Mariana Amaro

I attribute my success to a combination of resilience, mental flexibility, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning and innovation. Throughout years in senior leadership positions, I have navigated complex global environments where the ability to remain steadfast during challenges—while remaining adaptable to change—was essential.

My journey has taught me that true leadership requires the mental flexibility to pivot when strategies meet new realities and the resilience to lead teams through periods of significant transformation. Furthermore, I believe that staying relevant in a fast-paced corporate world demands a "student mindset." I am constantly seeking new knowledge and innovative approaches, such as integrating artificial intelligence into human resources, to ensure that the organizations I advise are not just reacting to the market, but actively shaping it.

The best career advice I ever received was to never fear "throwing myself into the fire." This metaphor has guided me through every major transition in my professional life, from leading complex global operations to founding my own advisory firm.

In the corporate world, the "fire" represents those high-stakes, uncertain, and challenging environments where the pressure is intense and the path forward is not always clear. I learned early on that true growth does not happen in the comfort of what we already know; it happens when we have the courage to embrace the new and the unknown. By not being afraid to step into these challenging situations, I developed the resilience and mental flexibility necessary to lead at a high level. Embracing the heat of new challenges is what refines our leadership skills and turns potential into proven expertise.

The most important advice I can give to young women entering this industry is to truly love what you do. In the world of People and Organization, nothing is easy; the path is often demanding and requires a high degree of resilience and mental endurance.

However, when you find genuine energy in your work, the journey becomes much more fluid and rewarding. That passion acts as your fuel during challenging transformations. If you are deeply connected to your purpose, navigating the complexities of leadership and organizational change becomes not only more pleasurable but also a natural bridge to achieving lasting success.

The biggest challenge and most significant opportunity in the field of People and Organization today is the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence into the corporate landscape. We are currently witnessing a fundamental shift in how work is designed and how talent is managed. The primary difficulty lies in balancing technological advancement with the "human" element of the organization. As AI automates routine tasks, leaders must grapple with organizational redesign and the mental impact of rapid change on their workforce. It requires immense resilience to navigate the uncertainty of shifting roles while maintaining a culture of trust and high performance.

The values that anchor both my professional work and my personal life are transparency, ethics, and trust. I believe that these three pillars are inseparable when it comes to building a sustainable legacy and fostering meaningful relationships.