August 19, 2025 • 39 mins
Today, we're diving deep into the inspiring journey of Marina Morgan, a trailblazer in the world of organizational psychology. With 15 years of experience leading transformational initiatives and a wealth of knowledge on the impact of mental health on entrepreneurial success, Marina brings a unique perspective to leadership. Having moved from Russia to Silicon Valley, she shares her insights on the challenges and triumphs of women in leadership roles, particularly in cultures that often sideline their contributions. We’ll explore the importance of surrounding ourselves with supportive individuals and how to navigate the complexities of career growth while maintaining our mental health. So, buckle up as we uncover valuable lessons from Marina's journey that can help us all become unstoppable in our pursuits!
The Unstoppable Leadership Spotlight podcast takes a deep dive into the journey of Marina Morgan, a remarkable leader who transitioned from a successful career in Russia to establish her impact in Silicon Valley. With over 15 years of experience in leading transformational initiatives, Marina shares her unique insights into what it means to be a female leader in a patriarchal society. She discusses the cultural nuances that shape leadership perceptions in Russia, particularly the dual expectations placed on women to excel professionally while maintaining traditional roles at home. Her story is not just about overcoming obstacles, but also about the support systems that fueled her rise. Marina emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive community for women in leadership, contrasting her experiences in Russia with the collaborative spirit she found in the U.S. This episode illustrates how mentorship and belief in oneself are crucial for success, making it clear that being unstoppable requires both internal drive and external support.
Takeaways:
- Marina Morgan discusses her unique journey from Russia to the US, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of women in leadership.
- The conversation emphasizes the importance of supportive communities for women, particularly in leadership roles, as vital for personal and professional growth.
- Marina shares her experience of overcoming cultural expectations and societal pressures as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
- The podcast illustrates how leadership involves taking responsibility for decisions and the importance of believing in one's judgment even when others disagree.
- Marina highlights the significant role of mental health in entrepreneurial success, underlining the need for emotional resilience in leadership.
- Listeners are encouraged to surround themselves with positive influences and supportive relationships that foster growth and inspiration.
Links referenced in this episode:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:41):
Well, hello everybody andwelcome to another amazing episode
of the Unstoppable LeadershipSpotlight podcast.
I am your host, Jacqueline Strominger.
And on this podcast we hearfrom amazing leaders and their game
changing insights.
Helping creep people createand be amazing leaders helps everybody
else become amazing humans andto be unstoppable in their pursuit,
(01:05):
pursuit of their own greatness.
So today I like to welcomeMarina Morgan.
She actually has an amazing background.
She's been in this country forthree years.
She's moved here from Russia,which is first of all and her English
is impeccable, so it's awesome.
But she is the founder of theMorgan Impact and Organizational
Psychology agency based inSilicon Valley.
(01:27):
And she has collaborated withUC Berkeley and Ikana on global research
examining the influence ofmental health on entrepreneurial
success.
She has 15 years of experienceleading transformational initiatives
across companies of all sizes.
She is a speaker both onlineand offline and she is doing amazing
work also in the nonprofit world.
(01:49):
So Marina, welcome toUnstoppable Leadership Spotlight.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for having me today.
It's really, you know, I wait,I waited our conversation and I'm
happy to be here and hello everyone.
Yeah, so Marina.
Okay, so there's lots ofdifferent questions I would love
to ask you, but one of thethings that like in your bio, which
(02:11):
I didn't necessarily read, butI wanted just to share, you spent
years as a leader in Russiaand you're obviously a female.
And so I'd love to hear alittle bit about your story in your
rise to leadership and inanother country, one that also maybe
(02:32):
doesn't have that prettypicture of women in leadership.
Absolutely, absolutely.
So it is really great questionbecause Russian culture, Russian
cultural leadership for thewomen is pretty unusual because after
the World War II, SovietSoviet Union lost more than 20 million
(02:58):
people.
And of course it was, youknow, male part of the society and
it was young strong men andthe period of recovering of the country
after this awful war worth onthe women's shoulders.
And it was pretty normal atthat period and even before if women
making all types, types of jobthat you can imagine, I, I mean hard
(03:22):
work, working in manufacturingeverywhere, just because you don't
have another hand to hand todo it.
And that's one from this side,I think it's for a longer time it's
more normal to have some womenin leaders position and honestly
the numbers of how many womenwe see in the board members, among
(03:45):
the board members, they'rereally good.
From another hand, Russia istheir patriarchal country and As
I feel it probably it was myexperience, you know, I, I, I think
I had a brilliant career in Russia.
I didn't have any, you know,special network or something like
that.
And after university for lessthan 10 years I developed a career
(04:10):
and I was in a top position inmy trajectory in my, in my industry.
I was head of training anddevelopment department in the biggest
technological companies in the country.
And it's pretty great result Isuppose for the person, for some
self made person like I was.
But from another hand, I thinkwomen in Russia living in a pretty
(04:32):
strange situation when looklike perfect is your responsibility.
Taking care about the kids isyour responsibility.
And you know, regulation ofrelationship and financial relationship
after divorce is pretty awfulin Russia.
And the adapt for their childsupports is billions of rebels and
(04:54):
millions of dollars.
I suppose to earn money andprovide your family financially is
your responsibility.
And to be very feminine at thesame time is also your responsibility.
And on the one hand, yes, Ican say that I faced with something,
something bad during mycareer, I think and there are a lot
(05:17):
of different research thatdemonstrate us that men to the same
position have more money andit is easier for them, for them to
develop career.
Also I think Russian economyin this period, it's a little bit
more gentle for the periodthan when you just born the baby
(05:39):
because you can have avacation for two years after this
moment, not with the fullsalary, but you have a chance to
save your work, to save your workplace.
And we even have such anofficial position like pregnancy
vacancy.
I mean then you're replacingsomebody during, during this period
and it's, it's, it's betterand it's easier.
(06:03):
But honestly I can say thatthis is only about the freedom.
Women in my country areresponsible for everything.
And, and, and this is pretty normal.
So.
And the thing that I reallylove in the united, in the United
States is incrediblysupportive community right among
(06:26):
the women institution thathelp women that develop this sisterhood.
And I really, I really lovebecause in Russia we have some, you
know, cultural agenda about that.
You should be competitive, youshould be competitive for the men
because there are not so manymen after all this wars, revolution,
E.T.
you are not successful ifyou're not married, if you don't
(06:48):
have a husband or family, evenif you had a brilliant career or
everything that you want.
So why are you not married?
And also after 27 years youofficially get in the status in medical
system that you are, how can Isay old mother.
I, I don't, I don't know howto translate it.
Directly old maid.
(07:08):
It's like, it's like, like the.
Yeah, you're set out to pasture.
It's been that officially youare becoming too old to be a mother
after 27 years.
So.
Oh my God.
I would have been.
I would have.
I would not have made it.
I didn't have my first childuntil I was 36.
I still don't have my first child.
(07:30):
So I hope it will.
It will happen with me sometimes.
But.
But honestly I think that thefact that I made this career and
I really did a great projectand I have a lot of trust from the
business leaders, from thebusiness owners.
Their truth is that it'spossible and the culture and economical
(07:53):
situation make the societymore loyal to the women leadership
because it was necessity forthat after several awful periods
of the country economy.
So.
So really in Russia, like, youknow, women in leadership is.
Is.
It's somewhat more normal then.
So I have a.
(08:13):
So, so I have a question.
Did as you're.
As you were rising up in the.
In the industry in Russia,were there.
Was there a more like malefemale mentor or who was like.
(08:33):
And.
Or did you have a mentor orwas it all your internal drive?
It's a really great questionas well.
As I developed my career,we're speaking in this track about
the cooperative career inhuman resource department, mostly
representative by the, youknow, female part of professional
community.
And that's why I really had anamazing leaders who shaped me professionally
(08:57):
as well.
And they gave me thesepositions because they believe in
me, they trusted me.
And it's really, it's reallyamazing in my entrepreneurial part
of the life.
And I had the periods.
I started my career asentrepreneur when I was in university
and also I had a period when Iquit company, open something by my
own or have at the same timemy job and also my different side
(09:21):
businesses.
Just because this is mypassion and drive and because I really
love it and most of my clientsand partners were men.
It's more because I worked ina technological industry and it's
not well balanced.
I mean from.
From the gender perspective.
(09:42):
So.
And it also was amazing peoplewho are very supportive, they're
interested, they're involved.
The only one thing I didn'thave really, how can I say it correctly,
really bad situation about it.
But if you're speaking aboutself government system, women rights
are not protected.
I mean if for example,somebody will have some sympathies
(10:04):
to you or some interest toyou, you're absolutely not protected
because there is noinstitution and regulation that can.
That can support you andprotect you.
And if something reallyhappened and I was in a human department
and in it, for example, itwasn't in my company.
Okay, let's just.
It's, it's an example from nowhere.
(10:25):
Yeah.
If some, somebody come to usand share the story that like I don't
know, C level manager that'sreally very powerful, powerful in
industry and powerful in thecompany, have some interest to you
and they ask protection and supports.
Typical solution was to firewith, with person, pay some monies
and not, you know, announcethis story publicly.
(10:48):
And I don't know what's goingon there right now.
Yeah, just under, hide itunder, under the carpet and.
But there is no law in Russiathat protects women from home violence.
There is no law.
And if something happened withyou with your husband or with somebody
from your family, there is nolaw that will protect you.
(11:11):
And the same situation can.
Is in cooperative sector.
I mean there is no officialsystems of regulation where it can
be protected, protected.
And this is still a bad thingin my opinion.
I didn't, I didn't face withawful situation in my, during my
career.
But you can be relaxed inprofessional connection with men
(11:35):
because at the end of thestory somebody can come to you and
say so I gave you thisopportunity and this is the bill.
So and here, I mean it's, it'spossible, it's culturally possible.
And here in US I feel muchmore relaxed and I feel absolutely
(11:55):
free.
In collaboration withdifferent partners, I can, I working
with the mentors, I can textto any person and say it's very important
for me to have your opinion.
Can you explain me somethingwithout this fear that at the end
of the story somebody will sayokay, there's going to be like, okay,
let's go, let's go to some coffee.
Okay.
You don't want.
So I also don't want to haveany communication with you after
(12:18):
that.
So.
Yeah, I know that's so.
So I, I'm just kind of curious.
So you've been here for three years.
What was your, what was thedrive for you to come to the United
States?
It's an amazing question.
So honestly, I'm prettyambitious person.
I would never know that.
No, just kidding.
(12:40):
And during all my life Icreated some big goals for myself
and it was my challenge, itwas my drive, it was something that
motivated me.
Now when I dive a little bitdeeper into nature physiology of
entrepreneurship, I alreadyunderstand that this is like my dopamine
system is working because allentrepreneurs are more sensitive
(13:01):
to this dopamine rewardingbecause the dopamine system organized
a little bit in another way.
So and I'm typically createsome new big goal for for myself.
And when I was in a topposition in technological company
where I mentioned it wassomething like 300000 employers and
(13:24):
my responsibility was todevelop some educational program
that will bring money to the,to our organization.
So is everything fine?
Because it's something thisconnection cool.
So sorry.
And I found that I don't knowwhat will be my next ambitious goal
(13:46):
and I don't have it.
I've already know how it works.
I know the markets.
I was in a pretty goodsituation when I can connect with
any company and say I'minterested in working with you.
Are you open to conversation?
And at the end of the story Iwill have a job there.
For example, my last job I gotin this way I texted in Facebook
(14:11):
for my leader and say I seethat you're doing very interesting
things.
This is what I came again.
Let's just meet and chat.
And they created job positionspecifically for me and it was great.
And I think what that most ofthe company were pretty available
pretty available for me.
And at that period it wasbefore war, before the political
situation that we have rightnow, the market of technological
(14:35):
professionals were pretty openand we tried to compete with in the
companies where I worked withGoogle, Netflix, with all these fun
companies because they hiredour people from all the countries
includes Russia of course.
And Russia.
Russian.
Russian IT professionals arereally brilliant.
We have a strong school ofphysics and mathematics.
So they're really in a goodposition here.
(14:58):
And that's why I knew a lotabout Silicon Valley about we also
have some, we always have somekind of connection practices, some
collaborating projects.
And one day I came here toSilicon Valley.
It was my second time in theUnited States and the first time
in Silicon Valley for some jobpurpose to meet with some partners
here.
Because I had an ambitiousidea to develop our human resource
(15:21):
brand in our market throughtheir improvements in Silicon Valley.
Because at that year ourcompany created amazing framework
like to manage projects insidethe big companies to save this startup
spirit.
And we got the Gartner Awardat that period.
And it was really great momentto collaborate globally and to you
(15:46):
know, expand our humanresource brand and attract interesting
people from all over theworld, not inside the country.
So I came here, we met thesedifferent people and I really felt
that I belong to this place orsomething like that.
I mean I just understood thatit will be my next step, it will
be my next challenging goal.
I Don't have any plan yet.
(16:08):
And I felt that I need to comehere and to try to do something by
my own and see what I can.
We'll see how it will go on.
I was impressed by a lot ofdifferent things, mostly about the
people here in United Statesand in Silicon Valley.
So it was in May at my flightback home.
It was New York, Moscow,direct flight at the period.
(16:31):
Now of course they not exist.
I've already decided that I'mquit at that period.
I was in relationship that Iquit from the relationship as well
and move to United States asfast as possible.
So I had a touristic visa thatwas open to the December, it was
May, December.
And I've already felt thatsomething is going on.
(16:51):
When you're working close tothe global technologies of the country
technological industry.
And also I had a longexperience working with digital media
companies in the country.
You're really already able toread between the lines and to connect
some dots.
I didn't expect that it willbe those that happened later, but
I felt that relationshipbetween our countries becoming more
(17:14):
and more tough and thatprobably I will have no now a chance
to open a new visa for myself.
And I understood that I needto come inside the country before
it will be possible for this option.
And I didn't know anythingabout the United States at the period.
I didn't have a plan for immigration.
And it really wasn't.
(17:34):
Wasn't my goal.
As I told you, I always createsome projects and goals and it wasn't
my dream just to move fornothing just because I want to live
here, for example.
So I came back home, announcedto my boyfriend that we are.
That this is the end.
Yeah, absolutely.
(17:54):
We'll live together more thanthree years.
And the reason why, if to behonest a little bit, I wasn't, you
know, happy in thisrelationship because he proposed
me two years ago and didn't donothing after that.
And what was the point?
And I tried to speak with himseveral times about it and it was
some very strange conversation.
(18:15):
And I think what.
What's going on?
I didn't ask him about it.
I. I was married before.
I really don't.
They're interested in official relationship.
It was his idea.
And then something strange happened.
So I told him that I'mplanning to move to United States
and that we quit or probablyyou can come with me if you want
and try something here.
(18:35):
And he decided that that's whybecause he didn't propose me the
next day he came with a, youknow, ring from The Tiffany coin
and told what's the, what'sthat thing?
And this is, you know, this isthe story for the, for the grandkids.
Then your grandma, you know,had Tiffany ran but she told no,
this is, this is too late.
(18:57):
That was how it was, right?
This is how it happened.
I mean everything was good,but it was very polite and I really,
I really respect my ex boyfriend.
We had a brilliant relationship.
Probably just you know howit's happened in the, in, in the
couple.
The dynamic of development canbe different and there is a period
(19:18):
that somebody moved in fasterand the next one should moving in
his, you know, his rhythm, her rhythm.
But you know, you should meetsomewhere there is a period in another
you.
Sometimes you go like this.
It's this, this, this, this.
Yeah, yes, something like that.
But I think that between ushaving the situation when I've just
(19:39):
started moving very fast andhe didn't.
And that was the main reason.
I suppose so then I nowannounced at my job that I'm quit.
That was also prettysurprising because as I told you,
I was in a good position.
I took several side projectsat that period then by then bought
one way tickets.
(20:00):
Just came here.
I lived in New York for theone month just.
I love New York City and Ithink this is very amazing place
there you can, how can I say it?
Make your identification withyour nationality not so strong.
Because in New York Cityyou're living among the people from
all over the world.
(20:21):
Every one of them havecultural identity, cultural values,
cultural tradition.
And when you see that all thisthing is pretty important, but yours
cultural identity is not themost important in the world.
It's just one of the type ofthe cultural identity, one of the
type of the language, one ofthe type of the mindset.
And that's how I regularlyfelt in New York that I can, you
(20:44):
know, take over my Russiancoat and just to be person of the
world.
And I spent a month in NewYork City just, just enjoy, just
walking, visit an amazing jazzbar, restaurants, whatever it is.
And then I moved to the, tothe California because this, that
was my goal and that's how Istarted my story here.
It is fascinating.
You know, Marina, it's.
(21:09):
It's amazing when somebody.
When you know like I'm hearingyour story and I'm hearing the, you
know, your own personal driveand so.
But also just from theexperience of having, you know, whether
you realize it or not, likehaving really great leaders to, to
help you in the.
Even in the early stages ofyour career when you're first out
(21:30):
of university, like the peoplethat can actually influence you almost
like by the drip like drippingon you, right?
Like they, you know, and whenyou can get into something that's
good and you have good peopleand they see, see not everybody probably
at the company was they didn'tsee the same thing they in you that
they saw in everybody else.
(21:51):
They saw you and said oh,she's got this, you know, and it's,
and has drive.
So it's really amazing.
This is why I do this becausenot everybody, you know, maybe there
was somebody else at thecompany that you were at, you were
in and maybe a leader couldhave seen something in them and said,
(22:14):
you know what, you're awesome,but this isn't the right place for
you.
We think you could excel over here.
And you, I mean obviously youwere able to excel and I just love
that people were able to leaninto you to get you to bring out
(22:34):
your greatness so that you canthen now lean into others to bring
out their greatness.
And I just think that's,that's what, that, that's what helps
make us better.
You are 100% right and I wantto say you then living in Silicon
Valley for me means that Inever ever will be again the smartest
(22:57):
person in the room.
And that's what I lovebecause, because I, I love this phrase.
If you are the smartest personin the room, that's mean that you
are not in the right room.
And this is some kind of.
I think this is one of myvalue because I think that people
around us is our responsibility.
And if you can find someinspiring leaders, some great co
(23:20):
workers, friends, some peoplethat are on the same page with you
who share your values, this isyour responsibility to find your
people and to be in thoseplace there you can feel the support,
inspiration.
And you know, I thought aboutyou have some question typically
in your podcast what's makeyou the person that you are.
(23:43):
I thought about it and Iremember there were interesting story
that I would love to sharewith you and with with our listeners.
You absolutely right.
Honestly I had a prettychallenging childhood.
Don't want to dive deeper intoit but I had my mom passed away where
when she was very young.
She was 33 years and I was 14years old and my grandpa and grandma
(24:06):
took care about me and ofcourse they were absolutely you imagine
how they felt after thing thatwas happened.
But whatever it is, it is inthe past.
But during all my life Ialways have some people who really
believe in me and supported me.
But also I had one veryinteresting situation in school that
(24:29):
influenced for me as well.
So it was on the maths classand it was some important tests like
you know, quarter test orsomething like that.
And we need to solve only one.
Oh my God.
Equation.
Equation.
Right.
Absolutely right.
And our class was separatedfor two groups and one half of the
(24:54):
class got the equation numberone and another one equation number
two.
And it was very long for, youknow, for several lines.
And you can only have a chancetwo grades.
At the end you are successfulor you're not successful with this
example because this equationengaged all the formulas that we
studied during all during this quarter.
(25:15):
So.
And it was very difficult.
So it was for.
For whole lesson.
And as always, after, afterthe lesson, after the test you started
to chatting with each other.
What result did you get?
What result did you get?
Etc.
So my group, it was equationnumber one.
All of them got their resultsminus one.
And I got the results zeropoints and three numbers after the.
(25:40):
After the point.
And I was totally sure that I was.
I made an awful mistake.
And, and my parents, they werevery serious about my, my grandparents,
they were serious about my.
About my education.
You only a grade will be.
Will be okay.
All in other grades it's is bad.
So it's typical for Russian mindset.
So I was.
For a lot of us, yeah, it's.
(26:03):
So I was very upset because Iwas sure that I'm.
I. I will have a awful gradein it.
And I, I probably didn't sleepwell for this couple days because
on Monday we have this testand on Wednesday it will be the next
math class where it will announce.
So our.
Our teacher come into theclass and say blah blah, blah.
(26:23):
There is as always, you know,last name and the grade what you
have.
And then she, and she startswith a group number two.
And then she came to our groupand say.
So we had very interesting situation.
All of you solved thisequation incorrectly and only one
person who solved it correctlyis Marina.
(26:44):
What's happened guys?
And you know, I reallyremembered this situation for all
of my life because I was surethat I did a mistake.
And also all people around mehad another answer.
And at that moment I rememberthat it can be situation in your
life that everyone around youwill be absolutely sure in their
(27:06):
answer, in their vision, intheir understanding of reality.
And probably you will haveabsolutely opposite opinion.
But there is a chance that youcan be right and this is your responsibility.
And I think that leadership isabove responsibility for all the
solution that you provide.
Because honestly, you knowHonestly, all of us making mistakes
(27:29):
during our career, during ourentrepreneurial journey in our life,
we're choosing not right.
Suppose we make a lot of different.
We started awful relationship.
We sometimes spending a lot ofmoney for the business that at the
end of the story are unsuccessful.
We are losing our clients, allof us making a lot of different mistakes.
But the thing that reallyspecific for the leaders is that
(27:53):
you are able to make thisdecision and to keep the responsibility
even if it was global mistake.
And this is the main thingabout the leadership, in my opinion.
So this situation was reallyimportant for me.
And I had several times in mylife that everyone told me, what
are you doing?
For example, when I decided tomove to United States, I didn't even
(28:16):
discuss it with a lot of people.
And for example, even some ofmy family members knew about it when
I already were here in NewYork City.
Just because I knew that itwill be very stressful for them and
it will be a long conversation.
What are you doing?
You are too old for that.
Why did you broke with thisamazing guy?
You don't have a chances tocreate a new family because you're
(28:38):
already 35 and all this stuff.
But it's very important tohave an inspiring, supportive community
around you.
And as I told, I think thatthis is your responsibility as well.
And from another hand, ifyou're a leader, you will definitely
have some situation in yourlife when you don't have enough information,
you probably don't have enough support.
(28:59):
You need to make a decisionand you will keep the responsibility
for this decision to the end.
And this is okay.
You know, Marina, I love that story.
I absolutely.
It.
There's so many parts about that.
You know, it's.
First of all, it's.
It's that.
That pressure that we put onourselves, right?
(29:23):
That about right or wrong, right.
Like did we do the right thing?
Do we not do the right thing?
Am I.
Did I get the answer right?
And we like lament and wethink about it, right?
Because it matters to us.
If it didn't matter, we wouldn't.
It wouldn't care.
Right?
So.
But also really knowing that,you know, what you said is so pointed
(29:44):
and true is that knowing thatthere could be a different answer
and knowing that, you know,knowing that in actuality, you know,
so maybe they got the numberwrong, maybe they did the steps right.
But there was some mistake.
And it's knowing that like.
And to own that and to knowthat and know that there are always
(30:08):
ways unless you've killedsomebody in like medicine, obviously.
But but most of the time thereis a way to fix something or to go
back and say, ooh, I canchange this.
I see the mistake too, and toown it.
But also if you are, if youhave gotten it right, it's also believing
(30:29):
in yourself.
Like, you know, the, the, the.
How.
Could different would it be isif you walked away from that and
thought to yourself, ha, haha, they're all wrong.
I know I'm right.
Honestly, I, I typically, I'mnot thinking about it because, I
(30:49):
mean, I think that I'm.
This is specific, somespecifics of my personality or probably,
you know, my childhoodhistory, his history.
When I'm making the next stepand I'm changing the reality.
Like, I mean, decided to openyour business, move to another country,
join to another company, startnew relationship.
(31:12):
I'm thinking about it like,about, like about a new chapter of
my life.
And I, and the previouschapters, they are pretty close to
me.
I mean, I'm not missing.
I don't feel some kind of nostalgia.
I'm thinking about it with gratitude.
I have a lot of warm emotionsfrom the past.
But this is something likeyour childhood dress.
That's pretty cute.
(31:33):
But it's absolutely unrelevantfor, for your reality.
And yeah, yeah, I thinkyou're, you're absolutely right.
This is your experience.
Right.
And that experience, it's,it's one of those things that I think
is quintessential forleadership to let everybody know
that we have, we have itwithin ourselves to choose our path.
(32:02):
It's a choice that we can make.
And we can decide to get up inthe morning and decide how do we
want to be, what is the pathwe want to go, what's the right thing
for me?
And yes, there are alwaysother people around you that may
have to come or come intothat, you know, in your decision.
But at the end of the day, youknow, as you're moving up in your
(32:27):
career, it's not to forgetabout those people, but it's to help
lead those people and help ifyou've got a vision for yourself,
who are the people that youcan bring with you?
Who are the people that aregoing to support you?
Who are the people that, asyou shared, you don't tell them until
you're already on the journeybecause you know who the naysayers
(32:48):
are, they're going to try totalk you out.
And they're, they're all thesedifferent groups of people in our
lives, and we have to surroundourselves with the people who, you
know, are going to Help riseus up.
Right.
That, that tie, that risingtide is going to lift all the boats.
(33:10):
But we have to decide, we haveto decide which, which, which wave
do we want to catch?
You're 100% right.
And again, this is my vision.
Probably other people canthink in another way.
Of course.
I have, for example, I have abest friend.
We are the friends since wewere childs and it's more than 20
years of our friendship.
(33:31):
Yeah.
And this is amazing.
She's living in Europe right now.
And you know, it's veryimportant part of the life as well.
But I think that people whoclose to us, they, they need support
us.
Right.
And it's.
And if you.
Some.
Some of your friends or relatives.
(33:51):
Okay, we're not speaking whenyou're making some really silly things
like decided to invest all thefamily money for some crazy project.
We're not speaking about this.
It's more about the change thechoices that you, that you, you're.
That you are making duringyour life.
I think that close people whoare close to you, they really need
to support you.
And again, this is, this isthat you can regulate.
(34:13):
For example, I have a closerelationship with my aunt.
They have some, you know, moreclassic mindset that's mean that
all the people who love youwill say all the critical things
that they're thinking about you.
Like, I don't like your higher cut.
What did you wear?
And it took me, it took meseveral years to recreate our way
of communication and say I.I'm waiting for support of everything
(34:34):
that I'm doing.
And if I really need youropinion about my higher card or about
of any of my choices, I willcome and ask you, please, what do
you think about my hierarchyor something like that?
Because it's very, very important.
It's pretty difficult rightnow to develop a career to run in
business because we have somany things outside that influence
dramatically for everythingthat's going on in our life.
AI Covid political situationis absolutely unpredictable.
(34:57):
But the thing that you reallycan take under control is your condition.
And thanks neurophysiology andeverything that I now it is also
some pivotal moment for methat I really understood that healthy
brain and healthy nervoussystem see healthy and variable solutions.
And if you are in a badcondition, if you have too much cortisol,
(35:18):
you were under the stress fora long time.
You see the dangerous reality.
But reality is absolutely the same.
Reality provides you billionsof different options and scenarios.
And the thing that you'refocusing on really depends of your
internal condition.
I mean even neurophysiologicalcondition, we're done speaking about
some, you know, more spiritthings here.
It's very simple.
(35:39):
If your brain is healthy, youwill make a healthy decision.
It's very easy.
And you will, you will producesome healthy products, you will create
some healthy organizationalculture and environment in your business.
You will be able to develophealthy relationship.
The only one thing that youneed is a healthy brain.
So it was also pivotal for me.
(35:59):
So what I'm trying to say, wehave a lot of different things around
us, but this is something thatwe can manage.
Everything that very close tous, our condition and people who
are very, very close and wecan regulate it.
And if you had a challengingperiod, period, you want to change
something, you are pivotingyour career.
(36:21):
Please take a little bit faraway from the people who are criticizing
you or not support you.
And if you can do it like forexample, this is your, I don't know,
family, parents, you can say Ineed support right now.
If you're unable to provide methe support, let's take a pause in
our communication and I willcome back to you later.
Then I will have moreresources to keep conversations like
(36:43):
this.
And in my opinion it's pretty normal.
But you know, it's, it'severyone's choice, you know, summary.
I think that is, that isabsolutely one of them.
That's, it's a quintessentialgame changing insight which is basically,
you know, no matter where youare in your leadership journey, it's
to find the people thatsupport you and your mission and
(37:06):
that are aligned with you inthe, in values.
And if the people that, ifthere are some people that don't
do exactly what you said, thisis my vision.
I need to put this on pause.
Unless we can, unless youknow, the relationship is not serving
me in the best way right now.
I love you but.
Or you're a great friend butbecause you need to surround yourself
(37:29):
with the people that, that.
Not that lift you up and makeyou feel good.
Marina, I could talk to youfor hours about this.
You are so smart and, and Ilove what you're doing when leadership
and your, and everything thatyou have accomplished is really amazing.
What is the best way forpeople to reach out to you and connect
(37:49):
with you?
Because I think everybodyneeds to.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
So I will be happy to connectwith you in my LinkedIn.
LinkedIn.
Marina Morgan, San Franciscoand also I have a website, themorganimpact.com
Please find this website.
I have an option of free halfan hour strategic clarity session
where you can come and justshare where are you right now, where
(38:12):
you want to be.
And we can develop severalideas how you can achieve your goal.
I'm very open to it.
So let's stay in touch.
Of course.
Please, please follow thisamazing podcast because you can meet
not only me here, but alsoother amazing guests.
Yes, you can.
So listeners, please follow,connect with Marina, go to her website,
(38:37):
get that free strategysession, connect with her on LinkedIn,
and please do me the favor ofhitting subscribe and also sharing
this podcast with your friendsand colleagues.
My name is Jacqueline Schuminger.
I am the host of theUnstoppable Leadership Spotlight
podcast.
And I appreciate you listenersfor listening and tuning in and for
(38:58):
Marina for being an amazing guest.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Well, hello everybody andwelcome to another amazing episode
of the Unstoppable LeadershipSpotlight podcast.
I am your host, Jacqueline Strominger.
And on this podcast we hearfrom amazing leaders and their game
changing insights.
Helping creep people createand be amazing leaders helps everybody
else become amazing humans andto be unstoppable in their pursuit,
(01:05):
pursuit of their own greatness.
So today I like to welcomeMarina Morgan.
She actually has an amazing background.
She's been in this country forthree years.
She's moved here from Russia,which is first of all and her English
is impeccable, so it's awesome.
But she is the founder of theMorgan Impact and Organizational
Psychology agency based inSilicon Valley.
(01:27):
And she has collaborated withUC Berkeley and Ikana on global research
examining the influence ofmental health on entrepreneurial
success.
She has 15 years of experienceleading transformational initiatives
across companies of all sizes.
She is a speaker both onlineand offline and she is doing amazing
work also in the nonprofit world.
(01:49):
So Marina, welcome toUnstoppable Leadership Spotlight.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for having me today.
It's really, you know, I wait,I waited our conversation and I'm
happy to be here and hello everyone.
Yeah, so Marina.
Okay, so there's lots ofdifferent questions I would love
to ask you, but one of thethings that like in your bio, which
(02:11):
I didn't necessarily read, butI wanted just to share, you spent
years as a leader in Russiaand you're obviously a female.
And so I'd love to hear alittle bit about your story in your
rise to leadership and inanother country, one that also maybe
(02:32):
doesn't have that prettypicture of women in leadership.
Absolutely, absolutely.
So it is really great questionbecause Russian culture, Russian
cultural leadership for thewomen is pretty unusual because after
the World War II, SovietSoviet Union lost more than 20 million
(02:58):
people.
And of course it was, youknow, male part of the society and
it was young strong men andthe period of recovering of the country
after this awful war worth onthe women's shoulders.
And it was pretty normal atthat period and even before if women
making all types, types of jobthat you can imagine, I, I mean hard
(03:22):
work, working in manufacturingeverywhere, just because you don't
have another hand to hand todo it.
And that's one from this side,I think it's for a longer time it's
more normal to have some womenin leaders position and honestly
the numbers of how many womenwe see in the board members, among
(03:45):
the board members, they'rereally good.
From another hand, Russia istheir patriarchal country and As
I feel it probably it was myexperience, you know, I, I, I think
I had a brilliant career in Russia.
I didn't have any, you know,special network or something like
that.
And after university for lessthan 10 years I developed a career
(04:10):
and I was in a top position inmy trajectory in my, in my industry.
I was head of training anddevelopment department in the biggest
technological companies in the country.
And it's pretty great result Isuppose for the person, for some
self made person like I was.
But from another hand, I thinkwomen in Russia living in a pretty
(04:32):
strange situation when looklike perfect is your responsibility.
Taking care about the kids isyour responsibility.
And you know, regulation ofrelationship and financial relationship
after divorce is pretty awfulin Russia.
And the adapt for their childsupports is billions of rebels and
(04:54):
millions of dollars.
I suppose to earn money andprovide your family financially is
your responsibility.
And to be very feminine at thesame time is also your responsibility.
And on the one hand, yes, Ican say that I faced with something,
something bad during mycareer, I think and there are a lot
(05:17):
of different research thatdemonstrate us that men to the same
position have more money andit is easier for them, for them to
develop career.
Also I think Russian economyin this period, it's a little bit
more gentle for the periodthan when you just born the baby
(05:39):
because you can have avacation for two years after this
moment, not with the fullsalary, but you have a chance to
save your work, to save your workplace.
And we even have such anofficial position like pregnancy
vacancy.
I mean then you're replacingsomebody during, during this period
and it's, it's, it's betterand it's easier.
(06:03):
But honestly I can say thatthis is only about the freedom.
Women in my country areresponsible for everything.
And, and, and this is pretty normal.
So.
And the thing that I reallylove in the united, in the United
States is incrediblysupportive community right among
(06:26):
the women institution thathelp women that develop this sisterhood.
And I really, I really lovebecause in Russia we have some, you
know, cultural agenda about that.
You should be competitive, youshould be competitive for the men
because there are not so manymen after all this wars, revolution,
E.T.
you are not successful ifyou're not married, if you don't
(06:48):
have a husband or family, evenif you had a brilliant career or
everything that you want.
So why are you not married?
And also after 27 years youofficially get in the status in medical
system that you are, how can Isay old mother.
I, I don't, I don't know howto translate it.
Directly old maid.
(07:08):
It's like, it's like, like the.
Yeah, you're set out to pasture.
It's been that officially youare becoming too old to be a mother
after 27 years.
So.
Oh my God.
I would have been.
I would have.
I would not have made it.
I didn't have my first childuntil I was 36.
I still don't have my first child.
(07:30):
So I hope it will.
It will happen with me sometimes.
But.
But honestly I think that thefact that I made this career and
I really did a great projectand I have a lot of trust from the
business leaders, from thebusiness owners.
Their truth is that it'spossible and the culture and economical
(07:53):
situation make the societymore loyal to the women leadership
because it was necessity forthat after several awful periods
of the country economy.
So.
So really in Russia, like, youknow, women in leadership is.
Is.
It's somewhat more normal then.
So I have a.
(08:13):
So, so I have a question.
Did as you're.
As you were rising up in the.
In the industry in Russia,were there.
Was there a more like malefemale mentor or who was like.
(08:33):
And.
Or did you have a mentor orwas it all your internal drive?
It's a really great questionas well.
As I developed my career,we're speaking in this track about
the cooperative career inhuman resource department, mostly
representative by the, youknow, female part of professional
community.
And that's why I really had anamazing leaders who shaped me professionally
(08:57):
as well.
And they gave me thesepositions because they believe in
me, they trusted me.
And it's really, it's reallyamazing in my entrepreneurial part
of the life.
And I had the periods.
I started my career asentrepreneur when I was in university
and also I had a period when Iquit company, open something by my
own or have at the same timemy job and also my different side
(09:21):
businesses.
Just because this is mypassion and drive and because I really
love it and most of my clientsand partners were men.
It's more because I worked ina technological industry and it's
not well balanced.
I mean from.
From the gender perspective.
(09:42):
So.
And it also was amazing peoplewho are very supportive, they're
interested, they're involved.
The only one thing I didn'thave really, how can I say it correctly,
really bad situation about it.
But if you're speaking aboutself government system, women rights
are not protected.
I mean if for example,somebody will have some sympathies
(10:04):
to you or some interest toyou, you're absolutely not protected
because there is noinstitution and regulation that can.
That can support you andprotect you.
And if something reallyhappened and I was in a human department
and in it, for example, itwasn't in my company.
Okay, let's just.
It's, it's an example from nowhere.
(10:25):
Yeah.
If some, somebody come to usand share the story that like I don't
know, C level manager that'sreally very powerful, powerful in
industry and powerful in thecompany, have some interest to you
and they ask protection and supports.
Typical solution was to firewith, with person, pay some monies
and not, you know, announcethis story publicly.
(10:48):
And I don't know what's goingon there right now.
Yeah, just under, hide itunder, under the carpet and.
But there is no law in Russiathat protects women from home violence.
There is no law.
And if something happened withyou with your husband or with somebody
from your family, there is nolaw that will protect you.
(11:11):
And the same situation can.
Is in cooperative sector.
I mean there is no officialsystems of regulation where it can
be protected, protected.
And this is still a bad thingin my opinion.
I didn't, I didn't face withawful situation in my, during my
career.
But you can be relaxed inprofessional connection with men
(11:35):
because at the end of thestory somebody can come to you and
say so I gave you thisopportunity and this is the bill.
So and here, I mean it's, it'spossible, it's culturally possible.
And here in US I feel muchmore relaxed and I feel absolutely
(11:55):
free.
In collaboration withdifferent partners, I can, I working
with the mentors, I can textto any person and say it's very important
for me to have your opinion.
Can you explain me somethingwithout this fear that at the end
of the story somebody will sayokay, there's going to be like, okay,
let's go, let's go to some coffee.
Okay.
You don't want.
So I also don't want to haveany communication with you after
(12:18):
that.
So.
Yeah, I know that's so.
So I, I'm just kind of curious.
So you've been here for three years.
What was your, what was thedrive for you to come to the United
States?
It's an amazing question.
So honestly, I'm prettyambitious person.
I would never know that.
No, just kidding.
(12:40):
And during all my life Icreated some big goals for myself
and it was my challenge, itwas my drive, it was something that
motivated me.
Now when I dive a little bitdeeper into nature physiology of
entrepreneurship, I alreadyunderstand that this is like my dopamine
system is working because allentrepreneurs are more sensitive
(13:01):
to this dopamine rewardingbecause the dopamine system organized
a little bit in another way.
So and I'm typically createsome new big goal for for myself.
And when I was in a topposition in technological company
where I mentioned it wassomething like 300000 employers and
(13:24):
my responsibility was todevelop some educational program
that will bring money to the,to our organization.
So is everything fine?
Because it's something thisconnection cool.
So sorry.
And I found that I don't knowwhat will be my next ambitious goal
(13:46):
and I don't have it.
I've already know how it works.
I know the markets.
I was in a pretty goodsituation when I can connect with
any company and say I'minterested in working with you.
Are you open to conversation?
And at the end of the story Iwill have a job there.
For example, my last job I gotin this way I texted in Facebook
(14:11):
for my leader and say I seethat you're doing very interesting
things.
This is what I came again.
Let's just meet and chat.
And they created job positionspecifically for me and it was great.
And I think what that most ofthe company were pretty available
pretty available for me.
And at that period it wasbefore war, before the political
situation that we have rightnow, the market of technological
(14:35):
professionals were pretty openand we tried to compete with in the
companies where I worked withGoogle, Netflix, with all these fun
companies because they hiredour people from all the countries
includes Russia of course.
And Russia.
Russian.
Russian IT professionals arereally brilliant.
We have a strong school ofphysics and mathematics.
So they're really in a goodposition here.
(14:58):
And that's why I knew a lotabout Silicon Valley about we also
have some, we always have somekind of connection practices, some
collaborating projects.
And one day I came here toSilicon Valley.
It was my second time in theUnited States and the first time
in Silicon Valley for some jobpurpose to meet with some partners
here.
Because I had an ambitiousidea to develop our human resource
(15:21):
brand in our market throughtheir improvements in Silicon Valley.
Because at that year ourcompany created amazing framework
like to manage projects insidethe big companies to save this startup
spirit.
And we got the Gartner Awardat that period.
And it was really great momentto collaborate globally and to you
(15:46):
know, expand our humanresource brand and attract interesting
people from all over theworld, not inside the country.
So I came here, we met thesedifferent people and I really felt
that I belong to this place orsomething like that.
I mean I just understood thatit will be my next step, it will
be my next challenging goal.
I Don't have any plan yet.
(16:08):
And I felt that I need to comehere and to try to do something by
my own and see what I can.
We'll see how it will go on.
I was impressed by a lot ofdifferent things, mostly about the
people here in United Statesand in Silicon Valley.
So it was in May at my flightback home.
It was New York, Moscow,direct flight at the period.
(16:31):
Now of course they not exist.
I've already decided that I'mquit at that period.
I was in relationship that Iquit from the relationship as well
and move to United States asfast as possible.
So I had a touristic visa thatwas open to the December, it was
May, December.
And I've already felt thatsomething is going on.
(16:51):
When you're working close tothe global technologies of the country
technological industry.
And also I had a longexperience working with digital media
companies in the country.
You're really already able toread between the lines and to connect
some dots.
I didn't expect that it willbe those that happened later, but
I felt that relationshipbetween our countries becoming more
(17:14):
and more tough and thatprobably I will have no now a chance
to open a new visa for myself.
And I understood that I needto come inside the country before
it will be possible for this option.
And I didn't know anythingabout the United States at the period.
I didn't have a plan for immigration.
And it really wasn't.
(17:34):
Wasn't my goal.
As I told you, I always createsome projects and goals and it wasn't
my dream just to move fornothing just because I want to live
here, for example.
So I came back home, announcedto my boyfriend that we are.
That this is the end.
Yeah, absolutely.
(17:54):
We'll live together more thanthree years.
And the reason why, if to behonest a little bit, I wasn't, you
know, happy in thisrelationship because he proposed
me two years ago and didn't donothing after that.
And what was the point?
And I tried to speak with himseveral times about it and it was
some very strange conversation.
(18:15):
And I think what.
What's going on?
I didn't ask him about it.
I. I was married before.
I really don't.
They're interested in official relationship.
It was his idea.
And then something strange happened.
So I told him that I'mplanning to move to United States
and that we quit or probablyyou can come with me if you want
and try something here.
(18:35):
And he decided that that's whybecause he didn't propose me the
next day he came with a, youknow, ring from The Tiffany coin
and told what's the, what'sthat thing?
And this is, you know, this isthe story for the, for the grandkids.
Then your grandma, you know,had Tiffany ran but she told no,
this is, this is too late.
(18:57):
That was how it was, right?
This is how it happened.
I mean everything was good,but it was very polite and I really,
I really respect my ex boyfriend.
We had a brilliant relationship.
Probably just you know howit's happened in the, in, in the
couple.
The dynamic of development canbe different and there is a period
(19:18):
that somebody moved in fasterand the next one should moving in
his, you know, his rhythm, her rhythm.
But you know, you should meetsomewhere there is a period in another
you.
Sometimes you go like this.
It's this, this, this, this.
Yeah, yes, something like that.
But I think that between ushaving the situation when I've just
(19:39):
started moving very fast andhe didn't.
And that was the main reason.
I suppose so then I nowannounced at my job that I'm quit.
That was also prettysurprising because as I told you,
I was in a good position.
I took several side projectsat that period then by then bought
one way tickets.
(20:00):
Just came here.
I lived in New York for theone month just.
I love New York City and Ithink this is very amazing place
there you can, how can I say it?
Make your identification withyour nationality not so strong.
Because in New York Cityyou're living among the people from
all over the world.
(20:21):
Every one of them havecultural identity, cultural values,
cultural tradition.
And when you see that all thisthing is pretty important, but yours
cultural identity is not themost important in the world.
It's just one of the type ofthe cultural identity, one of the
type of the language, one ofthe type of the mindset.
And that's how I regularlyfelt in New York that I can, you
(20:44):
know, take over my Russiancoat and just to be person of the
world.
And I spent a month in NewYork City just, just enjoy, just
walking, visit an amazing jazzbar, restaurants, whatever it is.
And then I moved to the, tothe California because this, that
was my goal and that's how Istarted my story here.
It is fascinating.
You know, Marina, it's.
(21:09):
It's amazing when somebody.
When you know like I'm hearingyour story and I'm hearing the, you
know, your own personal driveand so.
But also just from theexperience of having, you know, whether
you realize it or not, likehaving really great leaders to, to
help you in the.
Even in the early stages ofyour career when you're first out
(21:30):
of university, like the peoplethat can actually influence you almost
like by the drip like drippingon you, right?
Like they, you know, and whenyou can get into something that's
good and you have good peopleand they see, see not everybody probably
at the company was they didn'tsee the same thing they in you that
they saw in everybody else.
(21:51):
They saw you and said oh,she's got this, you know, and it's,
and has drive.
So it's really amazing.
This is why I do this becausenot everybody, you know, maybe there
was somebody else at thecompany that you were at, you were
in and maybe a leader couldhave seen something in them and said,
(22:14):
you know what, you're awesome,but this isn't the right place for
you.
We think you could excel over here.
And you, I mean obviously youwere able to excel and I just love
that people were able to leaninto you to get you to bring out
(22:34):
your greatness so that you canthen now lean into others to bring
out their greatness.
And I just think that's,that's what, that, that's what helps
make us better.
You are 100% right and I wantto say you then living in Silicon
Valley for me means that Inever ever will be again the smartest
(22:57):
person in the room.
And that's what I lovebecause, because I, I love this phrase.
If you are the smartest personin the room, that's mean that you
are not in the right room.
And this is some kind of.
I think this is one of myvalue because I think that people
around us is our responsibility.
And if you can find someinspiring leaders, some great co
(23:20):
workers, friends, some peoplethat are on the same page with you
who share your values, this isyour responsibility to find your
people and to be in thoseplace there you can feel the support,
inspiration.
And you know, I thought aboutyou have some question typically
in your podcast what's makeyou the person that you are.
(23:43):
I thought about it and Iremember there were interesting story
that I would love to sharewith you and with with our listeners.
You absolutely right.
Honestly I had a prettychallenging childhood.
Don't want to dive deeper intoit but I had my mom passed away where
when she was very young.
She was 33 years and I was 14years old and my grandpa and grandma
(24:06):
took care about me and ofcourse they were absolutely you imagine
how they felt after thing thatwas happened.
But whatever it is, it is inthe past.
But during all my life Ialways have some people who really
believe in me and supported me.
But also I had one veryinteresting situation in school that
(24:29):
influenced for me as well.
So it was on the maths classand it was some important tests like
you know, quarter test orsomething like that.
And we need to solve only one.
Oh my God.
Equation.
Equation.
Right.
Absolutely right.
And our class was separatedfor two groups and one half of the
(24:54):
class got the equation numberone and another one equation number
two.
And it was very long for, youknow, for several lines.
And you can only have a chancetwo grades.
At the end you are successfulor you're not successful with this
example because this equationengaged all the formulas that we
studied during all during this quarter.
(25:15):
So.
And it was very difficult.
So it was for.
For whole lesson.
And as always, after, afterthe lesson, after the test you started
to chatting with each other.
What result did you get?
What result did you get?
Etc.
So my group, it was equationnumber one.
All of them got their resultsminus one.
And I got the results zeropoints and three numbers after the.
(25:40):
After the point.
And I was totally sure that I was.
I made an awful mistake.
And, and my parents, they werevery serious about my, my grandparents,
they were serious about my.
About my education.
You only a grade will be.
Will be okay.
All in other grades it's is bad.
So it's typical for Russian mindset.
So I was.
For a lot of us, yeah, it's.
(26:03):
So I was very upset because Iwas sure that I'm.
I. I will have a awful gradein it.
And I, I probably didn't sleepwell for this couple days because
on Monday we have this testand on Wednesday it will be the next
math class where it will announce.
So our.
Our teacher come into theclass and say blah blah, blah.
(26:23):
There is as always, you know,last name and the grade what you
have.
And then she, and she startswith a group number two.
And then she came to our groupand say.
So we had very interesting situation.
All of you solved thisequation incorrectly and only one
person who solved it correctlyis Marina.
(26:44):
What's happened guys?
And you know, I reallyremembered this situation for all
of my life because I was surethat I did a mistake.
And also all people around mehad another answer.
And at that moment I rememberthat it can be situation in your
life that everyone around youwill be absolutely sure in their
(27:06):
answer, in their vision, intheir understanding of reality.
And probably you will haveabsolutely opposite opinion.
But there is a chance that youcan be right and this is your responsibility.
And I think that leadership isabove responsibility for all the
solution that you provide.
Because honestly, you knowHonestly, all of us making mistakes
(27:29):
during our career, during ourentrepreneurial journey in our life,
we're choosing not right.
Suppose we make a lot of different.
We started awful relationship.
We sometimes spending a lot ofmoney for the business that at the
end of the story are unsuccessful.
We are losing our clients, allof us making a lot of different mistakes.
But the thing that reallyspecific for the leaders is that
(27:53):
you are able to make thisdecision and to keep the responsibility
even if it was global mistake.
And this is the main thingabout the leadership, in my opinion.
So this situation was reallyimportant for me.
And I had several times in mylife that everyone told me, what
are you doing?
For example, when I decided tomove to United States, I didn't even
(28:16):
discuss it with a lot of people.
And for example, even some ofmy family members knew about it when
I already were here in NewYork City.
Just because I knew that itwill be very stressful for them and
it will be a long conversation.
What are you doing?
You are too old for that.
Why did you broke with thisamazing guy?
You don't have a chances tocreate a new family because you're
(28:38):
already 35 and all this stuff.
But it's very important tohave an inspiring, supportive community
around you.
And as I told, I think thatthis is your responsibility as well.
And from another hand, ifyou're a leader, you will definitely
have some situation in yourlife when you don't have enough information,
you probably don't have enough support.
(28:59):
You need to make a decisionand you will keep the responsibility
for this decision to the end.
And this is okay.
You know, Marina, I love that story.
I absolutely.
It.
There's so many parts about that.
You know, it's.
First of all, it's.
It's that.
That pressure that we put onourselves, right?
(29:23):
That about right or wrong, right.
Like did we do the right thing?
Do we not do the right thing?
Am I.
Did I get the answer right?
And we like lament and wethink about it, right?
Because it matters to us.
If it didn't matter, we wouldn't.
It wouldn't care.
Right?
So.
But also really knowing that,you know, what you said is so pointed
(29:44):
and true is that knowing thatthere could be a different answer
and knowing that, you know,knowing that in actuality, you know,
so maybe they got the numberwrong, maybe they did the steps right.
But there was some mistake.
And it's knowing that like.
And to own that and to knowthat and know that there are always
(30:08):
ways unless you've killedsomebody in like medicine, obviously.
But but most of the time thereis a way to fix something or to go
back and say, ooh, I canchange this.
I see the mistake too, and toown it.
But also if you are, if youhave gotten it right, it's also believing
(30:29):
in yourself.
Like, you know, the, the, the.
How.
Could different would it be isif you walked away from that and
thought to yourself, ha, haha, they're all wrong.
I know I'm right.
Honestly, I, I typically, I'mnot thinking about it because, I
(30:49):
mean, I think that I'm.
This is specific, somespecifics of my personality or probably,
you know, my childhoodhistory, his history.
When I'm making the next stepand I'm changing the reality.
Like, I mean, decided to openyour business, move to another country,
join to another company, startnew relationship.
(31:12):
I'm thinking about it like,about, like about a new chapter of
my life.
And I, and the previouschapters, they are pretty close to
me.
I mean, I'm not missing.
I don't feel some kind of nostalgia.
I'm thinking about it with gratitude.
I have a lot of warm emotionsfrom the past.
But this is something likeyour childhood dress.
That's pretty cute.
(31:33):
But it's absolutely unrelevantfor, for your reality.
And yeah, yeah, I thinkyou're, you're absolutely right.
This is your experience.
Right.
And that experience, it's,it's one of those things that I think
is quintessential forleadership to let everybody know
that we have, we have itwithin ourselves to choose our path.
(32:02):
It's a choice that we can make.
And we can decide to get up inthe morning and decide how do we
want to be, what is the pathwe want to go, what's the right thing
for me?
And yes, there are alwaysother people around you that may
have to come or come intothat, you know, in your decision.
But at the end of the day, youknow, as you're moving up in your
(32:27):
career, it's not to forgetabout those people, but it's to help
lead those people and help ifyou've got a vision for yourself,
who are the people that youcan bring with you?
Who are the people that aregoing to support you?
Who are the people that, asyou shared, you don't tell them until
you're already on the journeybecause you know who the naysayers
(32:48):
are, they're going to try totalk you out.
And they're, they're all thesedifferent groups of people in our
lives, and we have to surroundourselves with the people who, you
know, are going to Help riseus up.
Right.
That, that tie, that risingtide is going to lift all the boats.
(33:10):
But we have to decide, we haveto decide which, which, which wave
do we want to catch?
You're 100% right.
And again, this is my vision.
Probably other people canthink in another way.
Of course.
I have, for example, I have abest friend.
We are the friends since wewere childs and it's more than 20
years of our friendship.
(33:31):
Yeah.
And this is amazing.
She's living in Europe right now.
And you know, it's veryimportant part of the life as well.
But I think that people whoclose to us, they, they need support
us.
Right.
And it's.
And if you.
Some.
Some of your friends or relatives.
(33:51):
Okay, we're not speaking whenyou're making some really silly things
like decided to invest all thefamily money for some crazy project.
We're not speaking about this.
It's more about the change thechoices that you, that you, you're.
That you are making duringyour life.
I think that close people whoare close to you, they really need
to support you.
And again, this is, this isthat you can regulate.
(34:13):
For example, I have a closerelationship with my aunt.
They have some, you know, moreclassic mindset that's mean that
all the people who love youwill say all the critical things
that they're thinking about you.
Like, I don't like your higher cut.
What did you wear?
And it took me, it took meseveral years to recreate our way
of communication and say I.I'm waiting for support of everything
(34:34):
that I'm doing.
And if I really need youropinion about my higher card or about
of any of my choices, I willcome and ask you, please, what do
you think about my hierarchyor something like that?
Because it's very, very important.
It's pretty difficult rightnow to develop a career to run in
business because we have somany things outside that influence
dramatically for everythingthat's going on in our life.
AI Covid political situationis absolutely unpredictable.
(34:57):
But the thing that you reallycan take under control is your condition.
And thanks neurophysiology andeverything that I now it is also
some pivotal moment for methat I really understood that healthy
brain and healthy nervoussystem see healthy and variable solutions.
And if you are in a badcondition, if you have too much cortisol,
(35:18):
you were under the stress fora long time.
You see the dangerous reality.
But reality is absolutely the same.
Reality provides you billionsof different options and scenarios.
And the thing that you'refocusing on really depends of your
internal condition.
I mean even neurophysiologicalcondition, we're done speaking about
some, you know, more spiritthings here.
It's very simple.
(35:39):
If your brain is healthy, youwill make a healthy decision.
It's very easy.
And you will, you will producesome healthy products, you will create
some healthy organizationalculture and environment in your business.
You will be able to develophealthy relationship.
The only one thing that youneed is a healthy brain.
So it was also pivotal for me.
(35:59):
So what I'm trying to say, wehave a lot of different things around
us, but this is something thatwe can manage.
Everything that very close tous, our condition and people who
are very, very close and wecan regulate it.
And if you had a challengingperiod, period, you want to change
something, you are pivotingyour career.
(36:21):
Please take a little bit faraway from the people who are criticizing
you or not support you.
And if you can do it like forexample, this is your, I don't know,
family, parents, you can say Ineed support right now.
If you're unable to provide methe support, let's take a pause in
our communication and I willcome back to you later.
Then I will have moreresources to keep conversations like
(36:43):
this.
And in my opinion it's pretty normal.
But you know, it's, it'severyone's choice, you know, summary.
I think that is, that isabsolutely one of them.
That's, it's a quintessentialgame changing insight which is basically,
you know, no matter where youare in your leadership journey, it's
to find the people thatsupport you and your mission and
(37:06):
that are aligned with you inthe, in values.
And if the people that, ifthere are some people that don't
do exactly what you said, thisis my vision.
I need to put this on pause.
Unless we can, unless youknow, the relationship is not serving
me in the best way right now.
I love you but.
Or you're a great friend butbecause you need to surround yourself
(37:29):
with the people that, that.
Not that lift you up and makeyou feel good.
Marina, I could talk to youfor hours about this.
You are so smart and, and Ilove what you're doing when leadership
and your, and everything thatyou have accomplished is really amazing.
What is the best way forpeople to reach out to you and connect
(37:49):
with you?
Because I think everybodyneeds to.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
So I will be happy to connectwith you in my LinkedIn.
LinkedIn.
Marina Morgan, San Franciscoand also I have a website, themorganimpact.com
Please find this website.
I have an option of free halfan hour strategic clarity session
where you can come and justshare where are you right now, where
(38:12):
you want to be.
And we can develop severalideas how you can achieve your goal.
I'm very open to it.
So let's stay in touch.
Of course.
Please, please follow thisamazing podcast because you can meet
not only me here, but alsoother amazing guests.
Yes, you can.
So listeners, please follow,connect with Marina, go to her website,
(38:37):
get that free strategysession, connect with her on LinkedIn,
and please do me the favor ofhitting subscribe and also sharing
this podcast with your friendsand colleagues.
My name is Jacqueline Schuminger.
I am the host of theUnstoppable Leadership Spotlight
podcast.
And I appreciate you listenersfor listening and tuning in and for
(38:58):
Marina for being an amazing guest.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
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