Gen Z urged to build workplace skills through uncomfortable conversations
Unify America president Michelle Sobel argues that low-stakes social friction can help young workers prepare for conflict and collaboration at work.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Young workers may need more practice with real-time disagreement as employers put greater weight on interpersonal skills, according to Michelle Sobel, president of Unify America. In a Fortune commentary published June 23, Sobel argued that technology has removed many routine awkward interactions that once helped people build confidence in face-to-face and phone conversations.
Sobel directed her argument at Gen Z workers entering the labor market. She said earlier generations routinely had to ask strangers for directions, speak to cashiers and make unscripted phone calls, while many younger people grew up with tools that reduce those moments.
She cited writer Kathryn Jezer-Morton’s term “friction-maxxing” to describe the intentional practice of tolerating discomfort that modern tools often remove. Sobel pointed to examples such as calling a stranger or making an appointment by phone, where a person must respond in real time without editing or revising a message first.
Employers say disagreement skills matter
Sobel connected those habits to hiring and promotion as artificial intelligence takes on more entry-level cognitive work. She wrote that tasks such as coding, data work, research and analysis are being automated, while human conflict, persuasion and listening remain harder to replace.
She cited a 2025 survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universities that found 96% of employers consider productive disagreement important in the workplace. The same survey found that 34% of employers believe recent graduates are prepared to do it, according to Sobel.
Sobel also cited a 2025 DeVry University survey in which 78% of employers described durable skills as the new form of job security. In that survey, 70% of employers said those skills affect promotion decisions, according to her commentary.
She described durable skills as abilities such as active listening, collaboration and working with people who hold different views. Sobel wrote that gaps can show up in many settings, including service jobs, health care and management, when employees cannot raise concerns, calm tense exchanges or settle conflicts without senior intervention.
Campus programs add structured practice
Sobel said some colleges are adding structured exercises meant to give students practice with difficult conversations. She cited Unify America’s Civic Gym, a program that pairs students from different schools and backgrounds to discuss topics including immigration, education and free speech.
According to Sobel, Civic Gym operates across nearly 200 campuses in 42 states. She said the program is designed to help students build tolerance for uncomfortable conversations, rather than only learn about another person’s views.
At the University of North Dakota, nearly 900 students have taken part, Sobel wrote. She said more than 90% reported feeling heard and not judged, more than 80% said they encountered a viewpoint they had not considered, and three-quarters said they wanted more practice.
Sobel argued that those results suggest young people are open to difficult conversations when given a structure for them. Her recommendations included asking follow-up questions before stating an opinion, moving group-project disputes from text to a short call or meeting, introducing oneself at events and making appointments by phone.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.