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"The one skill I'd look for is for a Gen Z to be able to question me and criticize me."
At , Francois Lancon, ManpowerGroup Regional President for APME, gave the Global Shapers Community a challenge: imagine you're the CEO. What would you hire for?
The answers were honest, and telling. This generation doesn't want to just fall in line. They want the confidence to speak up, question, and challenge, and they see that as a strength worth hiring for.
Interestingly, it lines up with what leaders already value. One CEO in the conversation pointed to intellectual curiosity: staying curious, and learning as you go.
François also asked what advice they'd give their friends. The answer was simple and human: don't be afraid to ask questions, or to walk up to someone and start a conversation. It doesn't have to be formal. It's just about being human with each other.
Curiosity. Courage. Connection. That's what the next generation is bringing to work.
Human First, Digital Always.
06/26/2026
3 days in Dalian, and the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions has come to a close.
From the main stage to the conversations happening in between sessions, ManpowerGroup spent the week right where the big conversations about the future of work were happening.
Here's what we did, and what we're taking home:
Our CEO Jonas Prising, Co-Chair of AMNC 2026, joined the "AI Everywhere, Not at Once" panel on the global stage. Our leaders sat down for media interviews, shared their perspectives across three days of discussions, and spoke directly with the next generation entering the workforce.
Some of what our leaders shared:
"It's not what you learn, it's learning how to learn." Francois Lancon reminded us that adaptability matters more than any single skill.
Lancy Chui made the case that technology should empower people, not replace them, calling for more flexible and supportive ways of working for everyone.
Sam Haggag challenged leaders to be intentional about workforce design, drawing a clear line between what AI supports and what stays human.
Filip Rideau shared what he heard straight from Gen Z: the one word that kept coming up was judgement, the ability to challenge and judge the output of AI to create better value.
And Okjin OJ Kim put it simply: AI isn't here to make us work harder or faster. It's an assistant that helps us work better.
If the whole week came back to one idea, it's this: innovation only matters when it reaches people. The organisations that succeed won't be the ones adopting AI fastest, but the ones redesigning work thoughtfully, building their people's skills, and keeping human judgement at the centre.
Human First, Digital Always.
Thank you to everyone who followed along. Follow our social channels for more insights!
Day 2 at is done. If you're starting your career, here's the question worth asking: not whether AI will change your job, but how you can work better with it.
That was the message from our leaders at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, for the next generation entering the workforce. Their advice, in their own words:
"Develop knowledge around AI, learn how to use it as a consumer, as a person, individually, but also learn to use it at work."
Jonas Prising, Chair & CEO, ManpowerGroup, Co-Chair of AMNC 2026
"AI is not simply a means to make us work harder or faster. It is an assistant that helps us work better. So focus more on developing your creativity, strategic thinking, and what we may call our human nature, the unique strengths that only people can bring."
Okjin OJ Kim, CEO, Manpower Korea, Inc.
"The word judgment, and the ability, at the output level of AI, to judge for yourself and challenge the AI to get the best outcome possible, can be a true differentiator."
Filip Rideau, Regional Head of Growth & Franchise, APME, ManpowerGroup
The takeaway for anyone starting out: build your AI knowledge, but invest just as much in the things only you can bring, your creativity, your strategic thinking, and your judgement. That's what makes you a competitive talent for the future.
Follow along for more from AMNC 2026 this week, and explore more on our hub: https://www.manpowergroup.com/insights/amnc?utm_campaign=Facebook%2CVideo%2C2026+AMNC+global&utm_content=Day+2+at+%23AMNC2026+is+don&utm_medium=ManpowerGroup+%28Default%29&utm_source=facebook
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