With the recent emergence of new generation of workers such as Generation (Gen) Z, the global workforce seems to be absorbing its newest contributors. This challenges organisations to rethink and restrategise on their traditional approaches to leadership development. These new sets of workers bring new expectations for workplace culture, new learning, digital fluency, distinct values, and social impact. This research paper seeks to examine how current leadership development models can be adapted or entirely redesigned to meet the needs of these future leaders. To achieve this, this paper focuses on four main dimensions. Firstly, examining the preferred leadership development methods of Gen Z in terms of technology-based learning, experiential learning, peer-based programmes, and mentorship. Secondly, investigating how ready organisations are in adopting updated leadership development programmes for next-generation employees. Thirdly, finding whether Gen Z and Millennials have different preferences in leadership training. Fourthly, finding whether Gen Z in the UK and Nigeria have different preferences in leadership training. To achieve these objectives, a quantitative approach was adopted where two survey questionnaires were administered to organisational employees (Gen Z and millennials) and HR managers. Collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation, and frequency distribution and inferential statistics like Mann-Whitney U test via SPSS 26. Results generated showed that Gen Z most preferred leadership development method is experiential learning, followed by mentoring, peer-based learning, and technology-based learning respectively. Also, the findings show that organisations are moderately prepared in adopting updated leadership development method. It further reveals that a statistically significant difference was found for Peer-Based Learning (U = 6661.50, Z = −3.815, p < .001) where Millennials obtained a higher mean rank (150.24) than Gen Z (115.93). Finally, the study reveals that no statistically significant difference in leadership training preference exists between Gen Z in the UK and Gen Z in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends that organisations make experiential learning the most important part of developing leaders who belong to the Gen Z cohort. Also, they should improve their readiness through resource and strategy alignment and that they should invest in cross-cultural flexibility since the preferences of Gen Z in Nigeria and the UK for their training are essentially the same. Keywords: Leadership development, Gen Z, Millennials, Next-generation workforce