From Peru to the Netherlands to Silicon Valley: Building Leaders Who Actually Get Culture with Maria Angela Calmet (Encore)
Picture two fish swimming in a bowl. One asks the other, how's the water? The second fish replies, what's water? That's culture, says Maria Angela Calmet, and it's exactly why so many leaders never notice the assumptions shaping how their teams communicate, decide, and trust one another.
In this episode
Why cultural competence is now ranked among the World Economic Forum's top future-of-work skills
The tree analogy: why cultural conflict happens at the roots, not the visible leaves and flowers
A moment in Egypt that reframed how Maria thinks about trust across cultures
Why unconscious bias isn't about being a bad person, it's assuming everyone shares your values
What unique cultural dynamics women leaders face across Latin America, and what's changing
About Maria Angela Calmet
Maria Angela Calmet is the founder of Allopoli, where she helps global teams build cultural competence and identify unconscious bias to reduce conflict and maximize performance. Having lived across Peru, the Netherlands, and the United States, she is also the author of Lideresa, a leadership framework for women across Latin America.
Timestamps
Time
Topic
Welcome, and the cultures that formed Maria
What led her to create Allopoli
Why she wrote Lideresa, and what she shares about her own mistakes
The two fish and the water metaphor
Why cultural competence is a top future-of-work skill
The tree analogy: roots, not leaves
Egalitarian vs. hierarchical decision-making across cultures
The moment in Egypt that changed how she thinks about trust
Four key leadership competencies beyond cultural dimensions
Unique dynamics facing women leaders in Latin America
A moment in the Netherlands that reframed directness as kindness
Closing thoughts: the roots, not just the leaves
Find Maria Angela Calmet at
Website: https://www.allopoli.com | Book: Lideresa, available on Amazon worldwide
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