Paul was a brilliant engineer.
He did failure analysis — the kind of work that stumped everyone else. When a fire department suspected one of their company's products caused a house fire, they sent Paul. He went out, investigated, and found the real culprit. Faulty wiring in the house. Not their product.
Paul was that good.
He reported to a director of engineering who reported to David S., a tech executive. When that director took another position, the job opened up. Paul went straight to David.
"I want the job."
David was honest with him.
"Paul, you can't do that job."
Paul pushed back. He said he thought he could. He wanted the chance.
David didn't dismiss him. But he didn't sugarcoat it either.
"I'm going to tell you right now I think you're going to fail. I want to get that on the table. But I am going to give you the chance."
Then David did something important. He made an agreement with Paul upfront. Take the job. Give it a month or two. Then sit down together and be completely honest — David about Paul's performance, Paul about whether he actually liked doing the work. If it wasn't working, Paul could have his old job back. No harm. No foul.
Two months later they had that meeting.
David asked Paul what he thought.
"I think I'm failing," Paul said. "And I want my old job back."
He got it. And according to David, Paul never looked beyond that role again. Because it was what he was good at. And he loved it.
What strikes me about this story is what David didn't do. He didn't just say no and move on. And he didn't say yes and hope for the best. He created a structure where Paul could find out for himself — safely.
That's a Warm Demander. Honest enough to say the hard thing. Caring enough to give the chance anyway. And wise enough to build in a safety net so Paul could land without losing his dignity.
Gen Z employees need exactly this. They need leaders who will tell them the truth — and then give them the room to discover it themselves.
Leaders,
When someone on your team asks for a stretch opportunity you're not sure they're ready for, consider David's approach.
Be honest about your concern.
Say it directly.
Then offer a trial with a clear timeline and a defined off-ramp.
"Let's try this for 60 days. We'll both be honest about how it's going."
That conversation protects the employee — and it protects you. Honesty isn't unkind. Silence is.
This story is excerpted from Get Gen Z Into the Game, Colleen McFarland's award-winning playbook for leaders who want to bring out the best in their youngest employees.
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