Tua Tagovailoa, the 27-year-old quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, wants to throw out his generation's reputation for being soft. Good thing he has a strong arm.

He says it's a misconception that Gen Zers, people born from 1997 to 2012 who were raised with safe spaces and trigger warnings, can't handle harsh realities. But he adds that managers can be direct with young employees only after showing they care about their charges. That goes for football coaches and business executives alike.

"Leadership traditionally looked like someone who had the demeanor of authority and demanded respect, and I just don't think in this generation that works," he says. "When I get called out for something, I want to know it's coming from a good place."

Business leaders sometimes look to sports for tips on winning attitudes and championship work ethics. The real playbook worth borrowing now, more than ever, is about managing Gen Zers.

They recently became a larger share of the American workforce than baby boomers, and another crop of college graduates is on the way this spring.

Locker rooms offer a preview of what's coming to offices, because they are rare workplaces where most employees are part of Gen Z already. If anyone has figured out how to motivate, relate to -- and even learn from -- this cohort, it's the coaches and sports executives whose livelihoods depend on it.

Professional athletes are uncommonly talented and driven, which means they aren't a perfect cross section of their peer group. Still, they possess certain generational sensibilities, such as giving priority to nonwork interests.

Tagovailoa says boating, golfing and playing guitar are important to him.

"I need time to focus on myself outside of my profession," he says. "I feel I've worked hard enough to enjoy what I've worked hard for -- not to the extent of going overboard but to the extent of relaxing and finding myself again."

He argues off-field pursuits help him avoid burnout and make him a better quarterback than he would be if he devoted all his energy to exercising and studying game film.

It's often a challenge to get bosses to support employees' hobbies and side hustles, says Fred Johnson, a leadership coach for businesses and sports teams, including the National Football League's Dolphins. Managers tend to measure employees' commitment by whether they eat, sleep and breathe the job.

Johnson contends it isn't a sign of slacking if young workers clock out at 5 p.m. sharp or seem as interested in Pilates as profits. Whether or not executives buy into the idea that boundaries are crucial to productivity, they need to adjust to Gen Zers' work habits or risk alienation, he advises.

We aren't just talking athletes, either. Many of the young phenoms helping teams win have desk jobs. Twentysomethings with Ivy League degrees are becoming the lifeblood of sports franchises' front offices. Analytics and business operations are among teams' fastest-growing and largest departments, says Marti Wronski, chief operating officer of the Milwaukee Brewers.

"We don't get to cross our arms and just say, 'I'm not dealing with this generation because they're constantly demanding raises,' " she says. "We need to reach out and win the culture race with this group."

It starts in the interview process. Wronski, who has worked for the Brewers for more than two decades, says young candidates ask questions their predecessors generally didn't. What does the organization stand for? How much paternity leave do you offer?

You better be ready with good answers or you'll miss out on talent, she says.

Much of what Gen Z demands could benefit employees of all ages and promote a healthy corporate culture, says Brad Deutser, president and chief executive of management consulting firm Deutser.

His firm joined with Excel Search & Advisory on a new study of the relationship between Major League Baseball teams' recent win totals and their cultures. This was measured by factors including organizational vision statements and employee ratings on Glassdoor.

The Brewers, who made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons, had one of the highest cultural-beliefs scores in the study. Researchers concluded strong cultures could boost wins by 4%.

Deutser is so convinced the findings translate to offices that he is redesigning his firm's conference room to resemble a locker room.

General Manager John Schneider of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks says today's players tend to withdraw in the face of criticism, which can suggest they are fragile.

"But then they'll come back," he says, often with follow-up questions. He's learned that players who initially seem flustered or disengaged just need time to process feedback and formulate a response.