Lena Grenat - Focusing on the opportunities

Jul 3, 2024

Lena Grenat, CEO of SAM, explores the intriguing cultural contrasts and similarities between Finns and Americans. She highlights the importance of resilience and vulnerability in leadership, drawing parallels to chess as a metaphor for learning and strategy. The conversation dives into effective communication across diverse backgrounds, fostering global networks, and the challenges of non-profit leadership. Lena emphasizes the need for personal growth through embracing mistakes, showing how inspiration and adaptability shape effective leaders in uncertain times.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Building Resilience Through Life's Lessons

03:49 • 2min

Leadership Lessons from Chess

05:40 • 14min

Navigating Education and Connection in Finland

19:43 • 10min

Navigating the Challenges of Non-Profit Leadership

30:09 • 2min

Inspiration and Resilience in Leadership

32:04 • 9min

Embracing Vulnerability in Leadership

41:19 • 16min

Cultural Insights: Bridging Finnish and American Work Styles

57:35 • 2min

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of SAM, (Suomi Amerikka Yhdistyksen Liitto) Lena Grenat to discuss the differences and similarities between Finns and Americans, building networks, vulnerability in leadership, playing chess, creating a learning culture and knowing the difference between winning/losing and succeeding/failing, among other things.

(00:00) Intro to Lena Grenat
(02:38) Resilience is key to personal growth
(08:00) Learning from mistakes and embracing vulnerability leads to improvement
(10:25) Leaders should be open to learning from everyone
(15:10) Adapting communication to diverse cultural backgrounds
(17:24) Effective communication bridges cultural differences
(21:38) Global networking and education
(23:54) Utilizing personal network for learning and hiring
(28:08) Challenges in fundraising due to tax structure differences
(30:24) Leading volunteers requires motivation and inspiration rather than authority
(35:17) Living in the present moment is key
(37:36) Resilience encompasses optimism and adaptability
(42:00) Valuing employee opinions fosters leadership aspirations
(44:15) Feedback should be seen as information, not positive or negative
(48:53) Acknowledge not knowing takes self-confidence
(50:48) Reacting in uncertain times defines a leader
(55:02) Embracing mistakes for personal growth
(57:02) Understanding deep cultural similarities between American and Finnish working styles

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