Laura Smrekar je partnerica v svetovalni kadrovski družbi Competo, direktorica Zavoda Vitae+, za življenje po športni karieri, predavateljica in ambasadorka finančnega opismenjevanja mladih ter mentorica mladim v programu AmCham Young Professionals. Skupaj s partnerjema so leta 2010, času recesije, ustanovili zaposlitveno agencijo Competo, usmerjeno v iskanje in izbor vodstvenega in strokovnega kadra, z drugačnim poslovnim modelom ter se pogumno in drzno podali v svet podjetništva. Postali so ena izmed najbolj uspešnih agencij v našem prostoru. V zadnjem obdobju so razširili portfelj svojih storitev na področje razvoja kadrov in organizacij in se preoblikovali v svetovalno kadrovsko družbo. V Competu skrbi za področje komuniciranja in vodi projekte iskanja in izbora na področju marketinga, odnosov z javnostmi ter na kadrovskem področju. Ima dolgoletne izkušnje na področju trga dela, predvsem na področju iskanja in izbora kadrov. Pri svojem delu vsak dan srečuje veliko posameznikov, ki si bodisi želijo spremembo v svoji karieri oz. potrebujejo podporo svetovalca na področju raziskovanja lastnih kariernih ambicij. Svoje delo vidi tudi kot svoje poslanstvo. Uživa v tem, kar počne in prizadeva si, da bi čim več ljudi našlo svoje »sanjsko« delo« oz. bilo dovolj pogumnih in drznih, da živijo svoje karierne aspiracije. S komunikacijo na družbenih omrežjih ves čas odpira pomembne tematike s področja trga dela, zaposlovanja, ozavešča in spodbuja dobre prakse, razbija tabuje in si prizadeva, da bi vse več podjetij z dejanji postavili ljudi v osrčje svojega delovanja. Najbolj je ponosna, da so v 12ih letih uspeli zgraditi močno blagovno znamko, da imajo veliko zvestih partnerjev, da ji njihova rast predvsem posledica priporočil zadovoljnih strank ter, da imajo zavzeto in predano ekipo, ki strastno soustvarja zgodbo Competa.

Naj quote: »Izberi si delo, ki ga imaš rad, in ne boš delal niti en dan v življenju« Konfucij

Naj knjiga: No Rules Rules (Reed Hastings, Erin Mayer)

Naj serija: Prijatelji in Teorija velikega poka (Veliki pokovci)

Hobiji: Dolga hitra hoja, domači fitnes, »izdelovanje figuric«

Najljubša hrana: Mediteranska hrana

Najljubši podjetnik: Ivo Boscarol

Naj app: WhatsApp, Slack, Google maps, Linkedin, Weather, Calendar

Trije nauki:

1.    Nič ni samoumevno. Prav je, da se tega zavedamo še posebej takrat, ko nam gre dobro.

2.    Za dolgoročno rast in uspeh organizacija je pomembna konsistentnost in jasen fokus.

3.    Šele ko dobro poskrbimo zase, lahko dobro skrbimo tudi za druge.

If you’re serious about retaining the people on your team (as you should be), consider conducting “stay” interviews. These are discussions where you ask loyal employees key questions to understand how engaged they are. These discussions involve asking key questions to your loyal employees that tackle common retention issues. The information you gather can help you tackle common retention issues. Here are four questions to try:

· What’s your frame of mind today?No matter what the response is — positive or negative — don’t negate their experience or move too quickly to solving a problem. Just listen, thank them for being honest, and ask for more information before moving toward a solution.

· Who do you feel connected to at work?Based on their response, explore what you can do to help them deepen those connections. Perhaps people from different departments can work on a company-wide event, a cross-division initiative, or take part in virtual discussion groups.

· What do you want to learn that will excite you and help you grow? This question signals that you care about their development and want to help them achieve their aspirations.

· What barriers can I remove for you to help you do your job better? Then brainstorm with your colleague how you can be most helpful. Ensuring people can do their jobs well is just as important as praise and rewards.

How do you retain your employees?

Do you practice stay interviews?

Nawaz, S. (2022, March). What Stops People on Your Team from Leaving? Harvard Business Review.

Simon Belak je pomagal več ducatom podjetij postati data-driven in postaviti ali nadgraditi svoje podatkovne oddelke in podatkovno infrastrukturo. Poleg svetovalnega dela je bil tekom svoje kariere eden prvih inženirjev na Metabase iz Silicijeve doline, kjer je vodil razvoj umetne inteligence in pripeljal produkt do tega, da ga dnevno uporablja preko 50.000 podjetji, med drugim Swisscom, N26, Revolut, SpaceX, Adidas. Pred tem je bil tehnični direktor na GoOpti, kjer je s svojim delom podatkovno podprl GoOptijevo mednarodno širitev, izboljšal profitabilnost za 35%, vzpostavil growth hacking procese in pomagal pri pridobitvi serija A investicije tveganega kapitala. Kot soustanovitelj Hekovnika – prve startup šole v Sloveniji – je pustil neizbrisljiv pečat na slovenski startup sceni. Simon je iskan predavatelj doma in po svetu, zavzet mentor in viden član programerske in growth hacking skupnosti.

Naj quote: A change of perspective is worth 80 IQ points - A. Kay

Naj knjiga: nimam najljubše, ampak knjiga, ki mi je zelo pri srcu in jo skoraj vsakemu priporočam in vsebuje veliko prvin, ki jih zelo cenim je: The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

Naj serija: serij gledam zelo malo. Prva, ki mi pade na pamet je Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Hobiji: surfanje, gorsko kolesarjenje, restavriranje starodobnih avtomobilov

Najljubša hrana: na svetu je preveč jedi, da bi imel najljubšo v smislu, da bi se k njej znova in znova vračal. Rad kuham (navezava kuhanje - hekanje)

Najljubši podjetnik: bolj kot razmišljam, bolj se mi zdi, da je dober podjetnik vedno tudi deeply flawed. Ljudje od katerih sem se ogromno naučil: Kristjan Pečanec, Sameer al Sakran (CEO Metabase). Zanimiva oseba mi je Musk.

Naj app: Emacs

Nauki za naše poslušalce:

·      Malo dinamik je zares linearnih. Dvakrat večje, dvakrat hitrejše, dvakrat krajše se bo obnašalo več kot dvakrat drugače. Če denimo iterirate dvakrat hitreje, bo pot vašega posla povsem drugačna.

·      Vsako orodje (in pod to štejem tudi procese in mentalne modele) deluje "na obeh koncih". S svojimi danostmi vpliva na to kako razmišljamo in pristopamo k problemom. Nehote bomo kar je preprosto počeli pogosto, tistemu kar ima veliko trenja pa se bomo izogibali. Analizirati svet okoli nas skozi prizmo UX je zato ena ključnih praks za (samo)izboljševanje.

·      Najbolj impactful stvar, ki jo lahko naredite (zase in za svoje podjetje) je redna, namerna in sistematična pol urna introspekcija vsak teden.

Intuitionis frequently dismissed as mystical or unreliable. In reality, it’s one of the most powerful decision-making tools at your disposal. When you approach a decision intuitively, your brain works in tandem with your gut to quickly assess all your memories, past learnings, personal needs, and preferences and then makes the wisest decision given the context.

Here are a few ways to learn to go with your gut:

· Distinguish your gut feeling from fear.Ask yourself: Am I tempted to make this decision to avoid a threat, rejection, or punishment? Or do I feel excited, at ease, and content with the choice at hand?

· Practice. Find small ways to take quick, decisive actions. Raise your hand and speak up in a meeting without censoring yourself. Choose an outfit that calls to you without weighing too many variables. By starting small, you mitigate feelings of overwhelm and can gradually step your way up to larger, higher pressure decisions with greater self-trust.

· Try the snap judgment test.On a piece of paper, write a question you’re struggling with, such as, “Will accepting the promotion make me happy?” Then write “yes or no” below the question and walk away. After a few hours, or the next morning, come back to the paper and immediately circle the answer that feels right to you.

· Fall back on your values.The next time you find yourself unable to make a decision, ask yourself, “Which action brings me closer to my core values?” You can avoid mental loops by aligning your choices with what most matters to you.

keep in mind that intuition can’t flourish in busy, stressful environments. Give your mind space to wander and make connections. Remember, while intuition is not perfect, it’s also a decision-making tool you’re likely underutilizing at the moment.

How do you calm down and trust yourself?

What do you do, to be focused?

Wilding, M. (2022, March). How to Stop Overthinking and Start Trusting Your Gut. Harvard Business Review.

Jan Peloza je inženir računalništva in informatike, ima magisterij iz strateškega tržnega komuniciranja s poudarkom na socialnem marketingu ter je zaključil MBA na ljubljanski Ekonomski fakulteti.

Skozi svojo kariero je gradil uspešne zgodbe v nevladnem sektorju in socialni ekonomiji, zadnja leta se pa osredotoča predvsem na razvoj sektorja podjetij z družbenim in okolijskim učinkom.

Jan je dobitnik številnih državnih in tujih nagrad, med drugim s področja zdravja, izobraževanja in trajnostnega razvoja, je One Young World ambasador in ustanovni kurator Global Shapers Community-ja v Kopru, ki deluje pod okriljem Svetovnega gospodarskega foruma. V prostem času igra košarko, sicer pa trenutno vodi Slovensko agencijo za mlade ter mednarodni organizaciji Zvezo evropskih mladinskih kartic in Mednarodno zvezo za zdravje mladih (International Youth Health Organization). Jan je bil tudi dolgo časa zaposlen pri Svetovni Zdravstveni Organizaciji (WHO).

Trenutno je direktor SLOAMa – Slovenske agencije za mlade, kjer je vključenih 130.000 maldih, 100+ partnerjev in več kot 7 mio popustov po Evropi. Sedaj pa prevzema vodenje do zdaj zanj največjega projekt, pospeševalnika za podjetja z družbenim in okolijskim učinkom, Impact Hub Ljubljana, ki odpira svoje prostore na bivšem trgovalnem prostoru ljubljanske Borze.

Naj quote: Impact first, profit second

Naj knjiga: Simon Sinek - Infinite Game

Naj serija: Karkoli triler ali strategy-wise - mogoče recently najbolj Casa de Papel, pred tem pa House of Cards, ampak tudi kaj bolj sci-fi kot je lost in sitcom kot je the Office, čeprav slednjemu v današnjem času ne bi dovolili posnet prvih epizod :)

Hobiji: Košarka, meditacija, vsekakor potovanja

Najljubša hrana: Kruhovi cmoki s slivami brez sliv ;) Samo okus sliv torej, slive sem vedno odmaknil.

Najljubši podjetnik: Težko je imeti vzornika v tem primeru. Se pa dostikrat pošalim, da je dober socialni ali impact podjetnik neka mešanica med Elonom Muskom in Mati Terezo ;)

Naj app: Najbolj pogosto osebno uporabljen sigurno kak trgovalni app, ampak poslovno pa EYCA Slovenija (Evropska mladinska kartica), ker ga pač razvijamo mi ;)

Tvoji trije nauki za naše poslušalce

· V življenju nisem šel k partnerju s finančno ponudbo brez, da bi imel win-win zgodbo - zelo nerad grem torej v partnerstva, kjer samo mi profitiramo, zato sem organsko proti donacijam, ki so enostranske. Razen seveda, če to ne gre v dobrodelne namene - s tem ne gradiš trajnostnega biznisa in platforme za dejanski uspeh.

· V tridesetih letih (do 2050) tisti podjetnik, ki ne bo imel implicitno vkomponirane družbene in okoljske odgovornosti, mogoče celo net positive impacta na okolje in družbo, bo verjetno obubožal oz.ne bo uspel. Če seveda ostanemo v kapitalizmu, kot ga poznamo, ker je to edina logična rešitev, če želimo obdržati business as usual

· Ne zamenjujte samozavest in odprtost za uspeh in odličnost vodenja. Sem sam že parkrat pristal na tankem ledu. Torej hire for attitude, train for skills.

Sometimes, when you’re a manager, your team gets upset with you. They may be unhappy with a decision you’ve made or a new policy or an increase in workload. Of course, you aren’t in charge of keeping everyone happy all of the time, but you do want to respond to negative emotions, so they don’t erode trust or hold your team back. Here are some strategies for managing anger and resentment when they creep up:

• Balance your emotions before reacting to your team’s. Don’t take the anger or resentment personally. See these expressions as data, not a threat, and resist the urge to get defensive or to dismiss your team’s feedback.

• Be curious. Ask for more information. Offer your team members a safe space to vent to you without shame or worry of retribution and focus on what you can learn from their feedback.

• Enlist their help. Invite them to partner with you to explore solutions that address their concerns and benefit everyone. That way you can channel their frustration into a positive and productive outcome.

• Build deeper trust by owning your part. Even if you weren’t the direct cause of your team’s frustration, own up to any blind spots you may have and commit to continuing to learn and grow.

Anger and resentment across your team can make an already stressful leadership job feel worse. But how you respond to your employees’ frustrations is critical to ensuring negative emotions don’t limit your effectiveness. By following these suggestions, you can not only contain their anger but potentially leverage it for greater trust and motivation toward future performance.

How do you manage anger, frustration, and resentment on your team?

What do you do, to be more cohesive?

Chhaya, N. (2022, February). Managing Anger, Frustration, and Resentment on Your Team. Harvard Business Review.

Današnji podcast je nadaljevanje prejšnjega »Kaj so glavni nauki naših beyond leaderjev v letu 2021 – 4. del«

Sprehodili se bomo skozi glavne zaključne mislih naših skrbno izbranih beyond leaderjev. Te nauke pa si skrbno zapišite in jih poslušajte, saj so nam lahko v veliko pomoč v poslovnem kot tudi osebnem življenju. Želim vam prijetno poslušanje.

»Kaj so glavni nauki naših beyond leaderjev v letu 2021 – 4. del«

Zaključne misli naših izjemnih gostov po vrstnem redu:

-       Ana Veselič, direktorica Kalček d.o.o.,

-       Andraž Gavez, ustanovitelj in direktor Moja Čokolada d.o.o.,

-       Daniela Bervar Kotolenko, podjetnica, mentorica, cenjena predavateljica, poslovna trenerka, avtorica, investitorka, ustanoviteljica 4ih podjetij ter ustanoviteljica Edutrain.me,

-       Nina Dremelj, predsednica Poslovnih angelov Slovenije, predavateljica, investitorka, mentorica, believer-ka, poslovna angelina in strastna podjetnica.

-       Jelica Lazarević Jalovic, direktorica za kadre v podjetju Oryx Gaming,

-       Nejc Palir, Chief Experience Officer Tretton37, vizionar in podjetnik.

-       Medeja Lončar, direktorica Siemens Ljubljana, Hrvaška in Srbija,

-       Miha Culiberg, So-ustanovitelj in CEO Lab4Pay d.o.o., So-ustanovitelj in CEO Minicity, dolgoletni manager, zadnjih nekaj let pa inovator, podjetnik in oče 5ih otrok.

-       Anita Stojčevska, glavna izvršna direktorica SKB banke.

-       Borut Markelj, Ustanovitelj in CEO Ehrana.si.,

-       Marko Hozjan, direktor podjetja TAIA Translations LTD

-       Jure Knehtl, ustanovitelj in CEO podjetja WeScale,

-       Ivo Grlica, LL.M. , ustanovitelj in direktor odvetniške družbe Grlica Law,

-       Boško Praštalo, strokovnjak za mreženje in osebno prodajo ter lastnik licence Superbrands Slovenija,

-       Niko Slavnič, MBA predavatelj, član Uprave HTEC Group in Chief Growth Officer, Serijski podjetnik, poslovni angel in kreativna duša odprta za nove izzive,

-       Robi Pritržnik, ustanovitelj in direktor mlade digitalne agencije Foreach Labs.

Careers evolve and unfold over many years, and even decades. So how can you be sure that you are on the right path, and you’ll achieve your definition of success? To take control of your future, step back and reflect on your present. Write down all the accomplishments and just take a moment. In order to really define your success and reflect on it, ask yourself the following five questions:

1. How fulfilled do I feel? This is often about whether you are able to express your values at work. Identify what is most important to you and then consider, “On a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the ideal, how well am I able to express this value in my job?”

2. How am I learning and growing? To what extent are you building competence or expertise in your sector or function? What competencies do you want to develop further in the year ahead?

3. Am I headed toward a long-term goal? While everyone hates the question “Where do you want to be in 10 years?” stepping back to figure out a broad vision can help you pursue opportunities more proactively, versus reactively. You might ask yourself “What do I want in my (work) life in three to five years?” which is a more manageable chunk of time.

4. What seeds can I plant today that will benefit me tomorrow? Career success is often the result of the cumulative effects of small, regular actions.

5. What relationships do I need to build to help me realize my vision? You cannot do it alone, no matter what the “it” is. Given your goals, who are the people who can help you get there?

We all know that careers are not linear, and they evolve and unfold over many years, even decades. Asking yourself the questions outlined above can help you shift from autopilot to being in the driver’s seat so that you can be intentional and ensure that you achieve your definition of career success.

Zucker, R. (2022, January). Ask These 5 Questions to Decide Your Next Career Move. Harvard Business Review.

Današnji podcast je nadaljevanje prejšnjega »Kaj so glavni nauki naših beyond leaderjev v letu 2021 – 3. del«

Sprehodili se bomo skozi glavne zaključne mislih naših skrbno izbranih beyond leaderjev. Te nauke pa si skrbno zapišite in jih poslušajte, saj so nam lahko v veliko pomoč v poslovnem kot tudi osebnem življenju. Želim vam prijetno poslušanje.

»Kaj so glavni nauki naših beyond leaderjev v letu 2021 – 3. del«

Zaključne misli naših izjemnih gostov po vrstnem redu:

-       mag. fiz. Ram Dusić Hren, podjetnik, ustanovitelj Bright3r,

-       Dr. Matej Drašček, vodja službe notranje revizije pri Hranilnici Lon d.d., Predsednik Združenja notranjih revizorjev IIA - Slovenski inštitut,

-       David Žalec, Ustanovitelj in Direktor Sadje v pisarni, fitness trener, model, predavatelj,

-       Miha Murn, Predsednik in generalni izvršni direktor AAMI Corporation, poslovnež, filantropist in umetnik,

-       Branko Žunec, direktor podjetja Družba za odličnost d.o.o., lastnik blagovne znamke BMC International, mednarodni poslovni trener in coach,

-       Franci Pliberšek, ustanovitelj, lastnik in generalni direktor MIK Celje,

-       Mag. Metka Svetlin, Marketing Manager, Think with Google CEE in Brand & Reputation Adriatics in Baltics, Google,

-       Mag. Anja Blaj, Chief Strategy Officer, Future Law Institute / predsednica društva Blockchain Think Tank Slovenija,

-       Blaž Strle direktor družbe BE-terna Adriatic in Član Uprave Be-terna skupina,

-       Staša Mlekuž MBA, Članica upravnega odbora Business Intelligence Center in programska direktorica konference NetPRO,

-       Nataša Mithans, lastnica in direktorica Vareo, so-ustanoviteljica TALENTcloud, ustanoviteljica Akademije za mlade marketinške talente,

-       mag. Manca Korelc, LinkedIn strokovnjakinja in avtorica knjige The Slovenia Lakes,

-       Lovro Peterlin, izvršni direktor A1 Slovenija d.d., priznani svetovalec, mentor in predavatelj s področja marketinga in prodaje,

-       Miha Lavtar, lastnik in direktor Optiweba,

-       Mark Kalin, direktor za poslovni razvoj Kolektor Digital, član Upravnega odbora Poslovni Angeli.

There’s nothing worse than preparing for a job interview and then botching it. Maybe you flubbed a question or all of them. How can you move forward after that? Try not to worry, you can learn from the experience. Here's how.

·      Debrief with yourself. After the interview, write down as many questions, and your answers,  as you can remember. When were you most comfortable? Where exactly did you trip up? Reach out to friends and mentors in the industry to ask how they might’ve answered the harder questions.

·      Use your thank-you note to demonstrate self-awareness. You don’t need to apologize but take the opportunity to clarify a confusing answer to an important question. And express your continued interest at the end of the note. Remember: You have nothing to lose.

·      Don’t assume it’s a done deal. Silence after the interview doesn’t mean you didn’t get the job — it could mean people are on vacation, other candidates are in play, or the business needs to be changed after the interview.

·      Focus on the next interview. Every interview is an opportunity to prepare for the next one. Continue your job search and use your reflections to diligently prepare.

Every imperfect interview allows you to get ready for the next job opening and the next round of interviews. Use your reflections to prepare not only for the questions you couldn’t answer the first time but also for new questions. While it’s always best to answer a question directly, if you truly can’t answer it, it’s okay to say you don’t know, but always follow up by talking about how you’ve succeeded in jobs where you had to figure out something you had never done before. Authenticity and passion will always triumph over exact experience, especially if you can demonstrate a skill set that will allow you to bring even more value or fit into the culture easily.

How do you prepare for a job interview?

What do you do, if there is a question, you don’t have the answer to?

Lyons, M. (2021, December). So You Botched a Job Interview. What’s Next?. Harvard Business Review.