Why Thought Leaders Must Learn to Lead Across Cultures | Jane Hyun | 653

What if cultural fluency was the leadership skill no one taught you—but every global leader needs? Today I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jane Hyun—global leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of three books including "Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling"—to explore how high-performing teams thrive on difference, not in spite of it. Jane shares how her early years moving to NYC from Korea shaped a lifelong commitment to helping people lead across cultural lines with authenticity and impact. We unpack her concept of “cultural fluency”—the skill of working effectively with people who don’t look, think, or act like you. It’s not about checking boxes. It’s about making the invisible visible and using difference as a leadership advantage. Jane explains how organizations often overlook deep cultural factors that influence trust, motivation, and team dynamics—and what happens when they start to notice. From keynotes to executive coaching, Jane builds frameworks that help leaders and organizations lead better, sell better, and grow smarter—especially in a world that’s only becoming more complex and connected. We also talk about the emotional and intellectual work of carrying an idea like “breaking the bamboo ceiling” for over 20 years—and how thought leadership evolves when it’s lived, not just taught. If you lead teams, create culture, or want to sharpen your edge as a communicator—this conversation is your wake-up call. Cultural fluency isn’t optional anymore. It’s mission-critical. Three Key Takeaways: • Cultural Fluency Is a Learnable Leadership Skill Cultural fluency—Jane's signature concept—isn’t innate, and it’s not just about surface-level etiquette. It’s the ability to recognize, respect, and leverage human differences to drive better business outcomes. Leaders who develop this skill are more effective at collaboration, innovation, and navigating global complexity. • Difference Drives Performance—When It's Understood Multicultural teams only outperform homogeneous ones when leaders understand how to harness cultural differences. Suppressing difference creates friction and missed opportunity. Embracing it—with intention—unlocks trust, engagement, and results. • Thought Leadership Is a Lifelong Journey, Not a Title Jane didn’t set out to become a thought leader—she followed her curiosity and passion to solve a problem she lived through. Over time, that experience evolved into frameworks, language (ie cultural fluency, bamboo ceiling), and a platform that empowers others. The best thought leadership emerges from lived experience, not just expertise. If today’s episode sparked your thinking on cultural fluency and leading across differences, you’ll want to dive into our conversation on "The Intersection of Leadership, Business, Culture, and Spirituality" with Eboni Adams Monk. It explores similar themes—like authentic leadership, navigating complexity, and creating inclusive spaces—but adds a powerful lens of purpose and spiritual alignment. Both episodes offer insight into what it really takes to lead with intention in today’s diverse, fast-changing world. Don’t miss it.