Let Go & Lead With Maril Macdonald

We speak with Jody Ono, faculty director of leadership programs at Hitotsubashi ICS, Hitachi University Business School. Jody has lived and worked in the US, Sweden and Japan, teaching MBA students and business leaders from around the world. Maril and Jody explore how leadership is shaped by culture, how authenticity is interpreted differently across contexts and what it means to connect with others on a deeper level. We learn how Jody helps students and executives find their own leadership identity, build trust across cultures and lead with presence and purpose. Key Takeaways: 02:54 Leadership looks different across cultures and context shapes everything. 10:36 Our early career environments shape who we become as leaders. 22:30 Purpose, not personality, drives real authenticity. 24:37 Leadership is an invitation, not a command. 31:02 Admitting we don’t know invites others to lead with us. 34:36 Power with others is replacing power over them. 42:31 We each have to shape our own leadership identity. 46:12 Lead