The Cultural Competence Advantage: Leading Effectively Across Differences

Session Overview:

Today’s workplace requires more than cultural awareness; it requires the ability to effectively lead, communicate, collaborate, and build relationships across differences. Cultural competence is an increasingly important capability for leaders and organizational development professionals navigating diverse teams, perspectives, experiences, and ways of working.

This interactive session moves beyond good intentions to explore what cultural competence looks like in practice and learn how curiosity can replace assumptions when navigating difference.

Through practical workplace examples and discussion, participants will explore common moments when cultural differences can lead to misunderstanding and how culturally competent leaders can respond more effectively. Participants will leave with the PAUSE framework, a practical tool for recognizing assumptions, understanding context and differing perspectives, adapting their approach, and evaluating impact.

The goal is not to become an expert on every culture, but to strengthen our ability to recognize difference, remain curious, adapt when needed, and lead more effectively across it.

Session Takeaways:

Participants will leave with a framework and insights including:

• The PAUSE framework for practical use to foster greater curiosity, clarity, and trust with colleagues and clients 
• How to leverage the perspectives, experiences, and strengths of different cultures to strengthen collaboration, connection, and relationships.
• How to move beyond assumptions to better understand and respond to individual perspectives and needs. 

About the Speaker:

Gisele Marcus

Marcus currently serves in a dual role as Professor of Practice – Organizational Behavior and Vice Dean of Special Projects at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.  She serves on the Board of Directors of First Mid Bankshares, Inc. (FMBH).  She has been a five-time General Manager at Fortune 250 companies. including Thermo Fisher Scientific, AT&T, and Johnson Controls, leading organizations up to $800M, with 1,200 employees globally across 40 countries and five continents.

As a TEDx speaker, Marcus is known to deliver knowledge and practical tips to her audiences on the intersection of leadership, cultural fluency, and networking.  She has been featured in the BBC, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, and International Banker.  She has been a repeat guest on the St. Louis FOX affiliate’s Good Morning St Louis talk show.  

Marcus serves as a member of the Board of Trustees at Syracuse University, a Trustee at Friendship West Baptist Church, a Board member of the St. Louis Art Museum, AFS USA (a high school exchange program) headquartered in New York City, and Children & Family Institute (an adoption agency) located in Dallas.

Marcus possesses an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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We look forward to seeing you at this in-person only event.