From Just Do It to Why Do It: What Gen Z Is Teaching Me About Leadership
I was in high school when Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign came out. It was everywhere: on TV, on billboards, on t-shirts, in magazines (remember Tiger Beat?) - the ads that made that orange box feel like the ultimate prize for a teenager with an ice cream parlor paycheck to burn. It spoke directly to me and my friends. Bold. Direct. No excuses. You didn’t overthink, you didn’t pause. You just did it.
Fast forward to 2025, and Nike has reimagined the line for a new generation: “Why Do It?” Narrated by Tyler the Creator and featuring athletes like LeBron James and Caitlin Clark, the campaign flips the script. It doesn’t just push people to act, it asks them to stop and think first.
At first, I thought, “huh?” But then I realized how perfectly this captures the way Gen Z engages with the world.
A Different Lens on Motivation
My teenage son asks me this all the time: “What’s the point?”
Through my Gen X lens, it’s easy to hear that as laziness or teenage angst. (I’ll admit, I still know every Smiths song by heart: “I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feel on the inside.”) But my son isn’t lazy. Once he finds his why, he throws himself in completely. He is motivated by meaning in a way I never was at his age. Just do it isn’t enough for him.
This summer, I snapped a photo of him outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Only later did the symbolism strike me: a centuries-old institution behind him, a new generation standing in front, asking new questions.
That image stayed with me, because it isn’t just about him. It’s about how we need to think as leaders.
Gen Z and the Power of Purpose
Research supports this. Deloitte’s 2025 Global Gen Z & Millennial Survey found that 89% of Gen Z link job satisfaction and well-being to having purpose in their work.
This isn’t about rejecting ambition. A Forbes analysis found that only 6% of Gen Z prioritize leadership titles, but they deeply value growth, flexibility, and ethical alignment. And nearly 40% of Gen Z and millennials have turned down jobs that didn’t align with their values (News.com.au).
This is why the Nike Why Do It campaign resonates. It acknowledges what Gen Z already knows: if you want their energy, you have to show them why it matters.
Generational Contrast: Gen X Grit vs. Gen Z Depth
The contrast is sharp.
Gen X mindset (Just Do It): Act first, figure it out later. Success measured by climbing ladders quickly and proving resilience.
Gen Z mindset (Why Do It): Pause to evaluate purpose, impact, and alignment before committing energy. Success measured by fulfillment and values, not just titles.
For me, the difference showed up at home. When my son asks, “What’s the point?”, my first instinct is impatience. But when I step back, I see his question for what it is: discernment. He wants to invest his effort where it matters.
And honestly, that’s something many of us could use more of.
Leadership Lessons: Answering “What’s the Point?”
Nike’s new slogan offers a powerful metaphor for leadership today. “Just do it” management doesn’t work anymore. If we want to engage Gen Z, and if we want to be better leaders for everyone, we need to create environments where “why” is not a challenge to authority but an invitation to clarity.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Listen first. Don’t dismiss the question as resistance. Hear the values behind it.
Co-create meaning. Invite people to help define what fulfilling looks like.
Empower courage. Give them the space to stand up for what matters, free of guilt or obligation.
I’ve gotten this wrong before. Earlier in my career, I brushed off “why” as pushback. Later, I realized the pause often revealed gaps in vision, not a lack of motivation. When I slowed down to explain, or better yet invited my team to shape the why with me, the work got stronger and so did the trust between us.
Beyond the Workplace: A Philosophy for Living
This isn’t just about managing Gen Z at work. Their “why” lens extends to how they approach activism, education, and mental health. They aren’t interested in doing things just because tradition demands it. They want to spend their energy where it counts.
That isn’t only a challenge for leaders, it’s also a gift. In a world that rewards constant motion, slowing down to ask “What’s the point?” ensures our energy is directed toward what truly matters.
Nike adapted its story to connect with this mindset. Organizations and leaders who do the same will not only attract Gen Z talent but also build stronger, more resilient cultures.
Still Just Doing It, With a New Why
Nike’s evolution from Just Do It to Why Do It reflects more than clever branding. It captures a generational shift in motivation that leaders cannot ignore.
As a Gen Xer, I may still carry the grit and urgency of “just doing it.” But thanks to Gen Z, and one thoughtful teenager at home, I am learning to balance action with meaning.
So yes, Nike is still telling me to just do it. And they’ve still got me. But now I am also making a habit of asking, and answering, why do it?
A Question for You
When was the last time you paused to answer, “What’s the point?” - for your team, or for yourself?
