Can success lull a leader into a false sense of security?

The material was created in cooperation with Boston Consulting Group

What is the challenge in managing an organization today?

A big challenge is the lack of curiosity and ignorance about the changing world. I see this especially in organizations that are successful and proud of what they have achieved so far. I very often see skepticism, for example regarding the possible impact of artificial intelligence. It is often hard for us to imagine that as a company we should or will have to act differently, because for years we have become accustomed to one way of working. The biggest challenge is being open to other, new perspectives, especially when everything is going well and we do not feel pressure. The key is to notice trends and changes that can have a significant impact on our business.

How do you manage your organization in today's polarized and geopolitically tense world?

Indeed, geopolitical and ideological tensions are an element of our context that has been gaining in importance recently. Observing my organization, but also many others we work with, I see a much higher level of awareness and caution when it comes to communication, not only internally, but also with clients or the broader market. In recent years, many leaders have been very light when it comes to strong declarations, whether in the field of diversity, ESG, or more generally in other elements of their worldview. Now we are in a situation where the broadly understood market, society, is much more likely to say: I am checking. I believe in this and as a leader I try to act in this way – it is worth talking less about declarations and more about things we have already done, experienced, decisions we have already made. This coherence, especially in times of social tension, is even more important than it was a few years ago.

What qualities should a good leader have?

This has been a widely discussed topic for years. There are many traits that determine whether we are good leaders – or not. I would like to draw attention to one of them, which I believe has become particularly important: curiosity. In today's world, where constant change has become an everyday occurrence, it is curiosity that distinguishes good organizations and effective leaders. For me, it means being open to different perspectives, learning from other industries, competitors, companies operating in different markets, and also from experts from completely different fields.

How do you expand your competences?

I learn best by talking to people with different perspectives, in order to draw as much as possible from experiences in different environments or industries, even those that might seem quite distant. Relationships with much younger people are also very valuable to me. I recommend that every leader participate in mentoring programs, not only to share knowledge with less experienced people, but also to open up to the perspective of people who are much younger. In my experience, it helps us ask ourselves questions that we often do not ask ourselves on a daily basis. That is, to look at mentoring as a way to develop ourselves as a leader. The second thing that I highly recommend and that I use myself is sharing your successes, lessons, failures with people who are at a similar point in their career. Currently, we see more and more such initiatives, bringing together people facing similar challenges, so that they can openly and trustingly share their experiences. For me personally, it is also a huge source of inspiration and reflection, and therefore also my own development.

In one of your interviews you said that the ability to admit a mistake is very important. Are you able to admit a mistake and do you do it, even during meetings like this?

It's a process. I think I'm getting better at it. I'm probably not where I want to be yet, but I do know that admitting mistakes is one of the main props for building trust in a team. Younger or less experienced team members watch the leader closely - their behavior and willingness to admit mistakes or ignorance. There are many studies that indicate this element is key to building trust. Why? When an experienced leader admits they don't know something, it gives less experienced people space to ask questions, express doubts and point out risks. This is a key element of success in business and teamwork.

—Anna Zejdler spoke

The material was created in cooperation with Boston Consulting Group