163. Brave CQ

In this episode, Julia wraps up the Cultural Intelligence series with a powerful conversation with Ukonwa Ojo, founder and CEO of Zaia Ventures.  What starts as a meeting of two very different "cores" becomes a deep exploration of how we lead, how we listen, and what it takes to connect across differences. Ukonwa speaks candidly about the concept of Core and Flex, and how finally having language for this idea helped her understand and explain how she moves through the world. She shares that while her core is firmly rooted in her Christian faith, her capacity to flex beyond that allows her to connect across cultures, beliefs, and ideologies with empathy and openness. It's not a contradiction, she says, it's clarity. Julia and Ukonwa dive into the realities of clashing cores: how to stay in conversation when you disagree at a fundamental level, and how to decide when to speak, when to stay silent, and when to walk away. Ukonwa reflects on moments of being misunderstood, being triggered by cultural language, and making space for others.  “Everybody doesn’t deserve your point of view. But if someone’s open, you owe them curiosity,” expresses Ukonwa. Listen to this one to gather how to listen through discomfort, stay present through difference, and hold onto curiosity even when our backs go up.  It’s a fitting and moving end to a series about what it takes to lead with Cultural Intelligence in a deeply divided world. About the Guest:  Ukonwa Ojo is a dynamic leader with 27 years of experience across industries, having held senior roles at Amazon Prime Video & Studios, M.A.C Cosmetics, Coty, COVERGIRL, Unilever, Reckitt, and General Mills. Now Founder/CEO of Zaia Ventures, she builds businesses that uplift underrepresented communities, including Zaia, a global Christian social platform and Ada & Edith, a luxury womenswear brand redefining comfort.