Businesswoman Gina Diez Barroso spoke with Tec students about resilience, empathetic leadership, and why a legacy doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.
Every year, around 10,000 students graduate from Tecnológico de Monterrey. They enter the workforce with dreams of leaving a legacy and making an impact on the world.
However, even with the education they receive, many of them will make mistakes, and they may fail in their early attempts. Even so, they have a responsibility to try.
That was the message Gina Diez Barroso shared with a group of students, many of whom were about to graduate, during an informal discussion with Rector Juan Pablo Murra about her experiences as an entrepreneur.
The graduate’s competitive advantage
The question they need to ask themselves as they finish their studies is how they will set themselves apart from their peers who are graduating from the Tec. They all graduate with the same degree from the same institution and have access to the same networks.
According to Diez, competitive advantage does not lie in the classroom.
“The difference isn’t education. You all have the same level of education. The difference is how you manage to overcome adversity.”
As a leader of various companies and organizations, Diez has seen many employees come and go. When she’s looking to add someone to her team, she says that more than looking at their résumés, she looks for resilience.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty,” Murra said. “Life goes on, and companies are still hiring. But that’s no guarantee. You still have to do the work.”
Adversity, Diez clarified, is not a remote possibility; it is a certainty. At some point in life, everyone will face a professional setback, a loss, or a financial crisis.
“The question isn’t whether it’s coming, but what you’re going to do when it arrives,” she said.
“The world belongs to those who fail and those who keep trying until they succeed,” said the businesswoman.
From that central premise, she offered three lessons to the generation about to enter the workforce.
“The difference isn’t education. You all have the same level of education. The difference is how you manage to overcome adversity.” – Gina Diez Barroso
Failure is not defeat
In this businesswoman’s view, a person who has never failed is a person who has never tried. Failure means that this job, this project, or this moment isn’t for you, but the only way to truly fail is if you stop trying.
When Diez is asked how many times she has been defeated, she replies, “Never. But ask me how many times I’ve failed. There isn’t enough time in the day,” she said. “I’ve failed, but I’ve picked myself up.”
“Those who are afraid to fail will never rise above mediocrity,” she said, “and will remain invisible in their careers.”
The entrepreneur offered practical advice on what to do when someone makes a mistake. First and foremost, you need to take responsibility for the mistake. Once you’ve mastered it, keep analyzing it and, above all, learn from the experience.
“It’s okay to fail, but it’s not okay to repeat the same mistake,” she said.
She told the students that this is why it’s important not to shy away from conflict because that’s often where the best opportunities arise.
Many graduates enter the workforce with a very clear idea of what their career should look like, and when reality doesn’t match that plan, frustration can paralyze them.
Her advice is to let go of that rigidity. Sometimes Plan B isn’t just a fallback option. It ends up being better than the original plan.
“Option B might sometimes turn out better than Option A,” she said. Things don’t always go as planned, but they can turn out well if you’re willing to adapt.
“It’s okay to fail, but it’s not okay to repeat the same mistake.” – Diez Barroso
Today’s leadership is empathetic
Her second lesson focused on the kind of leadership the world needs today. The model of a boss who gives orders and everyone else obeys is outdated, and the younger generations, she said, know this better than anyone.
What the world needs right now are leaders who listen, who are inclusive, and who encourage others to grow.
“The kind of leadership we need today is a much gentler, more empathetic style of leadership,” she said.
That change is not just a matter of style. It is a response to something that is happening on a global scale. “Trust in institutions, the media, and employers has been eroding,” she said.
She said that young people today do not automatically feel loyal to a company or a boss. Loyalty has to be earned.
Diez sees this directly in the labor market. Young people are willing to forgo a higher salary if the company does not have the right values, if there are no diversity policies, or if they do not feel there is trust. Companies that haven’t grasped this are losing their best talent.
For his part, Murra stated that being technically competent is no longer enough for today’s companies.
“It’s also necessary to develop leadership, teamwork, and empathy skills,” said the rector. “It’s becoming increasingly necessary and essential.”
For Tec graduates who are about to enter the job market, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Those who know how to foster that kind of culture from within, regardless of their position, will have a real advantage.
And according to Diez, they already have that ability. “They have the upper hand against us. They already embody what leadership looks like today,” she said.
A legacy begins with one person
During the talk, many students asked how to deal with the pressure they feel to “conquer the world” and live up to the legacy they have been promised. Diez understands that ambition, but she also knows how much of a burden it can become.
Finding a clear sense of purpose is not easy. It does not happen overnight, and it does not happen the same way for everyone. She suggested that, instead of defining legacy in broad terms, we should start with a single person.
“If everyone reaches just one person, the ripple effect multiplies,” she said.
The businesswoman said it is not about settling for less. It’s about understanding that real impact almost never hits all at once. Start with something specific—a conversation or an example that someone else decides to follow.
“For this generation, the path to their first job won’t be easy. The market is changing rapidly, artificial intelligence is reshaping entire industries, and the competition is fierce.”
The speaker did not downplay it, but she also said not to see it as an obstacle. “There will always be complications in the world,” she said.
However, the important thing, she concluded, is to make decisions that are in line with your values:
“No one will value you if you don’t value yourselves. Don’t lose that value, even if it’s hard for you.”
Who is Gina Diez Barroso?
Gina Diez Barroso is a Mexican businesswoman, entrepreneur, and Harvard graduate who has spent more than three decades promoting initiatives related to design, innovation, creative education, and professional development for women.
She is the founder and president of Dalia Empower, a global lifelong learning platform focused on helping women achieve their personal and professional goals.
She also serves as President and CEO of Grupo Diarq and Diez Holdings. In 2004, she founded CENTRO, an institution in Mexico City specializing in creative and innovation studies.
In 2022, she was ranked as the eighth most powerful woman in Mexican business, according to the business and finance magazine Expansión. She is also a board member of Santander Bank.
Diez Barroso was invited to the Coffee with the Rector event with Rector Juan Pablo Murra, held on May 29 in the Main Hall of the Rector’s Building on Monterrey campus.
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