What does it really take to lead across cultures, build inclusive teams, and challenge bias in everyday decisions?
In episode 101, Gwen Kolader shares lessons from her life and career at the intersection of global business, personal growth, and cultural transformation.
Spoiler: This episode isn’t about theory. It’s about what actually works.
Key Takeaways from episode 101
Here’s what you’ll take away from listening to episode 101:
🌍 Why cultural intelligence is key for leading global teams
📈 How inclusion (when done right) naturally attracts diversity
🧠 What it takes to challenge bias and create trust across cultures
Gwen also shares surprising leadership lessons she learned from the Maasai in Kenya.
When you’re ready to listen and learn how to use cultural intelligence as a leadership superpower, hit play or find episode 101 of Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.
Or hit the play button below👇.
How to Use Cultural Intelligence as a Leadership Superpower with Gwen Kolader | Episode 101 – Women Disrupting Tech
- Key Takeaways from episode 101
- Inclusive Events for Women Disrupting Tech
- Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack
- Three Magical Leadership Revelations
- Amplify the Voices of Women Disrupting Tech
- Three Practical Takeaways
- About Gwen Kolader
- Share what’s on your mind!
- Coming up next on Women Disrupting Tech
Inclusive Events for Women Disrupting Tech
Below are some events worth visiting in the coming months. You’ll find a full overview of all events, including links to buy tickets, on the events page.
DEI Unpacked | Neurodiversity: Real Talk for Inclusive Workplaces.
Date: 21 May 2025
Location: Online (Zoom)
Start: 16:00 – 17:00
More info and free tickets: on LinkedIn (you do not need to be a member to join)
Diverse Leaders in Tech Events
Date: 28 May 2025
Location: B. Amsterdam
Start: 17:00 – 19:30
More info and tickets: on the website
The Culture Code
Date: 3 June 2025
Location: Club ACE, Amsterdam
Time: 12:00 – 19:00 hours
Tickets: On the Culture Code Website
Female Venture’s Founders Table: Empowering Women in Business
Date: 4 June 2025
Location: voco® The Hague
Start 15:00 – Finish: 18:30
Tickets: buy your tickets.
Join the Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack
Changing the funding landscape starts with access. Not just to capital, but to the right people, ideas, and spaces. That’s why I’m building The Women Disrupting Tech Community on Substack.
Join us if you want to help more women be heard, funded, and celebrated in tech. You’ll receive:
✨ Early access to new podcast episodes, plus a weekly email with the moments that moved me and what they taught me.
✨ Exclusive research on what it really takes to build a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
✨ Invites to special events we sponsor or co-host, where conversations turn into collaborations.
This community is for people who believe in action. And know that together, our voices go further.
Three Magical Leadership Revelations
At the start of our conversation, Gwen and I speak about the leadership trail she followed in Kenya. This journey gave her 3 magical examples of how cultural intelligence changes perspectives.
1. Sleeping under the stars with the Maasai
No phone. No watch. Just trust. Gwen describes what it was like to spend a week off the grid, guided by the Maasai. In a world of non-stop pings and pressure, her story is a powerful reminder: stillness isn’t a luxury; it’s essential in leadership.
2. Catching herself in a stereotype
At the start of her journey in Kenya, Gwen admits she thought the Maasai welcome ceremony felt “too touristic.” A week later, the same ritual gave her goosebumps because she had a different perspective. It’s a moment of honest reflection that shows how quickly our assumptions can fall away when we allow ourselves to truly see others.
3. The cold, the silence, and a campfire full of stories
Gwen paints a vivid picture of nights in the bush: hyenas in the distance, cold air, and shared stories by the fire. It’s not just poetic; it’s a metaphor for leadership itself. Sometimes, the most important work happens in quiet, communal moments.
Ready for more magic? Check out Episode 101: Cultural Intelligence as a Leadership Superpower on Spotify.
Oh, and don’t forget to share what you believe to be the most important part of cultural intelligence in leadership in the poll below.
Amplify the Voices of Women Disrupting Tech
Want to make inclusion in tech the new normal by 2032? Here’s how you can help:
Amplify the voices of Women Disrupting Tech by following the podcast on your favorite platform. Every follow brings these stories to more people.
Give the show a rating or review on Spotify or Apple. It only takes a moment, but it tells others this podcast is worth listening to. And helps the voices of my guests carry further.
Share the stories that move you.
Send an episode to a friend, a colleague, or someone who needs to hear it. Every share helps the Women Disrupting Tech build a more inclusive tech future and get the stage they deserve.
Use the buttons below to spread the word. Your voice helps amplify theirs.
Three Practical Takeaways
What does it really take to lead across cultures, build inclusive teams, and challenge bias in everyday decisions?
Throughout our conversation, Gwen shares lessons from her life and career at the intersection of global business, personal growth, and cultural transformation. Here are three takeaways that stuck with me, and that you can apply today:
Inclusion attracts diversity, not the other way around.
It’s not enough to hire for diversity. People need to feel safe, seen, and valued before they’ll stay or thrive. Gwen encourages leaders to design for inclusion from the start. That means adjusting how we lead, listen, and create space for others to contribute.
Challenge your own bias by slowing down.
Our brains make fast assumptions. Gwen reminds us that cultural intelligence starts with pressing pause. Ask yourself: What belief am I acting on? Where might that come from? When leaders reflect instead of react, trust grows across teams, cultures, and contexts.
Put inclusion into your KPIs.
Many organizations track diversity stats. Fewer measure inclusion. Gwen shares simple practices, like setting goals to connect with someone different from you each quarter. Inclusion isn’t just a feeling. It’s a habit. And it’s measurable.
Ready for more?
🎧 Listen to Episode 101: How to Use Cultural Intelligence as a Leadership Superpower with Gwen Kolader on Apple Podcasts.
Or click the image below to listen on YouTube. And don’t forget to share what your favorite moment from the episode was in the comments.
“Everybody at the end of the day wants the same thing. And that is being heard, see and valued”
Gwen Kolader
About Gwen Kolader
Gwen Kolader is an experienced People & Culture strategist, currently working as VP Global DE&I. Her mission is to help organizations become the brand, employer, supplier, and partner of choice through cultural intelligence, human-centric leadership and inclusive cultures.
With a career in telecom, tech, and international businesses, she brings deep expertise in navigating growth, complexity, and transformation with empathy and clarity.
Recognized as a Top Inclusive Leader by MT/Sprout, Techleap and awarded by the Indian Economic Times, Gwen is also a speaker, moderator, consultant and mentor who actively contributes to platforms like Diverse Leaders in Tech and Roots Inspire.
Gwen believes inclusive cultures don’t just improve engagement; they drive innovation and business success. You can connect with Gwen on LinkedIn to follow her work.
Share what’s on your mind!
What do you believe to be the most important part of cultural intelligence in leadership?
a) Challenging personal bias
b) Inclusive leadership
c) Cultural awareness
Let me know what you think in the comments.
And if you would like to suggest a guest or a theme for the podcast, please let me know via email or send a DM on LinkedIn.
Coming up next on Women Disrupting Tech
We’re not slowing down. Next week, we’ll learn from Merel Zimmerman and Bibi van Gijsel how government loans and grants can help startups in direct and indirect ways.
And, as this clip will show you, working for the government does not equal a lack of ambition:
Until then, let’s celebrate the companies bold enough to lead the way. And don’t forget to Keep Being Awesome!
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 