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
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Why cultural competence is now ranked among the World Economic Forum's top future-of-work skills
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The tree analogy: why cultural conflict happens at the roots, not the visible leaves and flowers
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A moment in Egypt that reframed how Maria thinks about trust across cultures
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Why unconscious bias isn't about being a bad person, it's assuming everyone shares your values
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What unique cultural dynamics women leaders face across Latin America, and what's changing
About Maria Angela Calmet
Maria Angela Calmet (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaangelacalmet/?locale=en) 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
00:00
Welcome, and the cultures that formed Maria
03:37
What led her to create Allopoli
05:03
Why she wrote Lideresa, and what she shares about her own mistakes
08:55
The two fish and the water metaphor
09:26
Why cultural competence is a top future-of-work skill
09:33
The tree analogy: roots, not leaves
12:55
Egalitarian vs. hierarchical decision-making across cultures
14:04
The moment in Egypt that changed how she thinks about trust
19:15
Four key leadership competencies beyond cultural dimensions
24:25
Unique dynamics facing women leaders in Latin America
32:17
A moment in the Netherlands that reframed directness as kindness
36:23
Closing thoughts: the roots, not just the leaves
Find Maria Angela Calmet (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaangelacalmet/?locale=en) at
Website: https://www.allopoli.com (about:invalid#zCSafez) | Book: Lideresa (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C2WLXNT8) , available on Amazon worldwide
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