For Gen Z, chaos is just another management hack

 Hey readers!

This post is less of an art piece and more of a sneak peek into the “real-time sitcom” called youth competitions. You know the drill—group discussions, idea pitches, brainstorming marathons that start with “We got this” and end with “Wait, what exactly is our idea again?”

Here’s the fun part: these so-called “serious events” are where Gen Z’s hidden management skills pop up. And no, not the boring kind with flowcharts and suits. It’s more like live improv theatre. Someone becomes the timekeeper (“Guys, we have 2 minutes left!”), Someone else is the energy booster (“Bro, just vibe, we’ll figure it out”), and then there’s always that one person whose entire contribution is “Let’s not stress, I’ll bring snacks.”

But in between the chaos, you start noticing things. Entrepreneurship doesn’t always begin with a pitch deck—it begins in those exact moments of chaos control. When a teammate disappears for 20 minutes (probably scrolling reels) and the rest cover their part without drama. Or when two people argue passionately about the same point, only to realize they were on the same side the whole time. That’s micro-management in disguise, and honestly, it’s hilarious to watch.

Gen Z gets a bad rep for being restless, but I think that’s what makes us natural managers. We’re basically trained by default. Grew up switching between homework, WhatsApp groups, and five YouTube tabs? Congratulations, multitasking 101. Survived family gatherings where every elder has a contradictory career suggestion? Congrats again, conflict management expert.

In these competitions, I saw how quickly we adapt. Plans collapsed like Jenga towers, yet somehow we rebuilt them, shakier but stronger. Someone cracks a lame joke in the midst of panic, and suddenly the group is laughing instead of crying. That’s resilience, with a side of memes.Looking back, I don’t just remember who won or what the final idea was. I remember the unpolished, candid moments that felt more real than any “leadership seminar.” The moments where management meant sharing one laptop charger between five people, or entrepreneurship meant convincing the judges with whatever survived our last-minute chaos.

Maybe that’s the Gen Z streak—turning pressure into punchlines, chaos into collaboration, and somehow walking out of the room not just with results, but with stories you’ll laugh about later.

Because honestly, the best thing about these experiences is not the learning or the outcome—it’s realizing that even when we don’t have it together, together, we still have it.