Jane Hyun

Global Leadership Strategist & Author: Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling & Flex

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Biography

Often called an “interpreter,” Jane Hyun is the leading authority for leveraging culture and diversity to drive business growth and innovation. She has keynoted in over 14 international locations including Munich, Bangkok, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Toronto, Seoul, Singapore, Doha Qatar, London, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Shanghai. Her speaking style is described as: “Immediately engaging, provides rich insights in a dynamic, approachable way.” Read More >

A trusted coach to global Fortune 500 companies, she is an internationally recognized expert in cross-cultural effectiveness, the practice of inclusion, and talent engagement. Over the past 20+ years, she has helped close the culture gap for Asian professionals inside global companies such as PepsiCo, Merck, and Ernst & Young.

She has guided post-merger-integration teams, created onboarding strategies for a variety of sectors, including financial services/banking/investment management, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, sports/entertainment, retail, technology, and consumer products.

Jane is the author of the groundbreaking book Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians, and co-author of Flex: The New Playbook for Managing Across Differences, which examines the art of using different leadership styles to more effectively leverage differences and drive innovation. In April 2024, Berrett-Koehler is releasing Jane’s third book: Leadership Toolkit for Asians: The Definitive Resource Guide For Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling. Her work is featured on CNN, CNBC, NPR, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Washington Post, the Economist, and Forbes among other platforms.

Jane has been an advisor to the Center for Talent Innovation (now Coqual) and American Heart Association Diversity Council. She served as research director for The Conference Board’s “Cultural Fluency: Leadership Styles in Asia” study. She is an advisor to Operation Exodus, a non-profit that provides academic mentoring to K-8th grade Latino youth in Washington Heights.

Jane is the recipient of the Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Award for the #1 Coach for Cultural Fluency. She is passionate about helping individuals realize their fullest potential in the workplace and in their communities. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

Teamwork in the Global Workplace

Bamboo Ceiling

Speech Topics

Flex: Strategies for Communicating in a Global Workforce

"Flexing" is the art of switching between communication/cultural styles to more effectively engage people who are different from you. While technology has connected us globally, it has made it more challenging for us to decipher cues and subtle nuances that we encounter daily. Our workplace requires individuals with increased agility who can tap into the diverse needs of their team members, managers, and colleagues. It is a must-have skill that can be developed. In this dynamic keynote, you will see the costs of not managing differences effectively, and more importantly, the rewards gained from “flexing” your approach to obtain better outcomes. These practical principles will inspire you to forge stronger relationships in work and life.

The Art of Cultural Fluency

Today’s connected marketplace and evolving workplace demographics demand more agility to navigate differences in motivations, preferences, and communication patterns. Culture profoundly impacts interpersonal dynamics in your teams, as well as high-stakes relationships you need to build with clients. To succeed, you need to crack the unwritten “code” for understanding cultural differences in business. This new navigational skill will enable you to excel in today’s complex, changing, and multicultural work environment. International bestselling author & executive coach Jane Hyun unpacks the skill of “cultural fluency” and teaches the principles for achieving high performance by bridging differences.

Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Unpacking Your Cultural Values

“You’re educated, motivated and ambitious. Sure, the hours are long, and corporate politics are a bane, but you focus on getting the job done, confident that you will be rewarded in the long run.” - Introduction to Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling, Hyun Read More >

Hyun shares her personal journey to Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling as well as introduces a framework for managing cultural differences in the workplace. Asian cultural values can be at odds with Western dominant corporate culture on many levels, resulting in a costly gap that individuals and companies need to bridge. Using real-life examples from her research on how Asian culture can be perceived in a dominant corporate culture, you will learn strategies for developing your own authentic leadership style…in a way that does not compromise your core cultural values. Read Less ^

Testimonials

"Jane was a pleasure to work with. She got the crowd engaged and many mentioned that they really enjoyed attending. She was more than gracious to sign books and take photos. Hopefully one day, we can have her back."

- Ebay

“The feedback we have received from employees and executives alike, who have attended any of Jane’s engagements have been overwhelmingly positive. She is an excellent trainer, speaker, and coach who while, being growth oriented and frank about stretching our comfort zones, conveys her message with genuine care. Her high energy presentation style is appropriate for any level of corporate audience.”

- Director of Global Leadership Development, PepsioCo

“Jane’s insights on cultural fluency helped bring focus to manager behavior that creates an inclusive work environment for our entire organization. Results include initiatives that foster a competitive business advantage.”

- Chief Diversity Officer, The Clorox Company

“We really appreciated how engaged and engaging you were—not just your stellar session, but with the entire event. It built on the day’s proceedings and included a perspective not often heard. Your exercise on feedback was referenced several times by participants the day after your session.”

- Director of Human Resources and Inclusive Talent Management Research, Conference Board of Canada

"Thank YOU for the excellence that you brought to both the keynote at CityClub and the second presentation to our Keybank executives in Cleveland. The programs were outstanding and several of our colleagues are still recounting some of your messages. You are a tremendous talent and a wonderful champion for inclusion."

- Corporate Diversity and Chair, Key Foundation

"We have heard fantastic feedback on the entire Asian Leadership event, but especially on Jane’s keynote address. The book signing went very well and we were so appreciative that Jane was able to sign books of everyone that was waiting in line. Our team is very pleased at the level of employee engagement and enthusiasm displayed throughout the two day event. Thank you so much for your help in coordinating Jane’s participation and logistics."

- General Mills