends on shared purpose.
Amodu’s reflections add to the growing conversation on youth engagement and the need for adaptive leadership styles in a rapidly shifting generational landscape.
