#KatieTalks: Why Understanding Gen Z Is Every Leader’s New Competitive Edge

To lead well, and communicate brilliantly, we have to understand the people shaping the world around us. Gen Z already makes up around 60 percent of the global workforce, and while they’re not yet the senior decision-makers in most organisations, their influence on culture, communication and consumer behaviour is undeniable. For leaders, marketers and strategists, grasping these generational shifts isn’t optional; it’s how you stay relevant.   In this episode of Katie Talks, Katie Bennett-Stenton speaks with India Starr, a graduate researcher at the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, about the findings from the 2025 Global Communication Report: Mind the Gap.   Katie met India at the IABC World Conference in Vancouver, where India spoke on a panel exploring how generational perspectives are reshaping communication, influence and leadership. Together, they unpack what the research reveals about the friction, and opportunity, between those creating messages and those consuming them.   In this conversation, they explore: Why every generation believes it’s the most informed, and what that reveals about trust, truth and the stories we choose to believe. How older communicators still see a New York Times feature or CNN segment as the ultimate campaign milestone, while younger professionals see a Taylor Swift endorsement as the best it gets. The nuanced differences in how each cohort consumes and evaluates information, less about platforms, more about authenticity and alignment with values. What the research shows about AI, creativity and ethics, and why younger communicators see technology as a creative partner, not a threat. How leaders and marketers can use these insights to build communication that resonates across generations and expectations This is a smart, data-driven and distinctly human conversation about what it means to connect meaningfully across generations and why those who understand these dynamics will shape the future of communication. About the Guest: India Starr is a graduate student at the University of Southern California, where she contributes to the Center for Public Relations’ Global Communication Report. Her research explores generational dynamics, evolving media behaviours and the intersection of technology, trust and influence.