Talk2MeWrite · News analysis · Work and leadership
By Saleem Bradley · 3 minute read · Sources checked 9 October 2026, Perth
Reading options for larger text and audio
Larger text: Use your browser’s text-size or zoom control. On a computer, press Ctrl and + on Windows, or Command and + on Mac.
Audio: Where available, use Listen to Page in Safari on iPhone or Listen to this page in Chrome on Android. Select Standard playback in Chrome to hear the page text. Availability depends on your browser, language and the page.
Deloitte’s 2026 Australian survey reports that 79 per cent of Gen Z respondents and 75 per cent of millennials are interested in leadership at some point. Only 6 per cent in each group identify reaching leadership as their primary career goal. The distinction matters: interest in responsibility does not mean that a title is the central measure of career success.
For employers, this raises a question about access. How does someone move from doing useful work to being recognised as capable of leading it?
Visibility can obscure contribution
A presentation is easy to attribute to the person delivering it. Research, coordination, technical testing and early idea development can be harder to see. If recognition follows the final presentation alone, an organisation may overlook the people who made the proposal possible.
A 2021 study by De Clercq, Fatima and Jahanzeb examined organisational politics, impression management and perceived influence using employee and peer data from Pakistani banks. Its setting and design require care in generalisation. It offers a reason to examine the relationship between visibility and influence, rather than a basis for accusing a particular colleague of manipulation.
A clearer route to development
Employers could make the criteria for presentation and development opportunities visible. Relevant competence, the purpose of the assignment and the support a person will need should be explicit. Where the work allows it, more than one contributor can present or answer questions in their area of expertise.
Contribution records can be brief. They can credit the origin of an idea separately from later analysis, production and communication. That distinction recognises collaboration without pretending that every role is identical.
Rotation also needs judgement. Giving everyone an identical task regardless of preparation may create avoidable pressure. A better approach is to identify what a person can do now, what experience they need next and who will support that learning.
Reading the survey carefully
The Australian survey covered 800 respondents: 500 Gen Z participants and 300 millennials. It records stated preferences and experiences, not observed promotion decisions. It cannot establish that a particular employer allocates opportunities unfairly.
The useful implication is an invitation to inspect the process. Leadership interest is easier to develop into capability when staff can understand how their work is recognised and how they can gain relevant experience.
Sources and context
- Deloitte Australia Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2026
- De Clercq Fatima and Jahanzeb organisational politics study 2021
Related portfolio work: Power and Influence in Organisational Decisions, an academic group project in progress based on a fictional teaching case. Explore Talk2MeWrite · Editorial standards.
Prepared with AI-assisted editing and source checking. This article analyses the linked publications and does not claim original interviews or field reporting.
Source: Talk2MeWrite · By Saleem Bradley · Original on SaleemBradley.com · Reference: T2MW-WP-435
Get a branded share card
Open the branded PNG share card, then save it to your device to share in an app. Keep the source mark and reference visible, and include the original page link in your caption or link field. The card identifies the publication; third-party works retain their original credits and rights.
Share this page
For Instagram or another app, use Share or copy link. On Instagram, paste the link into a Story link sticker or another link field supported by your account. The available apps depend on your device. Sharing a link does not grant permission to republish the full article or third-party images.
Leave a Reply