In the interview for Kornblit Talks, Piotr Kaczmarek – experienced banking executive and strategic advisory with broad expertise in CEE markets, shares experiences related to managing diverse teams and reflections on gender equality in the world of business.

Diversity

If I were to distill my international experiences into a single lesson, it would be humility. It is crucial not to arrive with too many assumptions, or worse, with deeply buried stereotypes when entering a new team, culture, or environment. Many expats approach their assignments with the mindset: I will show you how it’s done. This attitude is almost always destined to fail. Management is a two-way street: while I bring knowledge to the organization, I must also be open to learning from the team.

Gender equality

The situation for women in Romania differs slightly from that in Ukraine, where patriarchal norms are less entrenched. In Romania, women are present at all levels of the organization. In contrast, I’ve observed strong patriarchy in Kazakhstan. While women are present, they are rare in leadership roles – typically found only in organizations with international or progressive ownership. Uzbekistan shows a similar pattern: women in managerial positions are few, and male resistance to change remains strong.

This experiences raise next important questions:

• What can male leaders do to support women in gaining power and influence?
• What can female leaders do to build authority within deeply patriarchal structures?

Full version of the interview available in Polish.