Today I'm having a conversation with Victoria Mensch, PhD MBA and Silicon Valley
leadership strategist and executive coach who helps high achieving leaders thrive in an
2
00:00:40,833 --> 00:00:43,257
era of AI driven disruption.
3
00:00:43,257 --> 00:00:50,694
With over 25 years of experience in tech, she brings a rare plan of behavioral science and
business acumen to the table.
4
00:00:50,694 --> 00:01:02,605
As the founder of the Silicon Valley Executive Academy, Victoria equips executives and
teams to scale sustainably without burnout, without breakdowns or sacrificing what matters
5
00:01:02,605 --> 00:01:03,636
most to them.
6
00:01:03,636 --> 00:01:08,170
In today's conversation, we'll explore what it takes to grow under pressure,
7
00:01:08,170 --> 00:01:15,222
how to build resilient leadership from the inside out, and why the future of work starts
with how we learn,
8
00:01:15,222 --> 00:01:17,945
how we adapt and how we lead ourselves.
9
00:01:17,945 --> 00:01:20,486
Welcome Victoria to "Poder aprender".
10
00:01:22,783 --> 00:01:27,908
Victoria, you talk about burnout proof leadership.
11
00:01:27,908 --> 00:01:35,045
And when we speak about habits or mindset shifts, what are the most helpful
12
00:01:35,045 --> 00:01:36,867
things that you work with.
13
00:01:36,867 --> 00:01:40,302
What are the most your preferred practices
14
00:01:40,302 --> 00:01:43,406
when working with leaders around these issues?
15
00:01:43,406 --> 00:01:46,225
There are several, it's really hard to pinpoint just one.
16
00:01:46,225 --> 00:01:53,610
When leaders come to us to the academy, when when we talk to them there are a variety of
different topics that we usually cover.
17
00:01:53,610 --> 00:01:58,119
When we talk about leadership, I really like to talk about self leadership, right?
18
00:01:58,119 --> 00:02:04,210
So before you can lead other people it really makes sense to master the art of
self-leadership.
19
00:02:04,210 --> 00:02:13,585
And when we're talking about burnout proofs strategies, that's really that connection with
the leadership with how you manage your teams how you manage your companies how you manage
20
00:02:13,585 --> 00:02:15,458
business, how you manage yourself.
21
00:02:15,458 --> 00:02:26,296
What's important is that more often than not, especially for entrepreneurs and founders
and high achieving leaders, we all know that we are under stress, right?
22
00:02:26,296 --> 00:02:30,029
And that stress often comes through our activities at work.
23
00:02:30,029 --> 00:02:37,072
It could be jobs, it could be your business, could be the culture of the company, whatever
it is that you picked on a certain day.
24
00:02:37,072 --> 00:02:39,624
It could be a deadline, looming deadline.
25
00:02:39,624 --> 00:02:42,006
But there are other disruptions in the world as well.
26
00:02:42,006 --> 00:02:43,657
It could be your family disruptions.
27
00:02:43,657 --> 00:02:46,640
It could be climate disruptions and political disruptions.
28
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:50,513
Technological disruption is another one that we're talking about.
29
00:02:50,513 --> 00:02:55,449
And all this is really accumulating to a very important skill.
30
00:02:55,449 --> 00:02:56,960
How do you...
31
00:02:56,991 --> 00:02:58,812
manage those disruptions.
32
00:02:58,812 --> 00:03:00,223
They are inevitable.
33
00:03:00,223 --> 00:03:11,529
So for us to think that this stress suddenly will go away, external disruptions and
external stimulus that kind of create uncertainties suddenly will go away, that's
34
00:03:11,529 --> 00:03:12,420
unrealistic.
35
00:03:12,420 --> 00:03:16,483
The only certain things in our lives is that there is uncertainty, right?
36
00:03:16,483 --> 00:03:23,287
So from a leadership perspective, one of the most important skills is really to deal with
that.
37
00:03:23,287 --> 00:03:24,307
How is it that you can
38
00:03:24,307 --> 00:03:25,547
in sustaining disruption.
39
00:03:25,547 --> 00:03:33,412
And in that angle, one of the most important skills is constant adaptation and learning,
constant adaptation and learning.
40
00:03:33,412 --> 00:03:35,503
Hence the topic of your podcast.
41
00:03:35,503 --> 00:03:47,088
I think it's very important, it's very timely, because that's one of the most important
ways for us to deal with disruptions, to sustain, and get out of all of this burnout
42
00:03:47,088 --> 00:03:47,589
proof.
43
00:03:47,589 --> 00:03:52,622
Can you share more about when people are developing internal clarity?
44
00:03:52,622 --> 00:03:57,645
There's a learning involved and what's the role of reflection there?
45
00:03:57,645 --> 00:04:04,667
All of the skills that we're talking about in our academy, what I am talking about,
they're all learned skills.
46
00:04:04,667 --> 00:04:08,228
And I think the important part of it is really to understand that.
47
00:04:08,228 --> 00:04:14,460
To understand that you are not at the mercy of those external circumstances.
48
00:04:14,460 --> 00:04:18,782
You actually can be at the steering wheel of this.
49
00:04:18,782 --> 00:04:21,714
So there is a lot of power, there is a lot of...
50
00:04:21,714 --> 00:04:25,585
there is a lot of control that we have over our behavior.
51
00:04:25,585 --> 00:04:34,707
Maybe I don't have that much control over the climate, whether it's raining outside,
whether there are wildfires somewhere in the world, but there is one thing that's entirely
52
00:04:34,707 --> 00:04:41,558
in my control and that's my relationship to what's happening outside.
53
00:04:41,558 --> 00:04:44,069
I think that, and that's a learned behavior.
54
00:04:44,069 --> 00:04:51,283
there are steps that you can exercise to actually get into that state of control.
55
00:04:59,361 --> 00:05:00,122
Beautiful.
56
00:05:00,122 --> 00:05:05,586
And in learning, I know that there's growth and sometimes we hit a plateau.
57
00:05:05,586 --> 00:05:09,868
And I see this with language learners all the time and with the skill builders.
58
00:05:09,868 --> 00:05:11,099
They want to get better,
59
00:05:11,099 --> 00:05:18,145
and they're very passionate about improving and learning more and increasing their skills.
60
00:05:18,145 --> 00:05:21,177
And at the same time, they hit that barrier.
61
00:05:21,177 --> 00:05:24,471
It's like they cannot go further than that.
62
00:05:24,471 --> 00:05:29,669
And I wonder based on your experience coaching executives, senior executives,
63
00:05:29,669 --> 00:05:36,260
What do they do differently when those especially those who are able to keep growing
versus those who plateau,
64
00:05:36,260 --> 00:05:37,651
when it comes to learning?
65
00:05:37,651 --> 00:05:42,888
Well, one of the big insights for me on my journey was that...
66
00:05:42,888 --> 00:05:44,919
it's not just results that matters.
67
00:05:44,919 --> 00:05:51,902
And I think that's a greatest myth that we have out there, that it's only for the results.
68
00:05:51,902 --> 00:05:54,963
Once I achieve that result, I'll be happy.
69
00:05:54,963 --> 00:05:58,645
Once I get to that next milestone, I will be happy.
70
00:05:58,645 --> 00:06:08,010
And what we know from science now, from the research, from the psychology research, the
sociological research is that, that...
71
00:06:08,142 --> 00:06:16,367
satisfaction, that feeling of satisfaction, actually when you reach a certain milestone,
that feeling of satisfaction is very short-lived.
72
00:06:16,367 --> 00:06:23,631
In order for you to maintain that motivation and that satisfaction level, you really need
to learn to enjoy the journey.
73
00:06:23,631 --> 00:06:32,576
So it's not that now you're going to be at the next level of your Spanish learning
journey, for example, of your Spanish learning process.
74
00:06:32,576 --> 00:06:36,047
So you actually, in order to sustain this effort,
75
00:06:36,047 --> 00:06:41,913
it does matter that you see that progression, that you go from level one, two, three to
advanced level, right?
76
00:06:41,913 --> 00:06:46,928
But also, how do you actually enjoy the process itself of learning?
77
00:06:46,928 --> 00:06:48,431
And the same with the leadership.
78
00:06:48,431 --> 00:06:58,856
It's not just that you're going to hit that next milestone, you're going to develop that
next big project, that you're going to reach that next level of revenue.
79
00:06:58,856 --> 00:07:11,251
How you get there and really being aware and reflecting on that process of getting there,
that's actually what's going to give you that sustainable level of motivation and
80
00:07:11,251 --> 00:07:14,263
satisfaction and happiness in that sense.
81
00:07:14,275 --> 00:07:16,331
That sounds
82
00:07:16,331 --> 00:07:16,761
great.
83
00:07:16,761 --> 00:07:28,953
And I, I resonate with that and I can see that's what sets people or what tends to make a
difference in between those who are continuing learning and those who maybe give up or
84
00:07:28,953 --> 00:07:30,835
they say, okay, this is all I can do.
85
00:07:30,835 --> 00:07:38,872
They're making it fun and they're having a good time and it's not boring or is that they
have other reasons they make it enjoyable.
86
00:07:38,872 --> 00:07:39,854
And that's what
87
00:07:39,854 --> 00:07:44,977
sometimes opens it up for new strategies or new paths, new ways.
88
00:07:44,977 --> 00:07:46,950
And, and that's so wonderful.
89
00:07:46,950 --> 00:07:51,633
Thank you for reminding us of the importance of that.
90
00:07:51,633 --> 00:07:57,628
And Victoria, you also, you've worked and you have experience working in Silicon Valley.
91
00:07:57,628 --> 00:08:00,929
Actually you've worked for over two decades there.
92
00:08:01,163 --> 00:08:02,507
And now we are.
93
00:08:02,507 --> 00:08:02,809
me.
94
00:08:02,809 --> 00:08:05,522
Yeah, and you have a lot of experience.
95
00:08:05,522 --> 00:08:06,294
That's wonderful.
96
00:08:06,294 --> 00:08:12,451
We are in very strange times with AI and technology, and there's many things that are
happening.
97
00:08:12,451 --> 00:08:14,984
I love all about that.
98
00:08:14,984 --> 00:08:19,240
I mean, I love the possibilities that this creates in the world.
99
00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,162
And I know that there's people...
100
00:08:21,162 --> 00:08:25,098
Today, I was having a conversation with a coach who said...
101
00:08:25,098 --> 00:08:30,765
We are people are going to still continue using coaches, human coaches in the future.
102
00:08:30,765 --> 00:08:38,014
Or is that like, no, coaching is not something that is going to be replaced soon by AI.
103
00:08:38,014 --> 00:08:38,844
we don't really know.
104
00:08:38,844 --> 00:08:39,715
Right.
105
00:08:39,715 --> 00:08:41,977
And beyond that, I wonder about.
106
00:08:41,977 --> 00:08:47,690
the skill set of great leaders in this age of AI and disruption.
107
00:08:47,690 --> 00:08:50,166
are so many positions that are being disrupted.
108
00:08:50,166 --> 00:08:53,990
What are your thoughts on leadership and AI?
109
00:08:53,990 --> 00:09:02,267
There is no question that artificial intelligence is one of the most disruptive
technologies and trends of our time.
110
00:09:02,267 --> 00:09:10,915
So whatever we think the impact that this technology is going to have on the society, on
our work, on our lives, is going to be more than that.
111
00:09:10,915 --> 00:09:21,862
We are really at that stage right now, just looking at the pace with which artificial
intelligence is being developed and the capabilities that are being put into that and the
112
00:09:21,862 --> 00:09:23,653
ways we're using artificial intelligence.
113
00:09:23,653 --> 00:09:27,657
There is no question that it's very easy to...
114
00:09:27,657 --> 00:09:28,200
uh
115
00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:33,856
kind of either overestimate or underestimate what it is that impact is going to be.
116
00:09:33,856 --> 00:09:35,424
So we're going to witness that, right?
117
00:09:35,424 --> 00:09:41,386
So we're kind of just in the beginning of this artificial intelligence being a major
factor in our lives.
118
00:09:41,386 --> 00:09:42,798
At the same time.
119
00:09:42,798 --> 00:09:47,295
This is not the first disruptive technology that has been introduced.
120
00:09:47,295 --> 00:09:55,026
And some of them were probably at the time looked as disruptive as what we are looking at
right now with visual intelligence.
121
00:09:55,026 --> 00:09:58,102
The difference here is that it's, I've just...
122
00:09:58,102 --> 00:10:01,885
heard it from someone that it's an intellectual revolution, right?
123
00:10:01,885 --> 00:10:06,387
So before we were going through industrial revolutions, this is an intellectual
revolution.
124
00:10:06,387 --> 00:10:16,882
So that's really the difference because something that we thought was pure human intellect
is uh kind of, we see those capabilities in artificial intelligence and the way that
125
00:10:16,882 --> 00:10:19,034
technology can be used.
126
00:10:19,034 --> 00:10:22,516
So that's just to set the state that we don't know.
127
00:10:22,516 --> 00:10:24,177
We don't know what we don't know.
128
00:10:24,177 --> 00:10:26,051
It's going to be a major factor.
129
00:10:26,051 --> 00:10:28,967
It's already a major factor in our society.
130
00:10:28,967 --> 00:10:36,259
And we probably don't understand to the full extent how it's going to impact the way we
live and work.
131
00:10:36,259 --> 00:10:47,232
Now, the way it is right now, it's really best to look at artificial intelligence,
especially if you're a leader, it's best to look at it as a tool, right?
132
00:10:47,232 --> 00:10:50,523
So my leadership is not going away.
133
00:10:50,523 --> 00:11:04,078
Some of the capabilities, some of the jobs, some of the tasks should be moved to
artificial intelligence, should be automated.
134
00:11:04,539 --> 00:11:07,453
and they are being automated to the extent.
135
00:11:07,453 --> 00:11:20,308
But now, and this is my position and there is a consensus that's being built around this
position as well, is that our uh human qualities, now we have a chance actually to be more
136
00:11:20,308 --> 00:11:21,082
human.
137
00:11:21,082 --> 00:11:36,120
So from a leadership perspective, there are still uh skills that are so easy or easier for
us and we take them for granted and almost impossible for artificial intelligence to...
138
00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:37,552
to perform right now.
139
00:11:37,552 --> 00:11:46,276
Some of those, for example, the context in which something is being played out, to
contextual, especially in the human interactions.
140
00:11:46,276 --> 00:11:54,141
The collaboration is right now with purely human, emotional intelligence, empathy, ethical
standards, right?
141
00:11:54,141 --> 00:12:04,677
So these are within the human purview and there is no really a trend right now that would
say that this is something that can be replaced.
142
00:12:04,677 --> 00:12:16,375
So I think as long as we look at it this way what it is that makes me human that makes me
work with other people better that makes me different from machines Those are the
143
00:12:16,375 --> 00:12:20,998
qualities that you want and those that this capabilities and skills that you want to
magnify.
144
00:12:20,998 --> 00:12:21,675
magnify.
145
00:12:21,675 --> 00:12:22,799
So
146
00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:32,784
One of the examples that we just talked about a couple of days ago is the long-term
planning, for example, which is one of the skills for leaders.
147
00:12:32,784 --> 00:12:38,895
So on the decision-making process, if you make a rational decision, let's say you need to
cut costs, right?
148
00:12:38,895 --> 00:12:44,955
So you make a rational decision that those cutting costs could come from cutting your
staff, your...
149
00:12:44,955 --> 00:12:47,586
the money that you spent from your workers.
150
00:12:47,586 --> 00:12:51,308
So a logical, rational decision would be yes, just let go of those people.
151
00:12:51,308 --> 00:12:59,368
Now from a long-term planning perspective, there is a judgment call on the human side
whether this is the best way to do that.
152
00:12:59,368 --> 00:13:02,888
Yes, it could actually help you in the short term.
153
00:13:02,888 --> 00:13:05,248
What is it going to be in the long term?
154
00:13:05,248 --> 00:13:13,010
You might be better off to retrain those people, to upskill those people, to pivot some of
those jobs and so on and so forth.
155
00:13:13,010 --> 00:13:16,451
the judgment calls that human can make at this point.
156
00:13:16,451 --> 00:13:28,374
And they can use the analysis that AI provides, where the white spots are, where the blind
spots are, how to rearrange the people and so on and so forth.
157
00:13:28,374 --> 00:13:32,627
But that's the decision process that human goes through.
158
00:13:32,627 --> 00:13:37,140
And so far, there is uh no need and actually there is no...
159
00:13:37,140 --> 00:13:44,324
I don't want to say no way, but it would not be wise to outsource that decision to
machines.
160
00:13:44,324 --> 00:13:53,434
Examples like that, this is on a smaller scale, on a bigger scale, as I said, it's almost,
if you look from philosophical point of view, that's how I like to view it, that.
161
00:13:53,434 --> 00:13:57,829
So it's almost like it gives us a chance to be actually more human.
162
00:13:57,829 --> 00:13:58,930
Yeah, that's wonderful.
163
00:13:58,930 --> 00:14:01,111
That's a great opportunity we can take.
164
00:14:01,111 --> 00:14:13,345
We can choose to double down on our humanness, what makes us us and what makes us human,
or maybe choose to play a game that we are not so fit to play anymore.
165
00:14:13,345 --> 00:14:18,330
Or, I mean, we can, and there might be better options by now.
166
00:14:18,330 --> 00:14:18,845
Great.
167
00:14:18,845 --> 00:14:21,556
So, and I love what you say about the intellectual revolution.
168
00:14:21,556 --> 00:14:23,690
revolution, I really like that name.
169
00:14:23,690 --> 00:14:28,341
And that's something very radical, very new to us as a species.
170
00:14:28,341 --> 00:14:29,944
And can be a
171
00:14:29,944 --> 00:14:31,896
a wonderful challenge for...
172
00:14:31,896 --> 00:14:34,716
if we are willing to take it on.
173
00:14:38,638 --> 00:14:39,694
Yeah.
174
00:14:39,694 --> 00:14:52,512
And talking about skills, what are, in your opinion, some underrated skills that leaders,
in your opinion, could be practicing more intentionally, especially when working in work
175
00:14:52,512 --> 00:14:55,465
in this high growth environments where you work?
176
00:14:55,465 --> 00:15:02,313
So for me, and I witnessed this over and over, over and over again, and I definitely lived
through it over and over again.
177
00:15:02,313 --> 00:15:04,198
think one of the...
178
00:15:04,198 --> 00:15:09,533
one of the interesting things that we do to ourselves is that we tend to identify
ourselves with a job, right?
179
00:15:09,533 --> 00:15:13,778
Especially when we talk about leadership, we immediately think about, I'm a leader at
work, right?
180
00:15:13,778 --> 00:15:14,870
So I'm a team leader.
181
00:15:14,870 --> 00:15:18,254
So there's this complete identification, I am my job, right?
182
00:15:18,254 --> 00:15:20,897
So I am my function that I'm performing a job.
183
00:15:20,897 --> 00:15:24,632
But if you look on a personal level, we are...
184
00:15:24,632 --> 00:15:26,503
multi-passionate human beings, right?
185
00:15:26,503 --> 00:15:27,995
So we're like a whole human being.
186
00:15:27,995 --> 00:15:29,116
It's not just a job.
187
00:15:29,116 --> 00:15:39,610
So one of the mistakes that people do that really tends to lead to that burnout is that
when you make your life kind of one-dimensional to, I am what I do.
188
00:15:39,610 --> 00:15:41,662
No, you are who you are.
189
00:15:41,662 --> 00:15:43,253
I am who I am, right?
190
00:15:43,253 --> 00:15:46,320
um And you explore other parts of...
191
00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,230
of your life that are equally important.
192
00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:58,414
the equal contributors into your experience of a fulfillment in life, of kind of
flourishing in life.
193
00:15:58,414 --> 00:15:59,504
What are those parts?
194
00:15:59,504 --> 00:16:00,575
Your health, right?
195
00:16:00,575 --> 00:16:04,066
Your health vitality, which is, you know, very close to health.
196
00:16:04,066 --> 00:16:07,741
Your vitality, your level of energy that you can spend on something.
197
00:16:07,741 --> 00:16:08,501
What else is it?
198
00:16:08,501 --> 00:16:10,802
Your relationship, not just at work, right?
199
00:16:10,802 --> 00:16:14,425
But your relationship with your community, with your close wives.
200
00:16:14,425 --> 00:16:16,116
Financials, of course, it's
201
00:16:16,116 --> 00:16:17,057
important, right?
202
00:16:17,057 --> 00:16:21,139
So that's just one part of that whole gambit of things.
203
00:16:21,139 --> 00:16:26,114
So I like to talk about that not work-life balance, but about work-life harmony.
204
00:16:26,114 --> 00:16:29,907
So is your life, do you live that life of harmony?
205
00:16:29,907 --> 00:16:30,947
What does that mean?
206
00:16:30,947 --> 00:16:38,764
You have all these different buckets that need to play together for you to really feel
that you are actually alive, right?
207
00:16:38,764 --> 00:16:41,307
So that you are flourishing that.
208
00:16:41,307 --> 00:16:42,788
Life has its colors.
209
00:16:42,788 --> 00:16:45,919
I'm not tired and exhausted and numb anymore, right?
210
00:16:45,919 --> 00:16:49,651
Because I'm like a rovid just going and doing my work, my job.
211
00:16:49,651 --> 00:16:52,462
No, so you are that whole human being.
212
00:16:52,462 --> 00:17:00,696
And for some people, it's more important at this level of their life, you know, at this
stage of their life to spend more energy for work, right?
213
00:17:00,696 --> 00:17:04,599
And for some people, you want to stay back and say, what it is that makes me happy?
214
00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:06,540
And work is just one element of that.
215
00:17:06,540 --> 00:17:08,041
What about all other elements?
216
00:17:08,041 --> 00:17:10,232
And maybe I should, you know, look at them
217
00:17:10,232 --> 00:17:11,363
and work on them.
218
00:17:11,363 --> 00:17:21,689
And that's how you become leader, not only at work, but you lead your life, you lead your
community, you lead your, you lead your, your families, right?
219
00:17:21,689 --> 00:17:28,933
So you lead in, you take responsibility for your vitality, for your health.
220
00:17:28,933 --> 00:17:36,637
So you're becoming a leader in that kind of multi-dimensional universe, not just.
221
00:17:39,412 --> 00:17:43,925
I love that multi-dimensional versus just one dimension.
222
00:17:44,479 --> 00:17:48,081
So people would come, like, well, how do I advance in my career?
223
00:17:48,081 --> 00:17:52,454
And then, well, but it actually, it's tied to so many other areas of your life.
224
00:17:52,454 --> 00:17:54,226
Yes, you can advance in your career.
225
00:17:54,226 --> 00:18:05,492
And the likelihood is that if you put all your energy into just that, the likelihood is
that you will experience that burnout or you will continue to be in burnout because you
226
00:18:05,492 --> 00:18:11,915
have not found those other areas that replenish your energy and they do need to, they need
to
227
00:18:11,915 --> 00:18:13,175
attention.
228
00:18:13,187 --> 00:18:18,764
Right, might be another question would be how can I advance in my career while holding my
other areas or
229
00:18:18,764 --> 00:18:23,206
while keeping the harmony or doing that harmoniously.
230
00:18:23,388 --> 00:18:27,280
Yes, ironically, the answer could be that, right?
231
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,975
So you're really exhausting yourself doing this one thing.
232
00:18:31,975 --> 00:18:41,852
And once you learn how to replenish your energies through other means, for example,
intentionally bringing joy into life, you would actually be much more productive at work
233
00:18:41,852 --> 00:18:44,564
as well, and it will help you to advance.
234
00:18:45,569 --> 00:18:57,232
And you have a lot of experience in Silicon Valley and I know that that can be a very
diverse place in terms of cultures and even though they might be speaking, all of them
235
00:18:57,232 --> 00:19:04,803
might be speaking English, there are people coming from many countries and I wonder what
has been your experience in
236
00:19:04,803 --> 00:19:11,300
what's the role of cross-cultural awareness for a leader who's working with a
multicultural team?
237
00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:14,704
It's very important and it is a complex question.
238
00:19:14,704 --> 00:19:28,661
So there is a, I think it's important from the culture of organization perspective, I
think it's important to maintain that broad understanding and uh value of people from
239
00:19:28,661 --> 00:19:32,284
different cultures and different backgrounds coming and contributing.
240
00:19:32,284 --> 00:19:38,001
From the personal, again, leadership perspective, it's important to keep that
241
00:19:38,001 --> 00:19:39,513
openness that
242
00:19:39,513 --> 00:19:43,546
we are unique in our own sense and
243
00:19:43,546 --> 00:19:49,770
part of your background that you are bringing, your culture contributes into that
uniqueness.
244
00:19:49,770 --> 00:19:54,092
And there are many ways to achieve the same goal.
245
00:19:54,092 --> 00:20:08,114
So that tolerance, I guess, and openness to accepting all those different ways how people
communicate and how we achieve our goal jointly, I think that helps for sure in the
246
00:20:08,114 --> 00:20:09,645
multicultural environments.
247
00:20:09,645 --> 00:20:18,172
Especially in larger organizations, it's important to actually have that training, that
multicultural training, understanding where people are coming from.
248
00:20:18,172 --> 00:20:30,140
I've been fascinating with languages, for example, and comparing those languages and how
even on the language level, people perceive the world and how it impacts the way you
249
00:20:30,140 --> 00:20:32,623
actually describe your world and your reality.
250
00:20:32,623 --> 00:20:36,220
So I think one of the interesting, was very fascinating for
251
00:20:36,220 --> 00:20:44,549
me there was this TED talk about the lady who was talking about masculine, feminine, and
plural versions of the nouns in different languages.
252
00:20:44,549 --> 00:20:55,118
We know in English it's not an issue at all, but in Spanish and German and Russian, there
is actually the objects that assigned either feminine or masculine attribute.
253
00:20:55,118 --> 00:20:57,709
pretty randomly and they're not actually matching.
254
00:20:57,709 --> 00:21:03,592
But the way it's assigned in the language actually changes the perception of your reality.
255
00:21:03,592 --> 00:21:09,915
So if a bridge is masculine in one language and feminine in a different language, the
perception of what bridge is changes.
256
00:21:09,915 --> 00:21:11,906
So just being aware of that.
257
00:21:11,906 --> 00:21:23,571
So if you're a leader of a team, multicultural team that comes from different backgrounds,
you actually want to educate yourself on what it means, what that culture feds to that
258
00:21:23,571 --> 00:21:24,241
person.
259
00:21:24,241 --> 00:21:25,942
Right?
260
00:21:25,942 --> 00:21:32,064
And yourself, your own cultural background, I appreciate that and understand those
differences on that level.
261
00:21:32,064 --> 00:21:34,675
So some of those are totally subconscious.
262
00:21:34,675 --> 00:21:39,607
Like I don't have any other way to express myself as in my native language, right?
263
00:21:39,607 --> 00:21:42,909
So I would never think that bridge would be feminine, right?
264
00:21:42,909 --> 00:21:45,710
So it's masculine for me, so it's strong, it's dirty.
265
00:21:45,710 --> 00:21:49,561
So all kinds of things that come with that, right?
266
00:21:49,561 --> 00:21:50,184
Which is...
267
00:21:50,184 --> 00:21:57,296
fascinating that the culture is really embedded into our fabric on such a fundamental
level.
268
00:21:57,296 --> 00:21:58,927
That's truly fascinating.
269
00:21:58,927 --> 00:21:59,579
Yeah.
270
00:21:59,579 --> 00:22:04,725
Yeah, and I appreciate what you say about openness, like remaining open.
271
00:22:04,725 --> 00:22:15,561
And there are multiple ways of looking at this and getting curious about how is this for
in this culture or this other culture might be different from what I know.
272
00:22:15,561 --> 00:22:16,474
And
273
00:22:16,474 --> 00:22:29,696
you also work with really smart people in Silicon Valley and I wonder how do you help them
unlearn habits, unlearning when they need to unlearn something that is no longer serving
274
00:22:29,696 --> 00:22:30,187
them?
275
00:22:30,187 --> 00:22:31,808
What are your strategies?
276
00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:34,479
Well, learning new habits.
277
00:22:35,299 --> 00:22:38,219
I don't think the goal should be to unlearn what you already know.
278
00:22:38,219 --> 00:22:41,239
I think the goal should be learn new.
279
00:22:41,319 --> 00:22:48,410
So those are the tools and the skills, especially when we're talking about the burnout and
the leadership and the self-leadership.
280
00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:51,322
These are the new skills that you learn.
281
00:22:51,322 --> 00:22:54,606
they'll substitute the ones that you no longer need.
282
00:22:54,606 --> 00:23:01,207
Usually when you come for training like that or you reach out for training like that, you
know that you want to do something differently, right?
283
00:23:01,207 --> 00:23:04,466
So those are the people we like to work with anyway.
284
00:23:04,466 --> 00:23:08,060
If you don't want to do anything differently, don't come to us.
285
00:23:08,237 --> 00:23:16,443
once you realize that you actually want to make changes in your life, then you develop new
habits and new patterns of behavior, new skills.
286
00:23:16,443 --> 00:23:22,996
yeah, at the end of the day, it will become a habit that's going to kind of seamlessly
change the environment around you.
287
00:23:22,996 --> 00:23:31,734
So one of the things that I really like to talk about is that, again, that intentionally
bringing joy into a life because we're so single-minded.
288
00:23:31,734 --> 00:23:33,452
It's like, I have to do this.
289
00:23:33,452 --> 00:23:34,504
I should do this,
290
00:23:34,504 --> 00:23:37,327
do this then it will bring me return an investment or whatever.
291
00:23:37,327 --> 00:23:40,429
If I don't do this then there will be some kind of a punishment.
292
00:23:40,429 --> 00:23:45,666
So we're always kind of going about what we should, what we should, what we could, what we
need to do.
293
00:23:45,666 --> 00:23:48,379
But the way to get out of this is really
294
00:23:48,379 --> 00:23:56,090
and bring that kind of juiciness into life and that new source of energy is to
intentionally bring joy into the life, right?
295
00:23:56,090 --> 00:23:59,521
So, and that actually, it could be done very simple.
296
00:23:59,521 --> 00:24:05,361
You put a list of things that you like to do, and then you pick three of them and you put
them on the calendar.
297
00:24:05,361 --> 00:24:11,403
You did three things per day, specifically, intentionally, those things that bring you
joy.
298
00:24:11,403 --> 00:24:13,194
They don't have any other reason.
299
00:24:13,194 --> 00:24:15,245
They're there to bring you joy.
300
00:24:15,245 --> 00:24:16,672
So, and once you do those,
301
00:24:16,672 --> 00:24:18,674
for a week, but it becomes a habit.
302
00:24:18,674 --> 00:24:22,076
So at the end of the day, you check with yourself, like, I don't feel that good.
303
00:24:22,076 --> 00:24:24,038
I feel frustrated, I feel angry.
304
00:24:24,038 --> 00:24:25,539
I snap at that person.
305
00:24:25,539 --> 00:24:28,221
Did I do my three things?
306
00:24:28,221 --> 00:24:30,693
Did I bring joy into my life today?
307
00:24:30,693 --> 00:24:32,163
And it's like, no, I didn't.
308
00:24:32,163 --> 00:24:36,809
So it's not because somebody crossed me or somebody said something bad to me.
309
00:24:36,809 --> 00:24:39,923
It's because I did not replenish my energy, right?
310
00:24:39,923 --> 00:24:44,146
So I actually did not take care of myself today.
311
00:24:45,067 --> 00:24:53,343
and The other part of that, that's like, okay, well, I did take care of myself, so I have
all this energy, I'm happy, and I'm willing to share that with people around me.
312
00:24:53,343 --> 00:24:59,058
So, lo and behold, you're actually happy, and people around you are happy, and that's how
you create the reality for yourself.
313
00:24:59,058 --> 00:25:01,549
Yeah, when people have experienced that and they started.
314
00:25:01,549 --> 00:25:05,261
they give that a try, then they connect the dots and they can see.
315
00:25:05,261 --> 00:25:06,522
They can see for themselves.
316
00:25:06,522 --> 00:25:22,272
m Yeah, it shifts your attention, right?
317
00:25:24,094 --> 00:25:25,966
Yeah, and I know that...
318
00:25:25,966 --> 00:25:33,710
You have programs in your academy and that you also structure the learning experiences in
a specific way.
319
00:25:33,710 --> 00:25:35,511
It's not just information.
320
00:25:35,511 --> 00:25:38,512
You go for transformation and tell us more.
321
00:25:38,512 --> 00:25:43,885
How do you design those experiences and what happens that leads to transformation?
322
00:25:43,885 --> 00:25:51,909
Well, in our academy, actually one of the big elements that we offer is what I call
immersion, immersion in Silicon Valley.
323
00:25:51,909 --> 00:26:03,486
So it's not me necessarily teaching you and coaching you, but it's actually the entire
resources of Silicon Valley, other leaders in Silicon Valley who went through the same
324
00:26:03,486 --> 00:26:12,331
journey, other people and experts in Silicon Valley who are building the products and kind
of changing the world and creating the next
325
00:26:27,488 --> 00:26:33,091
It's more like a collective wisdom and experience from more people like them.
326
00:26:33,961 --> 00:26:34,612
Great.
327
00:26:34,612 --> 00:26:43,029
Talking about mistakes, when you see leaders that they are putting together, they are
building a high performing team.
328
00:26:43,029 --> 00:26:48,263
What are some of the practices that can or I put it in a different way.
329
00:26:48,263 --> 00:26:51,655
What would be one of the typical mistakes you see
330
00:26:51,655 --> 00:26:56,523
in such people when they are putting together building a high performing team?
331
00:26:56,523 --> 00:27:06,088
One of the mistakes of inexperienced leaders is to feel insecure about those who know more
than you do.
332
00:27:06,088 --> 00:27:12,930
It's kind of natural to feel this way, especially if you're younger, if you have less
experience.
333
00:27:12,930 --> 00:27:17,523
So you kind of feel that you need to have all the answers
334
00:27:17,523 --> 00:27:20,137
before anybody else has the answers.
335
00:27:20,137 --> 00:27:21,719
But that defeats the purpose.
336
00:27:21,719 --> 00:27:28,899
The reason you work in a team is to support each other and to contribute in a variety of
ways.
337
00:27:28,899 --> 00:27:29,693
So for...
338
00:27:29,693 --> 00:27:42,004
Experienced leaders usually know that the better people they attract on their teams and
those people could be smarter, that could be more experienced, they could have better
339
00:27:42,004 --> 00:27:46,217
education, they could have better answers, but they're not a threat.
340
00:27:46,217 --> 00:27:47,043
They are...
341
00:27:47,043 --> 00:27:49,395
really a benefit for that team.
342
00:27:49,395 --> 00:28:00,163
So the best way for you to reach goals and the best way for you to have that high
performing team is to attract people that you know are better than you.
343
00:28:00,163 --> 00:28:13,695
So and the usual mistake for those who are just beginning on that track of being leaders
is to feel insecure around those who you think are...
344
00:28:13,695 --> 00:28:15,874
Yeah, who think maybe you know...
345
00:28:15,874 --> 00:28:21,592
smarter, more experience have better answers better solutions and so on so forth Does that
make sense?
346
00:28:21,592 --> 00:28:22,282
helpful.
347
00:28:22,282 --> 00:28:23,482
Yeah, that's helpful.
348
00:28:23,482 --> 00:28:24,574
Yeah, for sure.
349
00:28:24,574 --> 00:28:25,235
Thank you.
350
00:28:25,235 --> 00:28:33,350
And if someone was listening to the podcast right now, they want to start leading in a
more effective manner from now on.
351
00:28:33,350 --> 00:28:39,666
What's a learnable behavior they can start practicing right away in order to be better
prepared?
352
00:28:39,666 --> 00:28:46,053
Well, as I mentioned, I do believe strongly that leadership starts with self-leadership.
353
00:28:46,053 --> 00:28:49,917
So your title at work is just that.
354
00:28:49,917 --> 00:28:52,520
It's your place in the power structure.
355
00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,409
But your impact and influence is based on your...
356
00:28:56,409 --> 00:29:02,145
personal abilities as a leader and on your self-leadership skills.
357
00:29:02,145 --> 00:29:08,220
So in that perspective, you can't be a leader without that
358
00:29:08,220 --> 00:29:11,712
you know, specific title that somebody assigns to you.
359
00:29:11,712 --> 00:29:14,443
And you can be a really bad leader with the title.
360
00:29:14,443 --> 00:29:27,233
So it's a choice, because at some point, but the healthier way and the better way and the
more sustainable way to do this is really to be that role model, to be who you want your,
361
00:29:27,233 --> 00:29:31,297
who you would like to be led by, you know, to be that person.
362
00:29:31,297 --> 00:29:34,850
And that's how you replicate that in your environment.
363
00:29:34,850 --> 00:29:36,511
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
364
00:29:36,511 --> 00:29:41,555
And I have something that I've heard over and over is that many leaders
365
00:29:41,555 --> 00:29:46,148
learn their ropes by a leader that they had.
366
00:29:46,148 --> 00:29:48,300
They had a great leader and that's how they learned.
367
00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:54,166
And it's great that there's something to be practiced in terms of self-leadership.
368
00:29:54,166 --> 00:30:01,081
What would you say to somebody who maybe has not had that experience?
369
00:30:01,081 --> 00:30:04,994
what if I don't have a great role model to learn?
370
00:30:04,994 --> 00:30:11,889
Is it possible still to grow my skills as a leader in by working on my self leadership?
371
00:30:11,889 --> 00:30:15,277
What else would you recommend to this person?
372
00:30:15,277 --> 00:30:16,018
of it, yes.
373
00:30:16,018 --> 00:30:17,079
So that's the beauty of it.
374
00:30:17,079 --> 00:30:20,010
That's what I said, a lot of it is in our control.
375
00:30:20,010 --> 00:30:21,562
So what is it in my control?
376
00:30:21,562 --> 00:30:24,916
we all, most of us have bad managers.
377
00:30:24,916 --> 00:30:32,536
without naming names, I'm sure, you know, most people at some point in life worked for
someone that they did not like, right?
378
00:30:32,536 --> 00:30:36,487
So maybe did not respect, maybe those people that they thought, respect them.
379
00:30:36,487 --> 00:30:42,407
So there is not much you can control there when you cannot change another person.
380
00:30:42,407 --> 00:30:44,358
You can only change yourself, right?
381
00:30:44,358 --> 00:30:49,669
So, and then that, there is a certain level of responsibility that you take for yourself.
382
00:30:49,669 --> 00:30:51,680
So I'm responsible for myself.
383
00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,464
Everything that happens to me is my responsibility.
384
00:30:54,464 --> 00:30:58,057
And in that sense, that's your opening into those changes.
385
00:30:58,057 --> 00:31:05,602
I said, you want to work for someone who respects you, you start with respecting yourself,
right?
386
00:31:05,602 --> 00:31:07,925
And start with respecting people around you.
387
00:31:07,925 --> 00:31:10,617
And that's how you actually go through that road.
388
00:31:10,617 --> 00:31:17,883
So what is it that leader that I want to work with, what are those qualities of that
person that I want to work with?
389
00:31:17,883 --> 00:31:20,125
And you develop them in yourself.
390
00:31:20,125 --> 00:31:21,969
And there's no one else who can do this
391
00:31:21,969 --> 00:31:22,819
for you, right?
392
00:31:22,819 --> 00:31:28,981
There are some people who can support you and some people who can actually, you know, slow
your growth in that area.
393
00:31:28,981 --> 00:31:31,922
But at end of the day, it's only you who can make those changes.
394
00:31:31,922 --> 00:31:33,582
Only you can make those decisions.
395
00:31:33,582 --> 00:31:39,496
And it's better to make them in this kind of aware and intentional way.
396
00:31:39,496 --> 00:31:40,217
I love that.
397
00:31:40,217 --> 00:31:48,958
And that, you know, that reminds me of this idea of when people are looking for, they are
looking for their romantic relationship.
398
00:31:48,958 --> 00:31:50,450
They're looking for someone.
399
00:31:50,450 --> 00:32:01,268
And this idea of you becoming the person that you want to be with so that you can attract
that person instead of hoping to meet your soulmate by magic.
400
00:32:01,268 --> 00:32:03,189
Maybe there's work to be done inside.
401
00:32:03,189 --> 00:32:04,720
Maybe there's work to be done.
402
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,191
I need to work on certain things.
403
00:32:07,191 --> 00:32:14,929
And when you say that now, how you phrase this idea of the self leadership and the skills
that we can work maybe
404
00:32:14,929 --> 00:32:19,541
that's what will lead us to be working with a great leader.
405
00:32:23,163 --> 00:32:23,924
I love that.
406
00:32:23,924 --> 00:32:24,715
Thank you.
407
00:32:24,715 --> 00:32:32,010
Is there anything else that you'd like me to ask you in this conversation that I haven't
mentioned so far?
408
00:32:32,010 --> 00:32:34,512
It's not necessarily a question, but more of a comment.
409
00:32:34,512 --> 00:32:39,306
So I think that the theme of the podcast, you know, around learning, I think it's very
important.
410
00:32:39,306 --> 00:32:47,733
I just want to circle back to that because at the end of the day, right, so we're talking
about leadership and self-leadership and adaptation and disruption.
411
00:32:47,733 --> 00:32:51,697
At the end of the day, it really goes back to my willingness.
412
00:32:51,697 --> 00:32:58,619
to learn, right, so my desire to learn and my ability to enjoy the process of learning.
413
00:32:58,619 --> 00:33:08,690
And I think that's so important that you have this as a theme of your podcast, that you
attract people who actually have this as a value for lifelong continuous learning, that,
414
00:33:08,690 --> 00:33:14,352
you know, it's so crucial in so many different aspects of our lives.
415
00:33:14,352 --> 00:33:14,923
Thank you.
416
00:33:14,923 --> 00:33:24,602
Yeah, that's definitely helpful to having learning as a high value for us in our lives,
even if it's not like the top one as it is for me.
417
00:33:24,602 --> 00:33:26,734
For me, it's like top of the list learning.
418
00:33:26,734 --> 00:33:34,423
That's why I put I have a podcast name "Poder aprender" and it still can be something high
because there are so many things we can do.
419
00:33:34,423 --> 00:33:43,152
Either languages, leadership, skills, and it's wonderful to being willing and being ready
to apply that to different areas of our lives.
420
00:33:43,152 --> 00:33:43,753
Thank you.
421
00:33:43,753 --> 00:33:50,927
And Victoria, before completing this conversation, how can people get in contact with you?
422
00:33:50,927 --> 00:33:52,710
Is there anything you'd like to share?
423
00:33:52,710 --> 00:33:56,372
Yeah, so the best way to contact me directly is through LinkedIn.
424
00:33:56,372 --> 00:33:59,545
I'm there every day and you can direct message me.
425
00:33:59,545 --> 00:34:04,349
You can book a call if you want to discuss more any of the topics that we talked about
here.
426
00:34:04,349 --> 00:34:09,246
And on my website of the Academy's Silicon Valley Executive.
427
00:34:09,246 --> 00:34:19,056
You can look at all the programs that we have for leadership, for teams, for leadership in
the age of AI, and for burnout-proof leadership strategies.
428
00:34:19,056 --> 00:34:19,908
That's great.
429
00:34:19,908 --> 00:34:31,628
Thank you for being here, Victoria and looking forward to seeing what you continue
creating in the leadership work and in this intersection of leadership, business and AI.
430
00:34:31,628 --> 00:34:33,583
Thank you so much, Walter, it's been a pleasure.