Leading Minds Revealed

Same Language, Different Meaning: Leading Across Cultures | Lamiaa Soliman | EP 116


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In this episode of Leading Minds Revealed, host Michael Apollo sits down with Lamiaa Soliman, a global leader working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, AI, and international expansion.


Drawing from lived experience across the Middle East, Europe, and North America, Lamiaa shares what it truly means to lead across cultures — not from theory, but from practice. From navigating healthcare adoption in culturally sensitive markets to understanding why slowing down can be a strategic advantage, this conversation explores how trust, listening, humility, and context shape successful leadership.


Lamiaa also reflects on growing up in Saudi Arabia, bridging Western and Middle Eastern leadership models, dispelling stereotypes, and why representation, ethical AI, and human-centered design matter more than ever in global healthcare.


This is a thoughtful, grounded conversation for leaders navigating complexity, change, and cross-border work in today’s world.


⏱ Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Leading Minds Revealed

01:10 — Introducing Lamiaa Solaiman

02:09 — Returning to Saudi Arabia and unlearning assumptions

03:41 — Women, technology, and shifting cultural narratives

04:57 — The challenge of leading across cultures

05:48 — Healthcare as a culturally sensitive space

06:47 — Why language and naming matter

07:46 — Human-centered design across borders

08:40 — “Same language, different meanings”

10:09 — Family dynamics and patient decision-making

11:43 — Expanding healthcare platforms globally

13:19 — Navigating the NHS and public systems

14:49 — Time, trust, and relationship-based regions

15:53 — Growing up between cultures

18:01 — Skills leaders need in cross-cultural meetings

19:44 — Listening beyond words

21:16 — Growth mindset and adapting to change

22:15 — AI adoption in unexpected ways

25:30 — A lesson in slowing down during conflict

27:29 — Dispelling stereotypes through presence

29:55 — Polarization, identity, and empathy

32:24 — Diversity, inclusion, and lived experience

37:30 — AI, healthcare, and representation

41:14 — Ethics, data, and patient impact

45:43 — Genomics and population health

47:30 — Leadership shaped by upbringing

50:09 — Majlis, storytelling, and leadership without titles

52:45 — Ego, humility, and informed leadership

56:24 — How leaders can build cultural fluency

01:00:19 — Where to connect with Lamiaa

01:02:00 — Final reflections and close


📣 CALL TO ACTION

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Leading Minds RevealedBy Michael Apollo