26 Jun Ambition: Why Today’s Top Talents Don’t Want to Lead

Emerging data shows that while ambition remains strong, the aspiration to take on senior leadership roles is rapidly diminishing, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials. Therefore, employers are facing a new and unexpected crisis: the talent pipeline for future leaders is shrinking, and it’s reshaping how organizations think about career architecture.

Where does this shift come from? We have gathered some data:

• The Deloitte 2025 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey (23,000+ respondents, 44 countries) reveals that only 4% of Gen Z and 7% of Millennials cite a senior leadership position as their primary career goal
• Ariana Marsh notes similarly that just 6% of Gen Z and Millennials see reaching a leadership role as central to their ambitions. What do they want then? “I just want to live a fulfilling life that’s full of new experiences.” —Naydeline Mejia stated as you can read in the article here.
• A Financial Times survey found that 50% of Gen Z reject middle management roles entirely, with 70% calling them “high stress, low reward”

Is this just a European or Anglo-Saxon trend?

As published by The Times in France and the UK, approximately 55–56% of employees avoid promotions to managerial roles due to stress and increased expectations, a figure significantly higher than the global average of 36%; this reluctance aligns with findings from RANDSTAD’s 2024 survey of 27,000 workers across 34 countries, which revealed that although 56% of workers—and 69% of Gen Z—consider themselves ambitious, nearly half (47%) have no interest in advancing into higher positions.

Why is this happening?

The shift in younger generations’ priorities and attitude toward leadership stems from several key factors. First of all, the pandemic revealed that constant busyness no longer means fulfillment; remote and hybrid work highlighted the growing importance of mental well-being and work-life balance. At the same time, younger workers prioritize purpose, autonomy, and personal growth over titles or pay, seeking meaningful and flexible roles that align with their values. Furthermore, younger generations see management roles, especially middle management,  as bureaucratic and unrewarding, making them less appealing to potential. Also, weak leadership pipelines—due to a lack of mentorship and clear support—discourage many from pursuing such positions.

Together, these factors are reshaping leadership aspirations and challenging traditional career paths.

What does this mean?

This generational shift invites professionals to rethink how leadership potential is identified, cultivated, and presented. The traditional career ladder—manager, director, executive—is no longer universally attractive. For many, leadership needs to feel purposeful, flexible, and compatible with personal well-being to be worth pursuing.

Organizations could begin by offering multiple, equally valued career tracks: not only vertical progression, but also roles focused on expertise, innovation, or cross-functional leadership. At the same time, organizations need to redesign leadership positions in order to reduce burnout risk—integrating autonomy, mental health support, and real influence over purpose-driven initiatives.

Developing leadership readiness earlier in careers can also help overcome hesitation. Programs such as mentoring, job shadowing, and project-based responsibility allow emerging talent to experience leadership gradually, building confidence along the way. Above all, companies need to shift the narrative: leadership cannot come through as a synonym for power, but as a chance to shape culture, contribute meaningfully, and drive sustainable change.

Organizations need to keep in mind that this is not an ambition crisis — it’s an ambition evolution. Today’s talent is motivated, but by different values; let’s re-design leadership pathways to align with emerging talent priorities—and not just hierarchy—in order to build stronger, more resilient organizations for the future.

Gaia Urati