1KHO 611: 26 Is the New 18 | Tim Elmore, The Future Begins With Z

The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Ginny Yurich

Parenting, Kids & Family

4.9 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When employers say “26 is the new 18,” what they’re really noticing is Tim Elmore’s Peter Pan paradox in action: the age of authority is dropping while the age of maturity is rising. In this energizing conversation, Tim and Ginny decode Gen Z’s “magic and tragic”—their native fluency with tech and AI alongside lagging people skills—and offer hopeful, practical ways to coach rather than complain. You’ll hear why childlikeness is fading while childishness expands, how social media turned from connection to performance, and why soft skills (read: people skills) will be the ultimate edge in the AI age. Listen for simple, family-ready reps—hosting adults, letting kids own their schedules, building EQ—and workplace plays like great first days, hobby-like projects, and leading with empathy. We also get real about the gig economy, shrinking loyalty ladders, and why teens need margin, movement, mindfulness, and management to protect mental health and grow grit. You’ll leave with language that reframes Gen Z from “problem” to “potential,” and with concrete steps for parents, teachers, and team leaders to build self-awareness, social awareness, and emotional regulation in everyday life. Leaders are dealers of hope—start here, share this episode with a friend who’s wrestling with Gen Z, and model the future you want your kids to inherit. Get your copy of The Future Begins with Z here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. My name is Ginny Eurich. I'm the founder of 1000
0:04.0	Hours Outside and I'm thrilled today that for a second time Tim Elmore is back. Welcome Tim.
0:10.1	Thank you, Jenny. Good to be with you. Always fun to be with you.
0:12.9	So you do an incredible job about helping interpret between the generations. You say you've
0:17.9	45 years of work working with younger generations for decades.
0:21.8	You've attempted to stay on top of the realities within the youngest populations,
0:25.3	entering the workforce and entering the marketplace as customers. And so a lot of the listeners to this
0:30.3	podcast are parents, and they are parents of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. And so they're wanting to help
0:35.9	make sure that their children succeed. They also may be employers of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. And so they're wanting to help make sure that their children succeed.
0:38.0	They also may be employers of Gen Z and then coming up Gen Alpha.
0:42.5	And so you have this book that is out now.
0:44.4	If you're listening to this podcast, Ford by John Maxwell.
0:47.1	You said you were just on his podcast.
0:48.9	He's 78 years old.
0:50.3	You used to work for him.
0:51.7	You learn a lot from him.
0:53.1	The future begins with Z, nine strategies to lead Generation Z as they disrupt the workplace.
1:00.3	Where did your interest in younger generations start?
1:03.6	You know, I'll be honest with you, Jenny.
1:05.4	I think it started when I was the emerging generation.
1:08.4	So I started my career 45 years ago, believe it or not, I started
1:12.4	in the classroom, but I immediately realized this is where I want to give my life. Even though I was a
	...

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