Artwork for podcast The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do
Leading Global Teams: Sergio Lopez on Creativity, Care, and Cultural Alignment
Episode 5610th September 2026 • The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do • Groops
00:00:00 00:43:25

Share Episode

Shownotes

What happens when you merge over 100 creative companies across cultures, continents, and languages in the midst of radical industry transformation? In this episode, global CEO Sergio Lopez joins Dr. Bobbi Wegner to reveal the psychological dynamics behind leading world-class teams at scale. Navigating tough decisions, building authentic relationships, and why he believes treating your team like family is a recipe for disaster. Don’t miss this candid, thought-provoking conversation packed with surprising insights on leadership, culture, and what really drives high performance.

Sergio Lopez is the Global CEO of Omnicom Production, where he leads the integration of more than 100 content companies into a single global operation serving some of the world’s largest brands. With over two decades of experience across Europe, Latin America, and North America, Sergio specializes in building high-performing, cross-cultural creative teams. Previously, he held global roles at Publicis Production and is recognized for guiding organizations through industry-defining change—particularly as technology and AI reshape the creative landscape.

KEY TOPICS

  1. The "three Cs" that shape Sergio Lopez's leadership: creativity, curiosity, and care 04:11
  2. Why Sergio Lopez believes teams should never be called "family" in business—and the risks of a false sense of security 13:13
  3. Navigating cultural differences: how leadership style and communication adapt across global teams 17:13
  4. The importance of freedom within a framework, balancing non-negotiables with local flexibility at Omnicom 21:23
  5. Letting go of the "parent" model and empowering teams by treating everyone as adults, not children 36:11

Todays guest, Sergio Lopez, can be found online at:

Website: https://www.omc.com/capabilities/capability-production/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiolopezferrero/

Your host, Dr. Bobbi Wegner, can be found online at:

Groops: https://www.joingroops.com/

Harvard Extension School Faculty Spotlight: https://youtu.be/zwLai-lu-pk?si=GpKNhtxVvTrS3-pu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiwegner/

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube

More Episodes
56. Leading Global Teams: Sergio Lopez on Creativity, Care, and Cultural Alignment
00:43:25
55. Human Connection Drives Capital: Allison Byers on Relationships, Bias, and Startup Success
00:34:31
54. Building Trust and Emotional Intelligence in Teams with Chris Wyndham
00:45:19
53. The Role of Vulnerability and Coaching in High-Performing Workplaces with Jason Desentz
00:42:31
52. Building Community and Mental Health Support in Coworking with Liz Elam
00:33:16
51. The Future of Work: Navigating AI, Growth, and Human Connection with Lorrissa Horton
00:34:10
50. From Startup to Global Leader: Larry Hartmann on Team Dynamics and Growth
00:42:53
49. Navigating Conflict and Connection in Women’s Leadership and Entrepreneurship with Katya Libin
00:34:04
48. Mastering Pressure and Paradoxes With Elite Performance Psychologist Jonathan Smith
00:44:06
47. Inside the Mind of Leaders: Sebastien Page Talks Personality, Team Dynamics, and Workplace Happiness
00:43:26
46. How “Yes, and Improv” Can Boost Team Innovation and Culture With Amanda Austin
00:34:50
45. Ellen M. Cartee Explains the Big Hug Approach to Mergers and Team Integration
00:32:59
44. Transforming Burnout to Growth Through Cutting-Edge Neuroscience and Ai-Driven Insights
00:31:30
43. Leading Change in Legacy Brands: How Welch’s Blends Tradition, Innovation, and Purpose
00:32:40
42. From Military to Boardroom: The Evolving Psychology of Leadership with Scott Harris
00:34:16
41. Avoidance, Politeness, and the Real Cost to Team Trust and Accountability with Greg Troxell
00:38:23
40. Bridging the Gap Between Therapy and Coaching in the Workplace With Stevie Rabinowitz
00:28:18
39. Creating Thriving Communities: Real Estate, Philanthropy, and Psychology with Paige Hakimian
00:29:01
38. How AI Is Reshaping Team Culture and Leadership at Work
00:31:48
37. Marc Maloy on Building High-Performing Teams Through Culture and Leadership
00:39:30
36. An Exercise in Uncertainty: Jonathan Gluck’s Journey Through Illness, Hope, and Work
00:29:39
35. Leading With Empathy: Building Trust and Collaboration at Work
00:30:38
34. Turning Educational Frameworks Into Team Success Tools with Sri Narayanan
00:26:31
33. Culture by Accident or Design? Creating Strong Teams in Mission-Driven Organizations
00:32:35
32. World Domination and Giving Back: How Quintessa Inspires Sales Teams to Perform
00:29:50
31. Building High-Performing Teams Through Self-Managed Systems with Amanda Pike
00:24:58
30. Strategies for Team Alignment and Clarity in Fast-Moving Companies with Cher Murphy
00:32:22
29. Scaling Companies Through People: Insights from Matt Massucci on Recruiting and Team Cohesion
00:31:12
28. How Design Thinking Shapes High-Performing Teams at Work with Hannah Rosenfeld
00:38:10
27. Building Human-Centered Cultures in Fast-Growth Startups with Amy Campbell
00:39:25
26. The Ripple Effect of Empowerment: Annie Ripp’s Journey in Wellness and Leadership
00:36:52
24. Scaling Culture Without Losing Soul: Courtney King on High Engagement and Fun at BeatBox
00:42:12
24. Leading with Humanity: Repair, Rupture, and Resilience in Organizations with Amy Bouque
00:37:26
23. AI, People, and Peak Performance: Legal Leadership with Eowynne Noble
00:41:05
22. Leading With Humanity: Suicide Prevention, Connection, and Growth in High-Stress Environments with Eli Embleton
00:43:11
21. Bridging Technology and Humanity: HR’s New Frontier in Work Psychology with Kyle Forrest
00:40:58
20. The Price of Nice in the Workplace with Amira Barger
00:31:54
19. Bridging Generations and Cultures at Work: LaToya Lyn on Motivation and Inclusion
00:34:54
18. The Human Side of AI: Creating Belonging, Control, and Growth at Work with Tushar Pandit
00:33:22
17. From Chaos to Cohesion: Supporting Teams Beyond Work with Jon Cooper
00:36:13
16. Shaping Team Culture: Coaching, Feedback, and Trust with Joel Greengrass
00:38:11
15. Creating High-Trust Teams: Bridging Psychology and Military Leadership with Colonel Jason Watkins
00:38:27
14. Humility, Trust, and Agility: The Guide to Workplace Cohesion with Lauren Carey
00:33:03
13. Exploring Workplace Culture Shifts with DEI Expert Donna Daniels
00:34:03
12. Turning Employee Experience into Business Success with Scott Leuchter
00:36:54
11. Understanding Performance Culture with Marco Mingolla
00:41:47
10. Creating Psychological Safety in Global Startups with Alexandra Erman
00:35:32
9. The Role of Communication in Team Cohesion & Performance with Jacqueline Fearer
00:31:16
8. Unpacking Cross-Cultural Collaboration with Rhia Newton
00:39:06
7. Navigating Workforce Growth and Employee Engagement with Lee Walker
00:32:23
6. Strategies for Effective Leadership and Team Cohesion with Jeff Brittain
00:33:29
5. The Psychology of Habits with Julia Milner
00:31:49
4. Leading Remote Teams and Scaling with Kat McDavitt
00:34:26
3. Enhancing Workplace Culture with Craig Forman
00:37:55
2. Pain, Purpose, and Psychological Safety with Dr. Dossier Harps
00:40:09
1. Navigating Workplace Wellbeing with Jen Fisher
00:37:58
trailer The Psychology of Work Trailer
00:00:37