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Embracing possibilities with purpose, passion and ‘heartset’.
Licca Li, Global Head of Growth and Marketing for Retail Services at IKEA, is a visionary leader who lives and leads with passion and purpose. She believes vision is not something to achieve, but it is the driver that lets you dare to continue.
In this latest interview in my business leaders series, I am thrilled to share this conversation with Licca, who shares her insightful reflections on what it means to be a leader now in our rapidly evolving complex world, including how cultural communication and intelligence can work in reality in global teams.
Licca emphasises the significance of being a connector, a communicator, and an imaginator in global leadership roles. As we discuss today’s volatile world, Licca shares her thoughts on the need for leaders to cultivate inner clarity and emotional intelligence so they can achieve the balance between action and vision, delivering what’s needed short term vs looking at an agenda for real change.
What you will learn in this episode:
- Leadership starts with purpose and passion
- Daring to imagine and create possibilities
- How can cultural intelligence work in practice
- Gaining inner clarity as a leader
- How to maintain emotional intelligence in volatile times
- The difference between alignment and agreement in teams
- Leadership is about ‘heartset’, not only mindset
- The balance between action and vision
Find out more:
Episode Overview:
Dare to Lead: Purposeful Global Leadership with Licca Li
What does it take to be a truly global leader today? In a world that feels increasingly complex, uncertain, and fast-moving, the leadership skills that once served us well now need to be reimagined. In the latest episode of Cultural Communication Confidence, I sat down with Licca Li, Global Head of Growth and Marketing for Retail Services at IKEA, who shared her powerful reflections on the evolving role of leaders, the importance of cultural intelligence, and why purpose and emotional connection should sit at the heart of leadership communication.
Licca is a visionary global leader who brings clarity, courage and compassion to her work, and our conversation was full of practical insights for anyone navigating their own leadership journey.
Purpose and Passion: The Core of Modern Leadership
Too often in our careers, we get swept up in delivery mode — achieving the next goal, ticking off the next objective, jumping through the next hoop. But Licca reminds us that effective leadership isn’t just about moving forward; it’s about why we’re moving forward in the first place.
For Licca, vision isn’t a destination. It’s the fuel that keeps you moving, keeps you grounded, and keeps you daring to lead. This isn’t just inspiring talk — it’s deeply practical. Purpose gives you focus. Passion gives you energy. Together, they become your compass for decision-making, even when the path is unclear.
If you’re a mid to senior professional wanting to step into your next level of impact, revisit your purpose. Are you leading from a place of clarity, or simply reacting to what’s in front of you?
The Power of Imagination in Leadership Communication
One of the standout themes in our conversation was the idea of leaders as “imaginators.” It’s not a term you hear every day, but it’s incredibly fitting for today’s global business landscape. Great leaders don’t just maintain the status quo — they dare to imagine what’s possible, even if it doesn’t exist yet.
Imagination in leadership is about future thinking. It’s about looking at current ways of working and asking bold questions: What if we did things differently? How could this be better, more inclusive, more effective?
It’s also about how you communicate your vision to others. Are you bringing people with you? Are you inspiring your team, or simply informing them? Your ability to speak like a leader is as important as the ideas you’re trying to lead with.
Cultural Intelligence: It’s Not a Buzzword
As a global leader managing multicultural teams, Licca offered a grounded perspective on how cultural intelligence works in practice. This isn’t about box-ticking or compliance — it’s about human connection.
Leaders must move beyond assuming everyone sees the world the same way. Different cultural perspectives shape how people communicate, make decisions, and engage in teams. Licca highlights the difference between agreement and alignment — a powerful distinction. Diverse teams may not always agree, and that’s okay. But strong communication skills help ensure people are aligned around a shared purpose and direction.
If you’re building or leading across cultures, ask yourself: Am I creating space for different voices to be heard? Am I adapting how I communicate to meet others where they are?
Inner Clarity and Emotional Intelligence
Modern leadership is as much about managing yourself as it is about managing others. Licca spoke about the importance of inner clarity — that deep, grounded sense of self-awareness that enables you to lead from a place of calm and conviction.
Emotional intelligence isn’t just a leadership “nice-to-have.” It’s vital. In the face of volatility, teams look to leaders for steadiness. That doesn’t mean always having the answers, but it does mean having the self-regulation to pause, listen, and respond thoughtfully.
And this is where Licca introduces the powerful concept of “heartset.” We often talk about mindset in professional development, but heartset is about empathy, trust, courage, and openness. It’s what transforms your leadership from transactional to truly transformational.
Balancing Action and Vision
One of the toughest tensions leaders face is balancing the pressure of day-to-day delivery with the need to stay focused on the bigger picture. We talked about how to hold both: the urgency of the now and the possibility of the future.
If you’re always reacting, you’re not leading — you’re managing. Leaders must make space to step back, reflect, and chart the path forward. Communication plays a vital role here: it’s the bridge between short-term goals and long-term vision, between operations and inspiration.
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Reflection Questions for Your Leadership Development
- What’s your personal leadership vision, and how are you using it to guide your decisions?
- Where could you bring more imagination or bold ideas to your leadership?
- How are you actively developing your cultural intelligence in global teams?
- Do you lead from mindset only, or are you tapping into your heartset too?
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Take Your Global Leader Communication to the Next Level
If this conversation resonated with you and you’re ready to develop your communication skills as a global leader — to amplify your presence, articulate your ideas clearly, and make the impact you’re truly capable of — then let’s talk.
My Global Leader Communication Programme is for professionals who want to unlock their confidence, build an influential leadership voice, and step boldly into their future career. Whether you’re preparing for promotion, leading international teams, or building your thought leadership, this is your next step.
Want to connect directly? I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to your leadership journey — bold, global, and full of possibility.
