I’ve been in China for a month now, training and advising athletes and technical staff in Guizhou province, located in the south-central part of this vast country. This isn’t my first time experiencing its hospitality, and judging by how things are going, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be my last. By the way, China is the Mecca of Canoe Slalom facilities, boasting large artificial courses and top-tier auxiliary installations.

Over these intense weeks of work, I’ve taken part in numerous training sessions and shared many meals. I’ve observed closely, both on the river and around the circular tables where dishes are communally shared. I’ve interacted and analyzed how others interact.

These experiences have led to many reflections, but two themes have especially captured my attention: leadership and the Mediterranean diet—two concepts that, in Europe, we tend to treat with surprising universality.

In the West, leadership is associated with a relatively fixed set of qualities: charisma, quick decision-making, inspiration, closeness to the team, and clear, direct communication. In China, however, the perspective is different. Hierarchy is more pronounced, respect for experience outweighs individual initiative, and decision-making is generally more collective. The leader’s figure is powerful, and their presence is constant—even in our sports team.

More than once, I’ve made the mistake of applying Western leadership concepts with local athletes. Like the time I told one of them, as we high-fived, “I’m at your service.” A few hours later, someone discreetly advised me, “You might not want to say that—it won’t make sense to them.”

This doesn’t mean one model is superior to the other, but rather that each responds to a distinct cultural framework, with its own internal logic and purpose.

The same applies to food. In Europe (or at least in Spain), the Mediterranean diet is seen as the gold standard of nutritional balance: fresh vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes, and a moderate amount of meat. From our perspective, it is the ultimate model of health. But is that true everywhere? In China, the idea of a balanced diet is different. Here, variety is key, soup is an essential part of every meal, and food is valued not just for its nutrients but also for its properties within the country’s medical and cultural traditions. What we in Europe consider healthy may not be perceived the same way in China, and vice versa.

This extended stay has reminded me that very few things are truly universal. Both leadership and diet are deeply rooted in culture, history, and how each society understands well-being and harmony. What we take for granted is merely a reflection of our own perspective. And when we step into a different environment, we realize that there are many valid ways to do things right.

I don’t want to be misunderstood: I do believe in universal values. But I also believe that, at times, we mistake certain concepts for values when they are actually just means to achieve them.

Leadership is not a value in itself—it is a tool to bring out the best in individuals and groups, which is, in fact, a true value. Likewise, diet is not a value in itself but a means to optimize energy intake and prevent adverse effects on physical and mental performance—both of which are real values.

Ultimately, the greatest lesson from traveling and meeting people around the world is realizing that everything we see is shaped by context. And sometimes, things are not the way we wish they were—they are simply the way they must be, given the real and local circumstances in which they unfold.

Coach: Forget the clichés about leadership. Use them as a general reference, if you like. But always remember: the real art lies in developing your own method based on the specific context in which your team operates.

Now it’s time to fly back to Europe. See you!