Worldview and a Simple Question

Last week, I had the privilege of asking Silvia Hernández, one of only four women to ever preside over Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly, a question about leadership.

“What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities for redefining political and economic leadership through a more ethical, inclusive, and future-oriented lens, especially in a region like Latin America where structural inequality and systemic crises persist in ever-changing forms?”

She was momentarily taken aback by my question, then responded with calm certainty. She spoke about passion, ambition, the power of our stories, and how they can inspire and motivate others. She emphasised the importance of staying true to what drives you even in complex or polarised contexts.

Her words were simple but powerful. They reminded me that leadership, particularly in the political and economic spheres, often hinges on something deceptively difficult, the ability to act with conviction. To speak clearly, consistently, and ethically in environments that are unstable, polarised, or unjust. In other words, to own your story, and to lead from it.

This, to me, is the quiet essence of political communication: the capacity to be coherent. To have a voice that is rooted in something deeper than strategy, in values, experience, and vision. And ultimately, a true leader is someone who draws strength from who they are and uses that strength to make decisions that matter.

When I reflect on this idea of coherence and inner grounding, I return to the Spanish word for worldview, cosmovisión. It literally means “the vision of the universe”. I find it beautiful that it speaks not just to our view of the world, but of the universe itself, vast, interconnected, and plural. To me, this word captures not only the global experience of being human, but also how two people can grow up in the same country and still experience it in profoundly different ways, shaped by family, culture, and inherited stories.

In my case, my story is not mine alone. It is Iran and Costa Rica. It is the Global South and migration. It is the sound of relatives in the United States chasing the promise of the American Dream and cousins yearning to live freely and in dignity. My worldview is stitched from these layers, not always harmonious, but always real.

Against this backdrop, I recently revisited the Global Risks Perception Survey 2024–2025 by the World Economic Forum. The three most urgent global risks identified for 2025 are interstate conflicts, extreme weather events, and geoeconomic confrontation. These are not isolated threats. They reflect a world under pressure, from war, climate instability, and fragile economic systems.

In such a world, leadership cannot be shallow. It cannot be performative. We need leaders who understand that identity is not a liability but a compass, who draw on their cosmovisión to act not only with knowledge, but with ethical purpose.

So yes, leadership demands conviction. But conviction must come from somewhere, from the stories we carry, the worlds we have seen, and the futures we dare to imagine. To lead is to learn how to stand your ground, not in opposition to others, but in fidelity to your truth.

That, I believe, is where the real work of leadership begins.