Insights & Perspectives
Only a few times in my professional life have I been approached with a request to have an unsolicited and unstructured conversation with a C-level executive about “culture”, not to pitch something but to help clarify the idea because it seemed confusing, ambiguous and ephemeral. In most of these c
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Recently, I learned that a colleague had been “let go” by his global corporate employer. A reorganization required a “reduction in force”! He was speechless, flooded and paralyzed by a cascade of emotions—chief among them disbelief, anger, disgust, and worry. During the virtual meeting in which hi
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After I graduated with an advanced degree in cultural anthropology, I found a job as an “intercultural trainer”. They were willing to sponsor me for a Green Card (in the United States), and I was delighted by the opportunity to put what I learned into practice. The match of cultural anthropology a
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Anthropology, the systematic study of human beings in their cultural and biological diversity, has long positioned itself as a discipline of understanding and empathy. Yet its early development is deeply entwined with colonialism, white supremacy, and the scientific legitimation of racism and geno
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In 1992, Francis Fukuyama famously argued that the end of history had arrived—not in the literal sense, but as the culmination of ideological evolution. Liberal democracy, he suggested, stood as the final form of government, having vanquished its rivals in the ideological struggles of the 20th cen
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Anthropology does not provide simple answers—but it offers a way to see and engage with the world, on the basis of curiosity and the pursuit of better questions; questions that reveal new connections and open pathways to unconventional solutions. Anthropology is a deeply reflective practice. In an
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Margaret Mead (1901-1978) is one of the most famous, influential, yet controversial, American anthropologists. She was my inspiration for studying cultural anthropology and, in a very significant way, also laid the foundation for Inclusive Leadership and why it is such an important leadership para
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That reality is socially constructed is not news to most social scientists and marketing-, brand-, and political consultants. The former may quibble over philosophical implications and consequences; the latter about how to best leverage it to create a desired - but not always desirable - reality.
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Power - the ability to influence or direct the circumstances, actions, beliefs, choices, and conduct of others - is the essence of leadership. But, power and leadership are not the same. Power is to leadership what fuel is to a vehicle. Fuel provides the energy necessary to propel a vehicle forwar
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In many organizations talk of culture is as ubiquitous as it is slippery. And, how organizations “do” culture can be equally perplexing, particularly from an anthropological perspective - the discipline to which the concept and study of culture is foundational.
That leaders attempt to galvanize s
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DEI is a modern attempt to solve an ancient human challenge.
In corporate workplaces today, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are often framed as responses to contemporary issues—gender disparities, systemic racism, or unequal access to opportunities. But from an anthropological
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The discussion about AI usually starts with tools and skills. But the more consequential place to start is with economics.
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 says employers expect 39% of workers' core skills to change by 2030, with 170 million roles created and 92 million displ
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