"A CEO’s most valuable skill today isn’t just strategy – it’s adaptability and resilience.”
In this episode of Becoming CEO, Dr. Maria Angela Capello and Dr. Liz Coffey explore how executives and aspiring CEOs can adapt and thrive in today’s ever-changing business landscape. They dive into the cultural shifts shaping leadership today, from the power of language and communication styles to the biases surrounding accents, gender dynamics, and executive presence. With practical insights and real-world examples, this conversation is a must-listen for professionals ready to embrace the future with confidence and cultural awareness.
Key Takeaways
- Adaptability is the new superpower. The most successful leaders embrace change in business strategy and cultural and communication norms.
- Language shapes leadership. The way you speak, your accent, and your communication style all impact perception.
- Diversity strengthens leadership. Understanding cultural nuances, gender dynamics, and inclusive communication makes you a more effective and respected leader.
Next Step: Take five minutes today to reflect on one change in your industry. How can you shift your mindset to turn it into an opportunity?
Uplevel Your Career
- Connect with MAC at https://www.redtreeconsultingllc.com/.
- Connect with Liz at https://www.sparkleadership.co.uk/.
About the Hosts
Dr. Maria Angela Capello (MAC) is the President of Red Tree Consulting LLC and a distinguished leader in the energy sector. She spearheads initiatives in sustainability, diversity and inclusion (D&I), and geosciences.
MAC has held prominent roles at Kuwait Oil Company, Halliburton, and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The Italian Government has honored her with the “Star of Italy” knighthood, and UNESCO has endorsed her work, publishing her report “Geosciences in Action - Advancing Sustainable Development.”
MAC was recently conferred the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Lifetime Achievement Award for Diversity and Inclusion. Author of more than 107 technical articles and four books, Capello earned her PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Plymouth (UK) in 2024, an MSc in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines (USA), and a BSc in Physics from Simon Bolivar University (Venezuela).
Dr. Elizabeth Coffey (Liz), Founder of Spark Leadership Ltd, is an internationally recognized leadership expert, lecturer, and author who develops CEOs, CEO Successors, and Board Executives of FTSE 100 and Global 500 companies. She has coached CEOs and their successors in a wide range of businesses and sectors.
Previously a Senior Partner in Korn Ferry’s Leadership and Talent Consultancy, Liz held senior positions with Mercer Delta Consulting and The Change Partnership. In 2022-23, she was a Distinguished Lecturer for SPE, speaking to thousands of leaders across the energy sector in more than 50 countries about “How CEOs Lead for Success.”Liz has written several leadership books, including McGraw Hill's “10 Things That Keep CEOs Awake – and How to Put Them to Bed” (2002), Deutsche Bank's “The End of Tolerance?” (2001), and “The Changing Culture of Leadership – Women Leaders’ Voices” (1999).
Liz has received many awards over the past two decades, including an Honourary Doctorate (2024), Woman Super Achiever (2018), Mentor of the Year (2007), and the European Woman of Achievement Award (2001). She has worked in more than 40 countries, including extensively in several GCC countries.
