'上善若水' Leadership and team development
Dr. Ellen Wieck-Mesarosch
Publishing Details
Contact & Outreach
About This Podcast
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
S1E20 #20 How to Lead Through 2026 With the Strengths You Already Have
When I reflect on which leadership skills helped my clients most in 2025, five stand out clearly: adaptability, resilience, tolerance for ambiguity, systems thinking, and trust building. I strongly…
S1E19 #19: Skillfully influencing across Germany & China
👉 How can we gain support for our ideas authentically, effectively, and with cultural sensitivity?Based on insights from hundreds of coaching hours of Chinese & German leaders we look into:✨ Why…
S1E18 #18 There is no single China/Germany - Collaboration beyond stereotypes
China today is home to 1.4 billion people, 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, countless regional identities, generational shifts, and rapidly evolving work cultures.Germany, too, is far from…
S1E17 #17 How your strengths create business success through trust
Over the years coaching Chinese and German leaders, I’ve seen one thing repeatedly:success across cultures isn’t decided by strategy — it’s decided by trust.But trust doesn’t “just happen.”It grows…
S1E16 #16: Rethinking China Speed in the GenZ era
Rethinking “China Speed” in the Gen Z EraIn this episode, you’ll hear about how China’s Gen Z is redefining what “China Speed” means — shifting from nonstop hustle to smarter, more intentional ways…
S1E15 #15 Mastering the Boardroom: What Chinese and German Leaders Must Know
🎧 In this podcast episode, we unpack the hidden dynamics of boardrooms — with insights tailored to German and Chinese leadership cultures from minute 14 onwards.🔍 Here’s what you’ll take away:– How…
S1E14 #14 Reverse Coaching: China Speed Meets German Substance
Next Level Leadership through Reverse Coaching – What the German SME Can Learn from ChinaWhile Western firms are still optimizing digital roadmaps, China is accelerating:– 5x more STEM graduates…
S1E13 #13 How Guanxi works in Germany - successfully networking across cultures
In this episode, I share how culturally modulating Guanxi can unlock trust and connection for Chinese leaders working in Germany — without losing authenticity.Guanxi — the Chinese system of…
S1E12 #12 Breakdancing Panda & Freestyling Shepherd - When China Speed meets Good Old Germany
Nearly 20 years ago, I was sourcing cotton from China — helping factories align with Western quality expectations. It's the era of so called low cost country sourcing.🧭 In a way back then, the West…
S1E11 #11: Agree to disagree - and still move forward
Cross-cultural collaboration often brings valuable tension. But what happens when two sides can’t align—yet still need to act?In this episode, we dive into a real-life coaching case from a…
S1E10 #10 Cross-cultural Trust formula & Localisation 3.0
🤝 Trust is the currency of collaboration — but the exchange rate varies by culture.In this episode, we take a deep dive into how trust is built differently in Sino-German business partnerships — and…
S1E9 #9: Enhance Decision Making Power & Avoid Single Source Information
For years, we thought:As long as we have a key contact (in the local organisation), we’ll get the information we need.But here’s the reality: If information is power, limiting ourselves to one single…
S1E8 #8: How Conflict Becomes a Creative Force in Chinese-German teams
💡 Innovation doesn’t happen in agreement. It happens in tension.Sounds uncomfortable? Maybe. But that’s exactly where the potential lies – especially in intercultural teams.In this podcast episode,…
S1E7 #7: MORF Team dynamics and how to strategically use them
In this episode, I share how the MORF model has become one of my favourite tools to make team behaviour more transparent — and to actively shape collaborationThe model describes four essential roles…
S1E6 #6: Practical lessons from China's recent development
Learning from China – What Western Leaders Are MissingFor years, the West assumed: We’ll show China how it’s done.But here’s the shift: It’s time we started learning – deeply, strategically,…
S1E5 #5: Future skills & competences - a nuanced approach
Critical thinking, technology use, complex problem-solving – all great future skills and among the “Top 10 Skills of 2025” according to the WEF Future of Skills Report.But here’s the catch: None of…
S1E4 #4: Navigating change in the transformational year of the snake
We know it already, change is no longer the exception – it’s the new normal. But how can individuals and organizations not only cope with change, but thrive in it? Especially in the Chinese-German…
S1E3 #3: Trust, Respect & ‘China Speed’ in Leadership
In my work across Chinese and German business cultures, I’ve found that while trust and respect are universal, how they are built—and how quickly—varies significantly. Expectations regarding team…
S1E2 #2: The Strength Factor – Combining Adaptability & Authenticity
How can leaders harness their unique strengths to inspire teams and shape workplace culture—especially in an intercultural setting? True leadership isn’t about conforming to a single ideal but about…
S1E1 #1: Leading Like Water – Adaptive Leadership in Chinese-German Teams
In this kickoff episode, we dive into the philosophy of "Shang Shan Ruo Shui" (上善若水) – "The highest virtue is to be like water." What does this ancient wisdom mean for modern leadership? How can…
Frequently Asked Questions
'上善若水' Leadership and team development has published 20 episodes since March 2025, covering topics in Business.
'上善若水' Leadership and team development is currently declining with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 17m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for '上善若水' Leadership and team development, including email and social media links.
