Gaia Van der Esch - Embracing Your Leadership Attitude

Gaia van der Esch was nominated for the Forbes 30 under 30 a few years ago and is currently the Managing Director of 3ZERO, an organization working to make the world three zero: zero exclusion, zero carbon, and zero poverty. Gaia is the author of the soon-to-be-released “​​Leading Our Way: How Women Are Re-Defining Leadership.” Gaia discusses the moment she knew she was a natural-born leader, how her desire to make a difference guides her career decisions, her evolving perspective on leadership, and her three pieces of advice for leading visionaries.KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:56] - Dino introduces his guest, Gaia van der Esch of 3ZERO. [03:07] - Gaia shares her background growing up in Italy, her humanitarian work, and her rapid rise to leadership positions.  [08:18] - How a focus on gender equality led her to write a book on leadership (releasing soon). [09:44] - Gaia shares her current role 3ZERO, what the organization stands for, and her vision for a better world. [10:43] - A natural leader. [13:04] - Gaia shares a story about the logical thing she did that led to a promotion for her and helped form her opinion of what leadership is about. [15:59] - The gradual realization of her dual motivations: Gaia shares the importance of comprehending global issues and creating a positive impact and how her desire to make a difference guides her career decisions.[17:30] - Building her self-confidence while recognizing her leadership traits. [20:13] - It's not about me and my profile: How people with values and skills can engage in meaningful roles that transcend profit-focused motives or self-centered interests.[20:38] - Mission-driven and not afraid to speak up from an early age.   [23:02] - Gaia shares her innate drive for impact built from an unchanging core motivation and [24:27] - Gaia's evolving vision of leadership. [25:47] - From task-driven efficiency to a facilitative role, Gaia shares how her leadership role has grown to encompass emotional authenticity, team empowerment, and fostering an ecosystem for collective success.[28:13] - Dino shares the common challenge high-performing individuals have when they are thrust into a role with different cultures and working methods. [29:50] - Recognizing her role as a change-maker. [32:30] - Facing the challenges of being a leader and a visionary while steering your organization toward a unifying vision. [33:45] - Dino asks Gaia to share her advice for leading visionaries. [34:02] - The one question Gaia asks herself to stay aligned with her vision. [35:24] - Recognizing when to shift your efforts elsewhere.[36:53] - How to adopt a strategic approach to the broader organizational dynamics to be a more effective change-maker.[37:49] - Gaia shares the behind-the-scenes of her upcoming book, set to release in a few months, and focuses on how women are reshaping the definition and practice of leadership. [38:43] - Changing the rules of the game: Gaia encourages listeners to consider updating the rules of leadership. [40:08] - "Leadership isn't confined to job titles but is an attitude that can be exhibited at any level."[42:30] - Gaia introduces the concept of "circularity leadership" rather than hierarchical (Gloria Steinem).[42:49] -The purpose of leadership and ensuring everyone has the freedom to be themselves and enact the change they desire in today's complex world. [43:09] You can preorder “Leading Our Way: How Women Are Re-Defining Leadership” now (releasing January 2024). You can also connect with Gaia on Instagram or LinkedIn. [43:57] - Gaia shares the instrument she used to play at a high level and how music helps her to listen, discover, and express her emotions. [46:14] - How being in nature helps bring balance to her travel-filled life. [47:02] - Gaia shares the Italian phrase (and the English translation) from her childhood that still drives her crazy today and why. [48:19] - The dish that helps Gaia keep her Italian grandmother’s memory alive.  [51:24] - If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and family, leave a 5-star review, and subscribe on your favorite listening platform so you don't miss any episodes. You can also follow the podcast on Twitter and Instagram.Contact Dino at: [email protected]:al4ep.com or authenticleadershipforeverydaypeople.com3ZEROOther links for Gaia:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gaia-vanderesch Instagram: @gaiavanderesch Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino CattaneoDino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneoPodcast Instagram: @al4edp Podcast Twitter: @al4edp Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edpMusicSisters Of A Different Skin | Susan Cattaneo and The Lucy Stone Singers Susan Cattaneo BooksLeading Our Way: How Women Are Re-Defining Leadership