Wema Hoover’s Bio:
Wema Hoover is an internationally acclaimed speaker and the CEO of Wema Hoover Advisors. She has dedicated her career to being a culture change agent advancing in diversity, equity, and inclusion across global markets through a system thinking approach, driving organizational change and development in people, processes, and products. Wema has worked with different multinational businesses such as Google, Pfizer, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and PwC.
Episode Highlights:
Our childhood experiences prepare us for our adult life. For Wema Hoover, her exposure to different cultures opened her up to working with multicultural spaces across the globe. Wema was born in New Jersey and has lived in different places worldwide. Today, Wema shares her journey to embracing limitlessness and harnessing her inner strength.
Links:
Website: https://www.wemahoover.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wemahoover/
Quotes:
“When you’re given the platform or influence to perform, you’ve got to see it as a time to deliver.”
“Seize the moment, fulfil your potential whatever it may be, take action, and don’t leave anything to chance if you’re given the opportunity.”
“When you don’t believe in yourself, but others do - how much win that gives you!”
“We’re all on a learning journey every day of our life.”
Take Aways:
Childhood Incidents:
Wema grew up in a society that was rich in diversity where she enjoyed many different experiences, traditions, ideas, and philosophies. They celebrated holidayssuch as the Chinese New Year, Yom Kippur, and many other cultural events. Wema recalls a time when she wasn’t allowed to attend her Jewish friend’s bat mitzvahbecause her friend’s parents didn’t want a black person at the event. This incident never affected the relationship between the two girls and they remained close.
Influential Groups:
Wema was raised in an African American community where everything revolved around hard work and living your potential. In their household, excellence was considered the norm, and seizing opportunities was the order of the day. At a young age, they were taught to understand that opportunities only come once.
Temperament and Personality:
Wema believes she was born with a love for people. As an extrovert, her energy stems from connecting with people and having meaningful connections.
Cultural Epiphanies:
Getting along with colleagues is one of the goals people strive to achieve in their workplaces. Some people do coffee dates; others go out for drinks or visit each other in their homes. When she took a job in France, Wema was initially taken aback by the separation of work and personal interaction. Wema tried to show kindness to her colleagues by taking dessert to their doorsteps, which landed her in trouble with the HR department. She couldn’t understand how her colleagues were uncomfortable with her visiting them in their homes. Unlike Americans or Indians, the French are more concerned with protecting their personal privacy.
Thriving Environment:
For Wema to thrive she needs strong collaboration, openness, and exchange. This climate creates room for her to be at her best at work.
Soapbox Moment:
Wema Hoover invites us to check out Be Limitless Consulting to see how she makes an impact in the world.
Tagline: How to harness your inner strength and achieve anything you want.