Oksana Kukurudza is a Ukrainian American author, speaker and management consultant who joins me from upstate New York to share her remarkable family history and her perspective on what’s happening today in Ukraine. We time-jump almost 100 years and yet many things remain or resonate for people who have already lived through unimaginable conflict, displacement and hardship.
We navigate through Oksana’s parents' journey from being slaves in Nazi Germany to finding a home in the USA. It's remarkable how their enduring spirit enabled them to overcome the challenges of poverty and insecurity. It serves as a reminder of the power of resilience and determination.This is a powerful interview, very deeply emotional, and it's one that we all need to be aware of. What happens in Ukraine affects all of us, our humanity, identity and autonomy.
The time for wise and compassionate leadership is NOW
Why you should listen: expanding your leadership worldview
Complex histories require leadership empathy
We explore leadership lessons we ignore at our peril
Future of leadership must learn from the past
How identity strengthens resolve and resilience
Leadership decisions that ripple across generations
Take action
Use the 3Cs: Care. Be Curious. Commit. Get outside of your own bunker and look around at what’s happening in the world.
Leadership tip: This week's tip is from my book People Stuff: Beyond Personality Problems An Advanced Handbook for Leadership and it’s all about leadership archetypes, some examples of which we see in the public eye and others which help us to lead better.
About Oksana Kukurudza
Oksana Kukurudza is a Ukrainian American author, speaker and management consultant born in Rochester, NY and currently living in New York City. She is a first generation American, born to Ukrainian immigrant parents and is the youngest of twelve siblings. Oksana has spent 21 years working at Accenture, of which the last 14 have been a Managing Director.
Oksana’s first book, Sunflowers Rarely Break, is inspired by the events of the Russo-Ukraine War and her own parents’ story of surviving slave camps of the Third Reich during WWII.
Find out more here: https://sunflowersrarelybreak.com/
Key moments
Planet human: [00:00:29] A very cool innovation in the Middle East where it is very hot are urban forests designed to grow rapidly and increase shade. Read about it here.
Planet Zoë: [00:01:23] Travel, team engagements and outdoorsy, fun stuff!
The Immigrant Experience and the Russo-Ukrainian War [00:02:46] Guest Oksana Kukurudza discusses her parents' immigrant experience from Ukraine to the US and the current Russo-Ukrainian war.
The forced labour camps and liberation [00:11:29] Discussion of the experiences of people who were forced to work in slave camps during World War II and their liberation by the Soviet and Western Allies.
The fear of Soviet occupation [00:15:23] Explanation of the fear and apprehension towards Soviet occupation in Ukraine due to past experiences.
The Refugee Crisis in Ukraine [00:25:55] Oksana's personal reaction to the Russo-Ukrainian war and the refugee crisis happening in Ukraine.
Putin's Objectives [00:29:50] Exploration of Putin's objectives in the conflict, including the desire to reconstitute the Russian empire and maintain a buffer nation between Russia and NATO.
The history and resilience of Ukraine [00:35:12] Discussion about Ukraine's history of being occupied by foreign powers and its fight for self-determination and independence.
The importance of telling Ukraine's story [00:37:11] Why Oksana feels compelled to write a book about Ukraine's current war and its historical significance, hoping to educate and raise awareness among global citizens.
The need for global support and action [00:38:12] The importance of global society's response to the war in Ukraine, the parallelism with past conflicts, and the need to push back against territorial imperialism and support Ukraine's path to self-determination.
The importance of care, curiosity, and commitment [00:48:30] Zoë reflects on her conversation with Oksana Kukaracha and emphasises the importance of caring, being curious, and showing commitment in understanding and supporting global issues.
👉🏼 Want to share your experience? Ask a question? Share a resource? Jump on our podcast Facebook page here.
About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.