00:00
Hola. I'm Claudia Romo Edelman and I'm Cynthia Clio Milner.
00:03
And this is a podcast,
00:04
a La Latina, the playbook to succeed being your authentic self
00:08
today, an incredible guest,
00:09
Monica Bauer Pepsico's Global Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer.
00:13
And in this episode,
00:14
you're gonna get three key takeaways.
00:17
Number one, learn the playbook on how to become powerful,
00:20
how to embrace your own power and never give it away.
00:23
Number two, she gave us the D Os and Don's on
00:25
self promotion and how to make it work on your behalf.
00:28
And number three, the power of supporting each other because empowered
00:32
Latinas need to empower Latinas this and more in this episode of
00:36
A La Latina, we've been discussing how important it is for
00:47
Latinas to generate wealth,
00:49
particularly because we understand that only 33% of Latinas have retirement income
00:54
from savings or other assets.
00:56
So how can your company help in this equation?
00:59
Well, we have several options for saving and investing accounts.
01:02
The one for beginners,
01:04
if you are a beginner is our fully managed investing product,
01:08
this is perfect for those who want to set it and forget
01:11
it. You and select the risk level and even choose the
01:14
type of companies you can invest in.
01:16
That's amazing. So what is the minimum needed to open an
01:19
account? $1? You just need $1 no excuses.
01:24
The earlier you begin to invest,
01:25
the sooner you will start seeing returns for your investment.
01:28
So how can people get started?
01:30
Simply download the money Lion app and open a managed investment account
01:34
It's quick. It takes just a few minutes.
01:37
Perfect. Let's do it today.
01:39
An incredible guest Monica Bauer Monica is Pepsico's Global Chief Diversity Equity
01:45
and Inclusion Officer. She serves on the board for Chicas Poderosa
01:48
an organization dedicated to advocating for women representation and gender equality
01:55
It's such an honor to have you here with us today in
01:58
the podcast. Incredible.
01:59
Thank. Thank you so much.
02:00
No, Gracias a thank you so much,
02:03
Cynthia. It thrilled to be here.
02:05
I am obsessed by the fact that a Mexican is in the
02:08
position that you are and we want to know how you got
02:10
there. And you mentioned before the camera started rolling that your
02:13
mom was a big influence.
02:15
So can we go back to where you grew up and who
02:18
were the big influences in your life?
02:20
So Mexican all the way Mom Mexican,
02:24
my dad born in Argentina,
02:27
but always lived in Mexico.
02:28
So very, very rooted in Mexico.
02:31
I have a twin brother.
02:32
So 100% Mexican. No,
02:34
no, 100% Mexican husband Mexican Children,
02:41
I lived in Mexico with maybe like a little bit of a
02:45
unique family. My mom is a psychiatrist.
02:49
many years ago I think,
02:50
I mean, her graduation picture is whatever,
02:53
like 150 men and two women.
02:55
So hard working my dad,
02:58
you know, comes from the scientific background.
03:00
So I would say very grounded,
03:02
like a family, very grounded on meritocracy as a value.
03:07
maybe I was thinking on my way here given that I have
03:10
a twin brother, there's a little bit always of like organic
03:14
competition, you know,
03:15
to thrive. So maybe that also was part of it.
03:21
that guy is a rock star,
03:23
you know, he's very,
03:24
very smart. And so tell us a little bit more
03:27
So Mexican all the way through with a psychiatrist,
03:30
mother, a scientific dad,
03:32
a twin brother studied in Mexico.
03:34
Then what happened? Yeah,
03:36
studied in Mexico international Relations and then went to Spain to
03:42
study an MBA I in Madrid Institute.
03:47
But yes, lived in Mexico since I was born until three
03:50
years ago. And we moved to the US as a family
03:54
I'm very passionate about making an impact and about philanthropy.
03:59
So that's actually my first job was in an NGO to support
04:03
Children with cancer. Casa la mia Baros con cancer.
04:06
So it was the most inspiring job ever.
04:09
And that's where I started engaging with Pepsico because Pepsico was a
04:15
big partner to the organization.
04:16
So they eventually invited me to join the,
04:19
at that point, it was Sabritas,
04:21
the Cabrita Foundation, you know,
04:23
our, our snacks brand in Mexico.
04:27
And I thought it was going to be very interesting to see
04:30
the other side of the coin,
04:31
right? So one thing is to raise funds,
04:33
the other one is to give funds from a corporate foundation.
04:36
So that's, that's how I joined.
04:38
But you know, back to the to family.
04:42
my friends from Mexico,
04:44
typical Mexican family with cousins with aunts with,
04:48
all all the, all the gang.
04:50
So you you went from the foundation or from the non profit
04:54
to Pepsi and then have two Pepsi foundation found from the foundation
04:59
to to foundation and then to the business.
05:02
Yes, it was interesting because I mean,
05:03
I really, I started international relations way more thinking about diplomacy
05:08
like my friend here.
05:10
But you know, once I joined the company again,
05:12
it was initially a little bit of the extended,
05:15
it was the philanthropic arm of the corporation.
05:18
But then I really started enjoying the company,
05:21
the culture and I also understood kind of the the level of
05:25
impact you can make from the private sector,
05:28
especially given, you know,
05:29
such a large company that operates in,
05:32
you know, such a robust supply chain.
05:36
I studied my MB A because I,
05:38
I joined Pepsico, then went abroad to study the MBA I
05:41
and came right back.
05:43
and then stayed for almost 20 years.
05:46
So how was the transition?
05:48
I'm just curious about the transition of,
05:50
you know, like categories and sectors for you.
05:53
There's a huge trend and at least it was in the last
05:58
20 years of going from private to non for profit people looking
06:01
for more purpose. How was the other way around?
06:03
Like actually purpose to corporate and more?
06:07
that's an interesting question.
06:10
this was many years ago and I don't,
06:13
I think the the sector,
06:15
the philanthropic sector at that time in Mexico wasn't as evolved as
06:20
it was now. So it had,
06:21
I mean, this organization had,
06:23
you know, a very robust group of volunteers,
06:26
but more from a professional perspective,
06:29
I thought there could be potential elsewhere.
06:31
Again, I wasn't looking for the move but since it
06:34
came drastic difference, just imagine from a small NGO to,
06:39
you know, accompany this size.
06:40
But I think it was still smooth because my entry point was
06:46
the foundation that was,
06:47
it's still small, you know,
06:48
so it was a small team,
06:50
you could really make an impact,
06:51
very close relationship with all those NGO S and then slowly going
06:58
you know, the functional and the corporate work.
07:00
I think so imperative for Latinos and Latinas particularly to get involved
07:07
with non for profits.
07:10
we receive only 2% of all the philanthropic money that is out
07:13
there. So Latino organizations are not there if you struggle
07:17
so much to get into a good college and so on,
07:20
the first choice you wanna have is I wanna make money for
07:22
my family. So you don't go into the non for profit
07:24
sector and you don't get involved.
07:26
So I would love to see how do we make it more
07:29
appealing for Latinos to be non for profit boards?
07:33
to make sure that you're pulling your companies towards being involved
07:37
with non for profits that are helping your community.
07:40
Because I think that there's a lot of what you just said
07:43
about the sizes and the that gives you leadership opportunities that gives
07:47
you a network, let alone,
07:48
I mean, like helping the community is like,
07:50
it's, it's all about like what you're learning these experiences.
07:53
And for me transitioning from a big organiz organization,
07:56
like big sort of like international organization,
07:59
like the UN to small not for profit.
08:01
It's helped me to learn so much more about,
08:05
you know, like a new sector as well.
08:07
I think there's benefit of course,
08:10
of, of but more than,
08:11
you know, the benefits you mentioned,
08:13
networking, leadership skills.
08:15
I think we should also feel,
08:18
you know, responsible and accountable for we,
08:22
we are privileged, you know,
08:23
let's make an impact,
08:24
let's give back, let's make sure that,
08:26
you know, we use and leverage our skills to bring others
08:30
along the way. So I think it's,
08:32
I think it's less ingrained in the Latino community,
08:36
especially those of us who grew up outside of the US,
08:40
this idea of volunteering and giving back to even your own institutions
08:45
I don't think it's as ingrained as in the US.
08:47
when I came for my MB A,
08:50
I realized that you could volunteer to be class president or class
08:53
whatever. And then while you were there,
08:54
you could be part of a society or I,
08:56
I became part of the Latin American Society in Mexico.
09:00
I didn't have that option.
09:01
And that's almost like how you start getting these leadership opportunities that
09:06
then when you go to work you have.
09:09
Exactly. And I wish that was more ingrained in,
09:11
in our country, but we're coming to maturity.
09:13
And I think that it's gonna be interesting right now to learn
09:16
from other communities. We're doing a lot of efforts to bring
09:19
Latinos and Jewish leaders to learn from each other.
09:21
But it is like at the end of the day,
09:23
you're in vibing and then try to grow and then when you
09:26
thrive is when you start giving back,
09:28
and Latinos are thriving right now.
09:30
So I think that we're gonna start we're gonna start
09:33
seeing more of that giving my back mentality.
09:36
I wanna just touch another top on another topic that you just
09:39
mentioned because I get this question a lot from mentees.
09:43
And I think it's important to explain the path my perspective and
09:47
what you said confirms it.
09:49
But tell me if you've seen a different trend is that you
09:51
can either change function or company.
09:55
So when people say I'm not happy in what I do,
09:58
they're like, I'm just gonna go and try to find a
09:59
job in a different company in a function.
10:01
I've never done. I think that's a really tall order.
10:05
But if you, what you did is you stayed on the
10:08
nonprofit side or, or on the helping other side,
10:12
but you went to the private sector and then within the private
10:16
sector later, you changed your function.
10:19
So what I try to tell thesis if you don't like what
10:23
try to get another job in your same company because you've already
10:26
built a reputation, you understand how the company works or take
10:30
another job doing the same thing you do in a different company
10:34
and it sounds basic,
10:35
but it's not that you're right.
10:37
I mean, I wouldn't suggest to just say,
10:40
ok, now I want to start from scratch like different sector
10:43
different company. I think what you're mentioning it,
10:46
you know, try to get a little bit of a smooth
10:49
transition, at least partially.
10:51
So it's either the same company doing something different or it's doing
10:54
the same. But within a different company,
10:58
it's a little bit unique,
10:59
but it was a great path because same passion brought into the
11:03
you know, into the private sector.
11:05
once I understood that sector a little bit better,
11:08
I was able to broaden my scope because I still,
11:11
I was still accountable for the foundation but then expanded my remit
11:16
corporate affairs. Let's take a moment to recognize that you a
11:20
Latina are leading global diversity,
11:23
equity and inclusion for one of the largest companies in the world
11:27
How did you do that from the non for profit where
11:30
you were in Mexico to where you are today?
11:32
What decisions did you take?
11:34
Who helped you? What were the past?
11:36
how did this happen to be?
11:39
I thank you and congrats,
11:40
by the way, we are like,
11:42
it, it's impressive.
11:43
I think you're very humble,
11:44
which is very Latina,
11:45
but you're a rock star and we wanna know what the making
11:49
How did you get there?
11:51
first, I think a lot of support and the network
11:56
because otherwise, you know,
11:57
I mean, I don't know if it happened to you,
11:59
but whilst growing up and growing in my career,
12:03
I, I always had this piece of,
12:05
I always tell my dad,
12:06
you, you, this was fully about meritocracy and study and
12:10
you know, your MB A and I'm like,
12:12
you forgot to tell me that I had to get married,
12:14
you know, at some point it was like,
12:17
I remember when I came back from my MB A and I
12:20
I gave him the title.
12:23
now your phd, I was like,
12:27
Right. So it was almost like more and more.
12:30
But that network that support from the family meant a lot
12:34
marry the right guy.
12:36
Like seriously, it sounds,
12:37
but it's very important,
12:39
especially, you know,
12:39
if in parallel, you want to have a family,
12:41
unless you have a partner that believes in what you're doing and
12:46
wants to share accountabilities and responsibilities at home.
12:50
I think it's going to be very challenging and then I guess
12:53
a couple of things that help.
12:55
So first, the company,
12:57
I mean, I have to really be always very grateful for
13:01
Pepsico because I've heard and again,
13:03
this is Mexico. I'm talking about many,
13:05
many colleagues, many,
13:07
many female leaders who,
13:09
who struggled, who really were had significant events in their work
13:16
discrimination on. I did not,
13:19
you know, I worked for a company where you could really
13:22
thrive as a woman so that I think was part of the
13:25
formula. Very good mentors.
13:27
Of course, how did you find the mentors?
13:30
I mean, Pepsico has some formal ways of mentorship but then
13:35
eventually I understood that even if there wasn't a formal moment there
13:39
I really needed some guidance according to where I was to
13:42
the challenges and the opportunities,
13:44
the momentum of my career.
13:45
So I proactively look for people to say,
13:49
I see that you could help me because of this or that
13:52
And I need guidance and no one ever said no.
13:54
And I've had very good mentors.
13:56
I also had a very good coach during difficult times,
13:59
Marty Salman, who is actually one of the co-author of our
14:03
women empowerment books. And I have to say that I have
14:06
a before and after mark in my darkest moments,
14:10
you know, he was really critical to help me understand what
14:13
was going on and you flip the coin and move forward.
14:17
And finally, I would say that a mantra that I've always
14:20
had and it has been very intentional because personally,
14:25
I'm very risk averse.
14:26
So it's not like let's go for it.
14:29
I have a mantra that I always share that it's,
14:32
you will always regret more what you didn't do than what you
14:36
did. So every time I was like in,
14:39
in, in some kind of critical decision of,
14:41
do I wanna move forward?
14:42
This is a regional rule.
14:44
This implies travel. You have a one year old,
14:47
you're changing diapers. Do you go for it or not?
14:50
I was always, of course,
14:52
together making the decision with my husband like,
14:55
You will always regret more than what if,
14:57
how would that have looked like,
15:02
it works. If it doesn't,
15:03
it doesn't. And that helped me,
15:04
you know, kind of cut and go for it and especially
15:08
make that those critical moves in my career.
15:11
But especially the one that was moving to the US because I
15:15
mean, without moving to the US,
15:16
probably I wouldn't have this role,
15:17
which is something I would like to learn more.
15:20
But just to say it is really important,
15:23
what you said is take risk the power of yes,
15:26
be proactive in looking for mentors totally and ask for what you
15:31
want, not only technically but also to help,
15:36
we haven't talked about code.
15:38
So I don't, I don't wanna like derail the entire conversation
15:41
but I want to talk a little bit about like,
15:43
how do you get a coach?
15:45
Did your company pay for it?
15:46
What is the difference between having a coach and having a mentor
15:50
I mean, I would say a mentor is someone who
15:52
would probably more at a high level,
15:55
help you with knowledge,
15:57
help you with guidance,
15:58
do a little bit of a camera tip because you know,
16:00
probably a mentor will be close to seeing you interact in your
16:05
business environment. A coach,
16:07
it offers something way more structured and with a lot of technical
16:11
formulas on how to support development of skills,
16:15
mapping, derailers, tackle derailers.
16:18
So I've had a couple but Marty in particular came to my
16:22
life thanks to Pepsico because I I did have some things
16:27
that were off. So they offered me this coaching opportunity
16:31
and it was difficult.
16:33
The first I remember the,
16:34
you know, the first session was,
16:36
you know, a two day immersion and Yeah.
16:42
I cried during the night because it gets back.
16:45
I mean, a good coaching gets back to what is it
16:48
you know, why are you acting like that?
16:50
Why does this feel so personal?
16:53
So it gets personal,
16:54
more like therapy, it is like fast track therapy but literally
16:58
before and after. So I mean,
17:01
I think that sometimes you can get the support and sometimes it
17:07
gets funded. But II I would say that it's one of
17:11
the best investments that you can make.
17:13
And so I think that the message for our audience is ask
17:17
your company for a coach and if they don't have it,
17:20
consider investment, consider an investment,
17:22
but find a good coach,
17:23
not every like like do due diligence about like who can coach
17:27
you and who doesn't depending on what you need?
17:30
I think people don't talk enough about how probably most successful executives
17:35
have a coach. I want to talk about two things.
17:37
The first one is your move and what is it,
17:40
you know, like about maybe we talk about on identity later
17:43
with Latinos about like what is the difference between working in Latin
17:46
America and working in the US?
17:48
But you also said that your coach was one of your co
17:52
authors and the co authors of two incredible books that I would
17:56
like to make sure that everyone in our audience reads particularly
18:00
because it tackles something that is so important for Latina so important
18:04
for our community. And that is such a taboo,
18:06
which is power, talk to us about these books,
18:09
writing the books. How did writing a book elevated you and
18:13
allowed you to have a better platform?
18:15
And also what is the subject of the book?
18:17
Why is power so important for Latinas and what's stopping us from
18:21
taking it? We wrote the books,
18:22
the co authors are Marty Zelman,
18:26
our coach because it was also Paula Santilli coach who's
18:30
the other co-author Pepsico,
18:31
Latin America CEO. And you know,
18:35
we, we just as Marty was coaching us,
18:39
of course, individually and d and at different times,
18:41
we kind of saw this opportunity of,
18:43
there are, there are some nuances of,
18:46
you know, La Latin American women and coaching simply because of
18:51
some of the cultural values that are embedded.
18:53
And one of the most important ones was exactly the one you
18:56
mentioned Claudia that is the relationship with power.
19:00
I personally, you know,
19:02
ended up with Marty because I started giving away my power and
19:07
what I want to mention that because sometimes we might think that
19:10
I mean, you've worked in the corporate world forever and
19:13
you probably feel very comfortable with power.
19:15
You might feel comfortable for a while and then something happens,
19:19
you have a very different boss,
19:21
it's a different personal circumstance.
19:23
And then suddenly you can start feeling very uncomfortable with power.
19:26
So it's not necessarily linear and you will always feel comfortable or
19:31
once we decided to write the books,
19:34
the main component, the main topic was power because we understood
19:39
that many Latin American women sometimes have even a negative conception of
19:46
power as coercive power as authority and not power as what it
19:53
you know, the most the strongest piece of influence that you
20:02
you know, the book came to life.
20:04
It, it addresses the relevance of power and then networking,
20:08
self promotion and 1/4 1.
20:10
And it's also very important that it's self care from networking,
20:14
self promotion and self care and power for power.
20:19
I mean, we separate the topics.
20:21
But yeah, everything at the end is related to power.
20:24
I mean, I think the core component is how do you
20:28
get comfortable using your power?
20:31
How do you spend time and understand how relevant it is to
20:35
understand the power dynamic of an organization?
20:38
If I mean, if you don't know what's happening and by
20:41
power and power dynamics,
20:43
it's not what's written on the walls.
20:47
you know, informal dynamic,
20:49
what is relevant for what leader and understanding that power dynamic.
20:54
It's the only way that you will know how to play with
20:57
your power. The second component is,
20:59
do I feel comfortable using my power or do I have such
21:05
a high need of approval that I'm giving it away?
21:08
I mean, that's what happened to me.
21:09
And again, I always felt comfortable until I got a different
21:13
job. It was this regional role,
21:15
very demanding, very demanding boss.
21:18
I then when I think back,
21:22
I mean, really with all this family pressure that I was
21:26
putting on myself, like I have two little kids,
21:28
I have to make sure that you know,
21:30
I manage at home whilst also managing this new challenge and all
21:35
of it somehow pushed myself into completely new heights of levels of
21:41
approval. I need to be approved.
21:43
I need to be approved.
21:44
And the more I needed approval,
21:46
the more people know that if they say yes,
21:50
you'll be happy, they say no,
21:51
you'll be upset. And that means exactly giving your power away
21:55
It's a huge derailer.
21:56
So I mean, that's that's kind of what we tackle
22:00
final part of my answer on what did you learn?
22:03
writing the books first because we interviewed women all across Latin America
22:09
then globally, you know,
22:11
partners, colleagues at Pepsico.
22:13
And we understood that there's this very powerful formula of,
22:17
you know, someone who really wants to take leadership forward.
22:20
And then yes, the support you need with some kind of
22:24
ecosystem, meaning a mentor,
22:26
a sponsorship training, whatever that looks like a network to support
22:32
you know, go out there and thrive and learning from those
22:35
women was amazing and then making sure that we use the book
22:39
to network with other women and support them.
22:42
We launched the book a week before the pandemic hit.
22:46
So we had this plan of,
22:48
you know, the road show in Latin America with a book
22:52
of course called off.
22:54
But then we translated that into a lot of virtual meetings with
23:01
I mean, women went through a lot through the pandemic.
23:04
So no understanding that you could help or offer some guidance and
23:09
that it could make an impact was,
23:11
you know, very inspiring.
23:12
There's nothing that I think I would like more for Latinas to
23:19
embrace and be taught and power and influence.
23:24
We literally don't have it in our dictionaries at home.
23:28
We don't teach our kids to be powerful.
23:31
We teach our kids to be or either not even Calla Tevez
23:34
Mas Bonita. I think that we're getting over that.
23:36
But it is a little bit of,
23:38
you know, like family and social first collective.
23:41
And then there's something that if you don't pay attention to the
23:44
individual, then it gets diluted.
23:47
I, I went to Jesse Jackson's church one Saturday some years
23:53
ago when I moved to America and I,
23:55
the first thing that he said is like,
23:57
look at the Children were taught to shout,
24:05
I'm powerful. I'm strong.
24:06
And they were like four year olds just shouting and shouting and
24:09
shouting. And I was like,
24:10
why do they do that?
24:11
But then I was like,
24:12
holy cow, we don't have that ever.
24:14
I have ever been told,
24:16
please shout out you're strong or you're powerful and like that little
24:21
detail led me to believe that in some instances we do so
24:25
much of the self censorship and so much of the imposter syndrome
24:28
because we just don't want to be powerful because we're scared as
24:31
well to lose our families,
24:33
to be evil and ugly.
24:35
And because we don't have powerful role models that are nice and
24:40
again, the concept is power needs a serious marketing effort.
24:44
You know, because with women it's still in some cases it
24:47
seems, yeah, I mean,
24:49
she's powerful, then she's gonna be again and she's gonna be
24:53
nasty. So, so that concept of power as a vehicle
24:57
of positive impact of empowering others needs to be way more embedded
25:03
since, since, since you're a kid,
25:06
I would like to thank you for sharing,
25:08
being vulnerable and sharing your story.
25:10
And I think that we need to learn not only how to
25:13
be powerful but how to detect when we're losing our power and
25:18
I mean, like there's nothing that,
25:20
you know, like I'm not shy about being like strong and
25:23
powerful and I don't,
25:23
I don't mind like III I grew up to believe that everything
25:27
is possible and I'm out there and so on.
25:30
But I had an experience even when I moved to the States
25:33
with someone who was my partner and was always undermining me.
25:39
But little by little telling me like,
25:41
oh, you don't know what you're doing.
25:42
Oh, you're like a non for profit.
25:43
You don't understand business and so on until you believe it.
25:46
And then I stopped actually being able to take decisions and think
25:50
rightly and you know,
25:52
like I was, was somehow co dependent of someone who probably
25:56
was just like a white man trying to take away my own
26:00
organization and power in order to be able to control me more
26:04
So I think that those are the kind of things where
26:06
books like yours and having experiences where we're starting to talk about
26:11
power and embrace power are so powerful,
26:13
not only to embrace it,
26:14
but also to detect when you're,
26:16
you know, like when you have forces outside totally,
26:18
I mean, you need to learn how to detect if someone
26:22
is trying to get away your take away your power or if
26:26
someone is literally trying to minimize you and the earlier you do
26:31
it, the faster you'll be able to do something about it
26:35
I mean, what you said,
26:36
I think it's very real,
26:37
especially when you're surrounded by people who are narcissists,
26:41
narcissists organically will want to take the power away,
26:49
you know, politically.
26:51
And if you're just lost there,
26:53
you're gonna give it away and it's gonna be a huge loss
26:57
So the last question about power,
26:58
I promise you. But so you wrote this book with Paula
27:01
two incredibly powerful women in Pepsico.
27:04
So what would you like to see Latinas do and,
27:08
and as a result of your books and what you're doing,
27:11
how would you like to see Latinas being powerful in Pepsico?
27:15
I mean, and everywhere,
27:16
I think we would love to see women grow and make sure
27:23
that while they grow and they are more empowered,
27:27
they empower others. I mean,
27:29
we have these T shirts and we got them.
27:31
I mean, we were all very romantic and excited about the
27:35
book that say empowered women should empower women.
27:38
And we always, when we give workshops,
27:41
et cetera, that's a call to action.
27:42
I mean, it's not only for you the only way to
27:45
really make this into a structural and systemic change.
27:50
If it at some point once you have that power and you're
27:54
feeling comfortable using it you open it systemically and empower others and
27:59
empowering means, maybe in your space in your function,
28:03
in whatever you do for your community,
28:05
you know, it's not something high level,
28:07
it's really actionable in your space.
28:13
how can you push for better mentorship programs?
28:16
How can you actively formalize a network?
28:19
let's all make sure that we play our part.
28:22
I, we haven't talked about power in.
28:25
I don't know how many episodes we've recorded of 2526.
28:29
This is the first time the topic comes up.
28:31
So thank you for writing the book and thank you for talking
28:34
the other topic that we were gonna talk about which we
28:38
have touched on, but I know it's a passion of yours
28:40
it's self promotion.
28:42
So can you tell our audience?
28:44
I mean, we all know how important it is.
28:45
But can you give them the playbook on how to do self
28:48
promotion first? I mean,
28:50
I would mention that and Claudia,
28:52
Claudia said it, you know,
28:53
call Aita Tevez Mas Bonita.
28:54
There's also that, you know,
28:56
cultural heritage that we have in some cases.
28:59
Again, I won't generalize.
29:00
But in some, in many cases in Latin America,
29:03
the value of a woman is,
29:06
you know, be humble,
29:07
never speak about yourself because then it looks like,
29:13
oh my God, you know,
29:14
you're just there chatty about no,
29:16
no, no, don't just wait to be called,
29:19
so don't speak until they ask you to.
29:22
So that will never play in corporate America.
29:26
I mean, the playbook,
29:28
first understand that unless you are vocal about what you want and
29:36
about your skills, not necessarily anyone else will do it.
29:40
I mean, usually the rule is whenever any,
29:43
I mean, a group is speaking about your careers,
29:46
you will not be in the room.
29:50
you know, whoever needs to know where you wanna go and
29:54
why you're suited and you're,
29:56
you're ready for that role that everyone knows it.
29:59
Second is, you know,
30:01
understand that if you don't do it,
30:03
someone else will, many people are really good at self promotion
30:06
So unless you work on that skill,
30:08
you're completely putting yourself in disadvantage and,
30:12
and writing, it really helps,
30:14
you know, kind of because I think there's a big difference
30:17
between self promotion and adulation.
30:23
it's really, it's really about OK,
30:27
these are the skills that I manage.
30:30
This is the experience I have these skills in my previous role
30:35
yielded these results.
30:37
So once you write it,
30:38
it's way easier to talk about because they're facts.
30:42
You're not talking subjectively about,
30:47
I manage these skills.
30:49
Once I implement it,
30:50
these were the results and that's no way,
30:55
So write it, make sure that whatever you write,
30:58
makes you feel comfortable.
31:00
And then finally connected to it is make sure that you make
31:03
the network, create the network so that people who need to
31:07
know where you want to go are there whenever a decision will
31:12
be made. And I would just say because you asked that
31:14
first initially, probably I wasn't good at self.
31:18
Actually, I didn't even think about self promotion earlier in my
31:21
I was just waiting for anything to happen,
31:25
working, working, working and waiting.
31:30
I mean, you really need to be more intentional and that's
31:33
where I started raising my hand.
31:35
And probably my move to the US was about that speaking to
31:40
the right people. First,
31:42
of course, at that point,
31:43
Paula, who was my manager.
31:45
But then understanding, OK,
31:46
if you want to move to the US,
31:48
who are key stakeholders that could help you drive that change and
31:54
speak to each one of them,
31:55
make sure you have your elevator speech.
31:58
But that whatever you say,
32:00
it's grounded on results because then it really feels organic.
32:04
So it's organic, but it was very strategic.
32:08
It sounds like you had like a map of who you needed
32:11
to talk to and and also the network.
32:13
I really like, like if you put it this way,
32:17
you, you wrote a book with your manager.
32:20
So it's possible to partner with your manager,
32:22
not only to, you know,
32:24
follow your manager partner with your manager and I'm sure she supported
32:28
you into getting into a different role so that there's now two
32:31
Mexican incredible Latinas leading incredible areas of Pepsico.
32:36
And that's how you apply also the network,
32:38
not only the self promotion but the network of supporting each other
32:42
it's critical, I mean,
32:44
Paula always says it,
32:45
you know, that sometimes some women,
32:48
you know, have their career goals as their best kept secret
32:52
And once a role comes up and someone else is appointed
32:56
and they say I wanted that role,
32:58
the the the the real and genuine answer from the manager or
33:01
it's like we never knew,
33:03
we never imagined that you actually were wanted to move,
33:06
that you would like to explore this and that.
33:08
So I mean, it's not only one person,
33:11
let's make sure that you create your strategic network and that you
33:14
share your career aspirations and why you're ready for whatever.
33:20
the final one is you will never be ready,
33:23
you know. So sometimes also we as some not general,
33:27
but some women are no,
33:29
I mean, I couldn't ever apply because I don't have this
33:31
part of the experience.
33:33
I mean, progress of our perfection.
33:36
I mean, no one else is because they will be there
33:38
any otherwise. So it's more about OK,
33:41
these are the areas that I still don't manage or,
33:45
but I have these skills that will help me learn,
33:49
that will help me get there,
33:50
you know, and plus I have these others that will balance
33:53
that et cetera. So try to find a good,
33:56
you know, elevator pitch because it makes a difference.
33:59
I would love to talk to you about identity and how from
34:02
your perspective, how was it different to work in Latin America
34:07
once you become a Latina like a Hispanic and belong
34:11
to this group and then see how was it in your experience
34:15
and personal experience, but also in your corporate role.
34:18
How do you see Latinidad being a,
34:22
like a, a pro a con what are the areas biases
34:26
and stereotypes? When did you have to dial down?
34:30
Yeah. Good question.
34:31
So I thought it was going to be quote unquote easier because
34:36
you know, I transferred from Pepsico,
34:38
Latin America to Pepsico US.
34:40
So it's not like it was a different company.
34:43
Super, super familiar to the US,
34:46
you know, if you're Mexican.
34:48
So even as a family,
34:50
I mean, it's going to be and it's not,
34:52
it's not easy, you know,
34:53
it's not easy. It's a big,
34:56
at least it was for us.
34:58
And I think you're right,
35:00
Claudia, probably the bigger difference is the,
35:04
you know, the culture from being one Mexican again.
35:10
speaking your language with the same shared experience and values,
35:15
you know, and do s and don't and behaviors to really
35:19
coming in and learning and being eyes wide open of the different
35:24
culture and whatever how,
35:26
what you say impacts and it's interpreted versus what probably you mean
35:30
right. What has played,
35:34
I think people now are looking for more vulnerable leaders and sometimes
35:42
I think Latinos are more willing to be outspoken and show vulnerability
35:49
so that probably has,
35:51
has helped then the con and maybe it's,
35:54
it's not, it's maybe more of my own thing.
36:00
not vulnerable, I'm very emotional,
36:03
seriously, emotional, all the bad things,
36:05
you know, the crying,
36:07
the so that that doesn't help,
36:09
you know, that doesn't help anywhere.
36:11
But especially I think in this culture,
36:16
what's happening? Right.
36:17
So just trying to manage emotions is something that I've
36:21
had to learn. And how are you adjusting to the culture
36:24
here? Do you have a coach?
36:26
Do you have a mentor?
36:27
Because there's, there's very pragmatic things that are done differently,
36:30
right? Like from the way that presentations,
36:33
like the lay out of your decks to what's explicit in
36:37
your communication versus what's implicit,
36:40
how you in relationships in Latin America is very casual.
36:42
Like we invite each other to our homes and we introduce each
36:46
other to our family and that's how we build trust here.
36:49
It's like you build trust by delivering results and showing up on
36:52
time and outcomes. So do you have somebody teaching you?
36:55
I've, I've had support.
36:59
But I really reached out to a couple of leaders to
37:03
become my mentors. So that helped a lot to help me
37:07
navigate and adapt. But you know what I think in this
37:11
space, it's more important is make sure that you have a
37:14
network of people who are working closely to you that can give
37:18
you the camera check.
37:21
you know, this cultural disconnects happen whilst you're engaging whilst you're
37:26
saying something and you know,
37:28
maybe the receiver is not understanding what you meant.
37:31
So someone who's out there saying,
37:33
you know, this came across as not exactly what you meant
37:37
helps you on a day to day,
37:41
so those are things that have helped.
37:44
I'm of course still learning,
37:45
but I think that's excellent.
37:46
Like if you, if you join a company and there's a
37:49
of people that you can trust,
37:50
maybe tell them, hey,
37:52
we're going into this meeting,
37:53
like if you ever see me saying something that sounds odd or
37:56
that, that I overreacted whatever give me feedback immediately,
38:00
right? So they can help you.
38:02
The immediate feedback is the best way forward,
38:04
you know, because the formality of every six months,
38:07
every then you know,
38:08
it's done. If it's like real time this just happened.
38:13
It's, it's, it's easier to learn,
38:16
but it's also easier to correct.
38:18
I do want to ask you have incredible role over saying
38:22
you know, like so many of a culture and
38:24
you happen to be a Latina and we're so proud of you
38:27
And so we like flipping the script as a,
38:30
as a text where we know there are many values,
38:36
cultural nuances that Latinos particularly Latinas would bring to the table that
38:42
somehow because of unconscious biases have been misunderstood as negative assets or
38:48
as you know, lower assets as opposed to positive assets.
38:51
One of them is accent where people think that you are less
38:55
intelligent because you have an accent where we have to flip the
38:57
script to make people understand.
38:59
It's actually the contrary,
39:00
you are bicultural bilingual,
39:02
therefore you have better negotiation skills and others.
39:05
Is there anything that you think are cultural Latino values that you
39:10
have seen either in your company and others where you wish there
39:14
would be a corporate flip like a flip the script so that
39:17
those Latino values could be seen as actually very positive.
39:21
You said vulnerability normally seen as negative,
39:24
but actually when you're vulnerable,
39:26
you open it like maybe in the most,
39:28
that's probably the the one.
39:29
But I would say it's,
39:31
it's it has a flip side,
39:33
right? Because I mean,
39:34
it's not only vulnerability,
39:37
the leadership style, sometimes can help influence more,
39:41
sometimes can help bring others with you.
39:43
So I think there's this flip side of,
39:46
you know, there's hierarchy,
39:47
but then there's you know,
39:50
more of a like joint leadership style and that sometimes it's very
39:58
from a leadership component.
39:59
That's the one I would mention the other one.
40:01
It's more like the case for.
40:04
It's something that we really highlight in the books because the hypothesis
40:07
of the books, especially the first one in Latin America is
40:11
women can really make a difference in the development of Latin America
40:17
And it's not only the,
40:19
of course, more people entering the workforce means an increase in
40:22
GDP. It's women in Latin America who were always,
40:30
I mean, are very disciplined,
40:31
you know, they were,
40:33
they're hard workers that comes from a value that could be misunderstood
40:39
I mean, women are hard working,
40:40
women are disciplined. Women are caregivers.
40:43
All of that when you translate into the workplace,
40:46
I mean, places and we have the data,
40:49
you know, where women work,
40:50
it's just, you know,
40:51
productivity levels go up,
40:53
absenteeism goes down, organizational health surveys,
40:56
go go up. But then if you think about more of
40:58
the macro case, it's not only the GDP is how that
41:02
money is spent because in Latin America again,
41:05
money in the hands of women goes back,
41:08
over 90% of the money goes back to the household as food
41:12
medicine, clothing, education.
41:16
So I think there's also an important case for understanding how that
41:20
Latinidad in women place as a big asset for,
41:25
for the workforce. I love.
41:27
However, that phrase that you said and I hope that you
41:31
allow me to coin it in the work that we do
41:34
But empower Latinas need to empower Latinas.
41:38
So you are getting and you're giving back immediately.
41:42
That's a cultural shift that we need to do so that we
41:45
can elevate each other and be with each other.
41:49
And one of our last questions that we always ask is,
41:53
what would you tell Monica Bauer when she was 30 years old
41:57
What advice would you give her if you could go back
41:59
in time? Enjoy more.
42:02
You know, personally,
42:03
as I mentioned, I'm very risk averse.
42:05
I'm a little bit of a control freak.
42:07
I'm always thinking about the what if and no,
42:10
enjoy, enjoy the ride.
42:11
It's going to be fine.
42:12
You know, that is an exercise I try to do on
42:15
my coach as you know,
42:17
help me just let the anguish go away,
42:22
just do this exercise,
42:23
what he calls the what if exercise?
42:25
No, but what if that happens and then you go down
42:29
the chain of consequences and you realize that it's actually not that
42:34
So I would say enjoy,
42:37
enjoy the ride even more and take risks because that's what life's
42:43
I mean, taking risk is what will make a bigger impact
42:46
Did you tell her to say this?
42:49
Ok. And who else should we elevate in this podcast?
42:54
And should we bring,
42:56
you should bring Paula Santilli for sure.
42:59
it's a dear friend of mine,
43:00
as I was mentioning,
43:01
she's a Pepsico Latin America CEO.
43:04
But I think that another,
43:07
I mean, than being AAA,
43:10
great leader and an amazing human being.
43:13
I think what Paula has brought to Latin America,
43:15
it's a continuous commitment of,
43:18
you know, growing the business in a way that permanently spurs
43:23
social and economic growth.
43:25
So if you think about a region that has such a large
43:29
bottom of the pyramid,
43:31
I think that's exactly the testament of empowered women,
43:34
empowering others because it's not only women in this case,
43:37
it's community. So you'll enjoy having a chat with her.
43:40
We love that Monica,
43:42
what an honor to have you here.
43:43
Were you really brought to the table topics that we haven't heard
43:47
I can't wait to review this and to make the snippet for
43:51
social media and relive this conversation.
43:53
It was excellent. Thank you.
43:55
And just first, congratulations to you because this is,
43:57
I think a channel not much needed and hopefully inspiring and many
44:01
others. So thank you and congratulations.
44:03
And with leaders like Monica,
44:05
we're gonna be able to lead and succeed La Latina
Series