In this episode, I expand on my views on the 'bamboo ceiling' - the barrier to advancement of people from different cultural backgrounds, usually referring to Asians, but really applicable to all cultural diversity.  

As a Malaysian by birth and a migrant to Australia, I bring my personal lens to the topic, with observations for  culturally diverse individuals who are looking to advance,  colleagues who want to be good allies to them, and organisations aspiring to be champions of a culturally diverse workforce and leadership.

Show notes:

• [2:07] I talk about why cultural diversity is important - it's really about promoting diversity of thought.​
• [4:31] Since the expression 'bamboo ceiling' was coined in 2005. we have moved away from promoting a singular ideal of leadership to recognising different styles, which helps people from different backgrounds.
• [6:37] Introverts, for example, are now able to be themselves more. 
• [8:06] Growing up in one culture and adapting to another can mean becoming conditioned to rely on external cues and validation. It can nurture early success, but we will eventually top out.
• [12:04] In the workplace, the very definition of leadership means expressing your authentic self - the sooner we discover who we truly are and learn to do that, the better.
• [13:15] Colleagues seeking to be allies can celebrate uniqueness and show good old-fashioned respect and civility. Tolerance goes both ways.
• [15:04] An organisation that invests in individual one-on-one purpose-work for next-generation leaders will reap rewards from diversity. Organisational purpose aligned with - not imposed upon - individual purpose will unleash potential.  

For more on this episode, visit the episode page on the New Earth lawyer website.