Episode #8 – Cultural Leadership Chronicles: Shaping Corporate DNA

[00:00:00] Taty Fittipaldi: Have you ever heard in your company’s corridor, people whispering to each other, “What’s up with their attitude?” When this happens, people are actually talking about behaviors. Behavior is a big thing for corporations. Or at least, it should be. In today’s episode, we will discuss about the last pillar of The Global Leadership Pillars™, cultural leadership. This pillar has been of growing importance in corporate success and has become a key differentiator for employee retention, innovation and even profitability in organizations. So, today, we will talk about what cultural leadership is, what the five key elements you have to think about as a leader, and a few down to earth tips to start practicing your culture leadership.

[00:00:49] SHOW INTRODUCTION: Hello and welcome to the Leadership Nest Podcast. The podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science [00:01:00] to soar the leadership in you. I’m your host, Taty Fittipaldi. As always, our podcast will be divided into three phases. A story, a lesson, and its application. This way, you can have structure and information while also having some fun.

[00:01:19] SHOW INTRODUCTION: This program is brought to you by… by Coaching Expatriates.

[00:01:23] TODAY’S STORY

[00:01:23] TODAY’S STORY: Today’s story.

[00:01:33] Taty Fittipaldi: In the heart of Bucharest, a city that never seemed to catch its breath, there was a guy named Andrei.

[00:01:41] Taty Fittipaldi: He was no ordinary Joe. Nope. He was a dynamo in the cutthroat world of telecommunications in Romania and was known for his wild ideas and unrelenting drive for success.

[00:01:56] Taty Fittipaldi: But here’s the twist. Even a top dog, like Andrei,[00:02:00] can have a hidden soft spot. Little did he know he had some sneaky biases lurking in the shadows. Especially when it came to people from different cultures.

[00:02:12] Taty Fittipaldi: And guess what? Life decided to throw him a curve ball in the form of Hiroshi, the new CEO from Japan.

[00:02:21] Taty Fittipaldi: Fast-forward to 2021, and Hiroshi lands the global CEO gig. Meanwhile, in Romania, the prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu greenlight’s Lenovo’s entry into Romania’s five G scene. Stirring up a storm in the telecom market.

[00:02:41] Taty Fittipaldi: Andrei, being the headhocho, there, had to put his pedal to the metal. The market was shifting faster than a race car on red bull.

[00:02:51] Taty Fittipaldi: But he found himself stumped. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

[00:02:58] Taty Fittipaldi: He couldn’t quite [00:03:00] nail down, what was tripping him up. Until he got an invite to a diversity and inclusion workshop.

[00:03:06] Taty Fittipaldi: At that workshop, something clicked inside Andrei’s head. He realized that he’s biases were muddling his judgment and turning him into a not so great leader.

[00:03:19] Taty Fittipaldi: See, here’s the kicker: Andrei’s grandparents had a rough run in with the Japanese during world war two. Which left a mark on his psyche.

[00:03:30] Taty Fittipaldi: Even though he never witnessed those horrors himself, and thought they didn’t color his judgements, he was way off base. Turns out he had these unconscious biases against the Japanese and it was messing with his relationship with Hiroshi. But let’s be real. Hiroshi had as much to do with Andrei’s grandparents as a fish has with bicycle. So, Andrei knew he had to do something about it.[00:04:00]

[00:04:00] Taty Fittipaldi: Determined to turn over a new leaf, andrei dove headfirst into a quest for self-improvement. He went all Sherlock Holmes, digging deep into Japanese culture, soaking up their values, communication styles, and work ethic, like a sponge. Then he reached out to Hiroshi and spilled the beans about wanting to bridge the gap between them. In one of those honest heart to heart conversations, andrei laid it all out. What he was battling and what he was gunning for.

[00:04:35] Taty Fittipaldi: Hiroshi was taken aback, to say the least, but he respected the move.

[00:04:40] Taty Fittipaldi: Now because Hiroshi was one cool cat, he agreed to coach Andrei in his cultural exchange bootcamp.

[00:04:48] Taty Fittipaldi: They started having this epic one-on-one sessions, where they swapped stories about their worlds. Hiroshi helped Andrei debunk his wild notions about Japanese work [00:05:00] mojo and, in return, Andrei clued Hiroshi into the art of communicating with the Romanian crew.

[00:05:06] Taty Fittipaldi: Romanians share common traits with the Japanese, such as a preference for formality and a strong desire for privacy. Like the Japanese, they tend to be reserved and cautious when dealing with strangers often displaying shyness, and reticence during initial encounters. Both cultures appreciate qualities like modesty and humility. And as personal connections deepen, Romanians, like the Japanese, gradually become more open and expressive. However, there are notable differences, when it comes to their temperaments. In Japanese society, avoiding confrontation and maintaining harmonious community relations is highly priced. Conversely, romanians are generally more hot-tempered, and are more inclined to openly express their emotions. This contrast [00:06:00] underscores the divergent approaches to handling interpersonal interactions in these two distinct cultures.

[00:06:06] Taty Fittipaldi: So here’s the scoop folks.

[00:06:08] Taty Fittipaldi: When they stumbled upon this mind blowing findings, they decided to cook up a plan not only to help themselves, but also help the entire teams. They wanted Hiroshi, the big shot multi-cultural leader, to swing by Romania, with a bunch of other top dogs, for a little team building shindig.

[00:06:28] Taty Fittipaldi: Picture this. A corporate stravaganza, where everyone gathered around the toasty fireside for some heart-to-heart chit-chat.

[00:06:37] Taty Fittipaldi: They spilled the beans, shared their stories, and led their guard down, all in the name of bonding and learning.

[00:06:45] Taty Fittipaldi: Who knew that one diversity workshop could spark such a transformation?

[00:06:50] Taty Fittipaldi: But stay tuned because things are about to get even more interesting when east meets west.

[00:06:57] Taty Fittipaldi: Let’s start by saying that [00:07:00] Hiroshi was in the spotlight. He stood tall in front of the entire Andrei’s crew, and spilled the tea on Japanese culture. He dished out stories about harmony and etiquette, explaining how crucial they were for a smooth communication in Japan. But here’s the kicker: Hiroshi didn’t just play the big boss from abroad card. Nope. He went all in based on what he learned from Andrei, bearing his soul about his own struggles and frustrations. Suddenly, he wasn’t this untouchable leader anymore. He was just a regular Joe, with dreams and dilemmas as much as anybody else.

[00:07:42] Taty Fittipaldi: And, you know, what? It worked like a charm. The Romanian team started nodding along, totally tuned in, when he started talking goals and objectives.

[00:07:52] Taty Fittipaldi: Fast forward to the end of this epic event, the Romanian squad armed with new found wisdom and [00:08:00] empathy, was ready to roll with Hiroshi’s vision.

[00:08:03] Taty Fittipaldi: Andrei, the mastermind behind all this, wanted his team to be all about open dialogue. He wanted everyone, no matter where they hailed from, to feel like their opinions mattered. So he did this awesome thing where he went one-on-one with every single team member from Hiroshi’s gang. He wanted to make sure everyone’s voice was heard, loud and clear, and, trust me, it was music to their ears. The Romanian leadership, and the top leadership started having a great flow of communication and interactions ever since. In the end, not only did Andrei overcome his unconscious bias, towards Hiroshi, but he also fostered a workplace culture that celebrated diversity and open communication. Together with his team, they navigated through the market transition successfully leaving behind a legacy of inclusivity and [00:09:00] growth.

[00:09:00] TODAY’S LESSON

[00:09:00] TODAY’S LESSON: Today’s lesson.

[00:09:10] Taty Fittipaldi: Today we’ll discuss cultural leadership, something that became critical in this knowledge era, where everyone is more connected and things happen faster, like Thunder. What is cultural leadership? Culture leadership is one of the four success pillars in global leadership. Let’s quickly recap what the four pillars of global leadership are. Personal leadership leads self for greater performance. People leadership leads people to empower a vision. Organizational leadership leads ideas. To create positive impact. Cultural leadership leads behavior to create an inclusive and happy workplace.

[00:09:50] Taty Fittipaldi: So what exactly is cultural leadership? Cultural leadership is the ability to drive culture and values, to influence stakeholders and communities [00:10:00] to create a positive, inclusive, and engaging working environment. In our story today, our hero noticed that something was amiss about him, when the new CEO came on board. And he clearly noticed that this was reflecting and cascading down on his organization. The market was changing too fast. Was in an uproar. So he realized that hesitation and misunderstandings were out of the question, if they were to survive. He realized he had to take control over his cultural leadership, otherwise his team’s performance, in light of the market’s changes, would fall flat.

[00:10:42] Taty Fittipaldi: Whenever a leader wants to drive effective cultural leadership, they have to tackle several key competencies and skills. Let’s see what they are.

[00:10:51] Taty Fittipaldi: Number one unconscious bias.

[00:10:54] Taty Fittipaldi: Unconscious bias is a bias that you might have towards something or [00:11:00] someone without fully being aware of it.

[00:11:02] Taty Fittipaldi: You might have a bias towards black people. Towards white people. Asians immigrants, tall people, little people. In our story today, Andrei had a bias against the Japanese because of past historical events in his own family.

[00:11:20] Taty Fittipaldi: Bias can be very perverse and pervasive. You might not know it consciously. Your body knows it, however, And you will send signals, showing this in your interactions. And people will catch it. And they will feel hurt. So it will hurt your relationships and trust building.

[00:11:42] Taty Fittipaldi: Unconscious bias is not only race-related. It can be a bias towards anything. In favor or against. In my humble opinion, knowing your personal unconscious biases, and working on biases, will become the single most [00:12:00] important differentiator, in new global leaders going forward.

[00:12:04] Taty Fittipaldi: In order to create an inclusive environment, leaders can not simply be politically correct. They have to be inclusive. And you cannot be inclusive if you have biases holding you back. Learning what they are and to working on them is crucial. So kudos to Andrei, who not only worked on his biases, but also boldly diffused them.

[00:12:29] Taty Fittipaldi: Number two. Understanding different cultures and drivers.

[00:12:34] Taty Fittipaldi: Every part of the world has cultural aspects that influence the way people behave, and what values individuals attribute to things and people. There are 195 sovereign countries in the world, according to the United nations and a number of other sub regions that have their own cultures and governing systems. No leader can know all [00:13:00] nuances from all places. But they can learn how to best work with those within their work environment.

[00:13:07] Taty Fittipaldi: If they want long lasting business relationships. Learning how to explore more about them, and understand what drives them is essential in global leadership.

[00:13:18] Taty Fittipaldi: In future episodes, we will discuss a few intriguing models, like the culture map, the Lewis model and the high end low context cultural communication model that help executive leaders understand and close cultural gaps.

[00:13:33] Taty Fittipaldi: Number three. Building inclusive culture.

[00:13:36] Taty Fittipaldi: An inclusive work culture is a place where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves and perform at their best. The reason why leaders should care about this is that an inclusive workplace has been shown to produce better performance measures, with average talents than top talents in none inclusive [00:14:00] workplace. Let me repeat that to sink in. Inclusive workplaces have been shown to produce better performance measures with average talents, then top talents in none inclusive workplace. Listen folks, people who feel good, perform better. Simple as that. So learning how to create an inclusive culture and to workplace is critical in global leadership. In our story today, Andrei went to great lengths to create this opportunity for his entire team, by taking out of the way his own biases. Which were holding him back. So you can see how connected these subjects can be. Although they seem distinct topics.

[00:14:49] Taty Fittipaldi: Number four, managing uncertainty.

[00:14:51] Taty Fittipaldi: Managing uncertainty has been a top key skill for global leaders for many years. More so, [00:15:00] nowadays. Besides strong market competition, that drives uncertainty, we have a more globalized environment, that naturally creates ambiguity. Learning how to manage people, processes and decision-making roles, in an uncertain and ambiguous environment, is essential in any globalized business.

[00:15:20] Taty Fittipaldi: In our story today, Lenovo being introduced in their market was the main element of uncertainty, that stirred a lot of things in the company’s initiatives and timelines. The truth is that these complex events, that bring uncertainty, will always be present as a ticking element. The more you grow in the corporate chain, the more you’ll have to deal with these uncertainties, on top of your own problems.

[00:15:51] Taty Fittipaldi: Number five becoming an inclusive leader.

[00:15:54] Taty Fittipaldi: Look, it is not only about creating an inclusive culture and [00:16:00] environment. It all starts with each leader becoming inclusive themselves. There are many elements of an inclusive leader. Some of them being how empathetical you are, how open-minded you are. How much exposure and experience did you have culturally speaking? How aware you are about unconscious bias, how much approachable you are?

[00:16:23] Taty Fittipaldi: How much appreciation you demonstrate, how much respect you demonstrate, how well you make people feel and so on. And there is intention. The intention of being inclusive. Your intention must be to make everyone feel included and valued. Becoming inclusive is a process of becoming. And for you to become, you have to first learn what traits you don’t have or display, and then start working on that. Becoming inclusive starts with becoming [00:17:00] self-aware.

[00:17:00] Taty Fittipaldi: Which is exactly what happened in our story today. Andrei became aware of his own biases during a workshop. He could very well have thrown all the stir under the carpet, after the workshop. But he realized that this was important, this was affecting his relationship with the new big shot. And this could be his pitfall.

[00:17:23] Taty Fittipaldi: And it could affect his entire team. So becoming an inclusive leader is a journey of discovery, but also of courage. Being inclusive seems a super cool buzzword, but the truth is that it’s not that simple. It will require a lot of self-reflection, self-awareness, and courage. To change certain things inside you, and around you.

[00:17:52] TODAY’S TIPS TO APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED:

[00:17:52] TODAY’S TIPS TO APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED

[00:17:52] TODAY’S TIPS TO APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED: Today’s tips to apply what you learned.[00:18:00]

[00:18:02] Taty Fittipaldi: For today’s tips, I want to share with you one tip for each of the five points we outlined in today’s lesson. Let’s start with.

[00:18:11] Taty Fittipaldi: Number one. Uncovering and changing unconscious bias.

[00:18:16] Taty Fittipaldi: Improvement tip: start with self awareness. Take a moment to reflect on your own biases by considering your past experiences, upbringing and interactions with others. Look, understand that everyone has biases and it’s okay.

[00:18:34] Taty Fittipaldi: And it’s okay to acknowledge them. A practice tip here is to engage in empathy building exercises. Seek out literature, podcasts or workshops that dwelve into different perspectives and experiences. Practice seeing situations from various viewpoints to challenge your own biases. And simply by listening to stories like the one today will [00:19:00] help you start thinking about things you never thought of before.

[00:19:04] Taty Fittipaldi: And this will help you give clues on what to work on.

[00:19:08] Taty Fittipaldi: And if you don’t know how to work on them, you can always hire an executive coach to practice new mindset and behaviors.

[00:19:16] Taty Fittipaldi: Number two understanding and communicating with different cultures. Improvement tip: foster curiosity, and open-mindedness make a genuine effort to learn about different cultures, including their customs, traditions, and communication styles. Stay humble and receptive to new information. A practice tip here is to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. Engage in cross-cultural conversations, both professionally and socially. Attend to cultural events, workshops, or even language classes to immerse yourself in other cultures and practice your intercultural communication. As I said during the lesson, in [00:20:00] future episodes, we will dwell into models and frameworks with more specific and practical content for you to practice multicultural communication. But first, you have to have had a few interactions yourself, to establish new connections, and understand its complexities.

[00:20:20] Taty Fittipaldi: Number three. Building an inclusive workplace culture. Improvement tip. Lead by example, as a leader or team leader demonstrate inclusive behavior. Encourage your peers to share their ideas and opinions and actively listen to them. Celebrate diversity and promote an environment where everyone feels valued.

[00:20:43] Taty Fittipaldi: A practice tip here is to conduct inclusive meetings. Ensure that all voices are heard by inviting quieter team members to speak, using inclusive language and acknowledging and addressing any bias that may arise during discussions.

[00:20:59] Taty Fittipaldi: [00:21:00] Number four, managing uncertainty. Improvement tip. Embrace adaptability. I know, I know. I can see some eyeballs rolling now. But to look recognize that change and uncertainty are a part of life. Like it or not. Instead of resisting them, develop a mindset that see challenges as opportunities for growth. This is called growth mindset, which will also be a topic in a future episode. So stay tuned. So to improve, be flexible in your thinking and approach to uncertainty.

[00:21:38] Taty Fittipaldi: A practice tip that I personally love is scenario planning. In professional settings, simulate various scenarios to prepare for uncertainty. This practice helps you anticipate potential challenges, develop contingency plans or plan B, and feel more confident when [00:22:00] navigating the unknown.

[00:22:01] Taty Fittipaldi: In a previous episode, one of our heroes has done this using P and L simulations. So take advantage of scenario analysis and simulations to find potential solutions to curb uncertainty in your environment. Even if you don’t find the solution, a simulation and scenario analysis will help the entire team diffuse a bit of all that anxiety that all uncertainty produces.

[00:22:32] Taty Fittipaldi: Number five becoming a more inclusive leader.

[00:22:36] Taty Fittipaldi: An improvement tip is to invest in leadership development. Seek out training programs or coaching specifically focused on inclusive leadership. Even listening to this very podcast will help. Learn how to lead with empathy, create a culture of belonging, and champion diversity. A practice tip here is to [00:23:00] solicit feedback and act on it. Regularly sick input from your team members on your leadership style, and inclusivity efforts. Be very specific when asking for feedback. And don’t forget to ask how you can implement their comments and suggestions. So that the feedback can become a productive tool for you rather than just criticism. Create a safe space for honest discussions and take concrete actions to address concerns and implementing improvements. If you need an extra help, I’m sure your HR business partner could extend their hand.

[00:23:40] Taty Fittipaldi: Remember, growth in these areas is a ongoing journey. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay to make mistakes along the way. The key is to continuously strive for improvement and practice these skills consistently to become a more [00:24:00] effective and inclusive professional. And a pinch of boldness and courage, like Andrei, could help you make long strides in cultural leadership.

[00:24:10] KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:24:10] KEY TAKEAWAYS: Key Takeaways

[00:24:19] Taty Fittipaldi: What’s your main takeaway from this episode, here are mine.

[00:24:24] Taty Fittipaldi: Number one. Cultural leadership is one of the four pillars in the global leadership pillars. And it’s the ability to drive culture and values, to influence stakeholders and communities to create a positive, inclusive, and engaging working environment.

[00:24:40] Taty Fittipaldi: Number two. When thinking about cultural leadership, there are five key elements you should consider.

[00:24:46] Taty Fittipaldi: A uncovering and working on unconscious and conscious biases, both in favor or against something or someone.

[00:24:57] Taty Fittipaldi: B. Understanding, closing [00:25:00] gaps, and effectively communicating with different cultures for higher team performance is critical.

[00:25:06] Taty Fittipaldi: C. Building an inclusive workplace culture is super important.

[00:25:12] Taty Fittipaldi: D managing uncertainty and helping team members lower anxiety and stress levels around it is also critical.

[00:25:20] Taty Fittipaldi: Lastly E. Having the intention to become a more inclusive leader is a must.

[00:25:28] Taty Fittipaldi: My third takeaway is that to apply and practice some of the tips we mentioned, a common theme seems to be the need to gain more exposure to multicultural interactions, and complex situations. The more you go up in the chain of command in the corporate ladder, the more you will have opportunities for this. But you don’t have to wait. The more you practice in a controlled environment, the better it will be when the real deal happens. So practice, [00:26:00] practice, and practice. In a safe environment so that you can be at your best when the real corporate challenge, like Andrei’s, really happened.

[00:26:10] Taty Fittipaldi: Number four. I want to remind you that growth in these areas is an ongoing journey. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay to make mistakes along the way. But the key is to continuously strive for improvement and practice the skills consistently to become a more effective, inclusive professional.

[00:26:33] Taty Fittipaldi: Lastly, number five. A pinch of boldness and courage, like Andrei, could help you make long strides in cultural leadership.

[00:26:44] HIGHLIGHTS

[00:26:44] Taty Fittipaldi: this brings us to the end of this Leadership Nest episode. I hope you have enjoyed learning about cultural leadership and its key five elements.

[00:26:54] Taty Fittipaldi: Tune into our episode next week, where we will be discussing about the importance of [00:27:00] validation, for work motivation and effort. And to why effort and validation are a two way street.

[00:27:07] PODCAST WRAP UP: If you have any questions you’d like us to answer in a future episode of the show, just go to speakpipe. com slash Taty Fittipaldi or click the link in the show notes below to leave us a brief audio message. Make sure to visit us on our website, www.leadershipnest.com, where you can subscribe to our show anywhere podcasts are streamed so you never miss a show. While there, if you find value in our show, you can also subscribe to our Global Leadership Weekly Newsletter from Coaching Expatriates, where we deliver bite sized lessons on global leadership, decision making, and cultural competence to help you learn how to think, relate, and strategize, [00:28:00] in a whole different way as a global leader, if you liked the show, you might want to check our online global executive leadership program, a nine week leadership development and learning system that will help you lead internationally while making financially conscious and impactful decisions. Taty Fittipaldi is also available for private coaching. See the website for more details at www.coachingexpatriates.com/executive-coaching. Thanks for joining us this week on the Leadership Nest Podcast. Be sure to tune in next week for next episode. Until the next time, keep nesting. Wherever you are in the globe. This is Taty Fittipaldi, wishing you, a beautiful day.