Gen Z in the Vet Clinic: Blank stares and busy minds (#371)

I first noticed it in the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Vet students, early twenties, listening intently as a I explained the finer points of epilepsy management. No nodding. No mm-hmms. No furrowed brow.

Simply a blank, unblinking face. Eyes locked in, posture neutral, expression unreadable.

I now know it wasn’t disinterest. It wasn’t defiance. It was The Gen Z Stare – a communication style as silent as it is misunderstood.

Gen Z, short for Generation Z, includes individuals born roughly between 1997 and 2012.

They are the first truly digital-native generation, shaped by smartphones, social media, and global uncertainty. Now entering the workforce in growing numbers, they bring with them new expectations – and new communication styles.

For the uninitiated, the Gen Z stare is a deadpan expression – often misread as apathy, boredom, or attitude. But it’s none of these. It’s a form of active listening stripped of the social feedback expected by older generations.

Boomers and Gen X nod.

Millennials say “got it!” and “that makes sense.”

Gen Z … watches. Intensely. Quietly. Stoically.

And for some of the more “traditional” amongst us, that silence is deafening.

In my day, workplace communication relied on visible affirmations: head nods, eye crinkles, interjections of “yes” or “I see.”

These are not universal. They’re learned habits, often reflecting cultural and generational norms.

Gen Z, raised on digital media, memes, and short-form video, communicate in different ways.

Facial expression? Optional.

Verbal affirmation? Rare.

A raised eyebrow might mean "you've blown my mind," or "you’re full of it."

Context is everything.

To Boomers, the stare can feel like judgment.

To Millennials, like ghosting.

But to Gen Z, it’s just listening. Processing. Holding back until something worth reacting to arrives.

Far from being disengaged, Gen Z veterinarians often value clarity, purpose, and authenticity over performative enthusiasm. They ask thoughtful questions after meetings, prefer DMs to emails, and will deliver cutting insights in an  emoji or a three-word sentence.

Gen Xers communicate differently. Not less.

The challenge for older generations is to interpret stillness not as disengagement, but as focus.

The challenge for Gen Z? To remember that a little signal – an occasional nod, a brief “makes sense” – can go a long way in cross-generational collaboration.

So, What Can We Do?

• Decode, don’t judge. Don’t assume silence is passive. Ask follow-ups.

• Talk about talking. Teams should normalize discussing communication preferences.

• Give feedback with empathy. If you need more affirmation, say so. If you need fewer meetings, say that too.

• Teach both ways. Boomers can learn to embrace quieter listeners. Gen Z can learn the power of a well-placed nod.

The Gen Z stare is not a rejection of communication. It’s a redefinition of it.

Behind that quiet, expressionless face is often a sharp mind, a skeptical ear, and a deep desire for meaning – not fluff.

Gen Zers are not tuning out. They’re tuning in – on their own frequency.

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