April 30, 2025 • 28 mins
Resilience, active listening, and humility emerge as universal leadership qualities in this enlightening conversation with Anita Kandera, a marketing consultant and entrepreneur from Croatia. Drawing from her experience working across European borders as Regional Marketing Director for the Global Leadership Network in Europe, Anita offers refreshing perspectives on navigating leadership challenges that transcend cultural boundaries.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the worlddedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments, comments orsuggestions to make the show
even better, please let us know.
(00:27):
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at leaderimpactca oron social at Leader Impact.
If you're listening fromoutside of Canada, check out our
website at leaderimpactcom.
I'm your host, lisa Peters, andour guest today is Anita Kandera
.
Host Lisa Peters and our guesttoday is Anita Kandera.
Anita is a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and business
(00:50):
development mentor with over adecade of experience in digital
marketing, sales and businessstrategy.
She helps nonprofitorganizations, small businesses
and entrepreneurs improve theirbusiness operations and online
presence.
Anita is actively involved inthe Global Leadership Network as
the regional marketing directorfor Europe, where she plays an
active role in promoting theGlobal Leadership Summit.
She also leads a small group ofwomen through Leader Impact,
(01:10):
guiding them in their personaland professional development
Through her consulting business.
Anita is passionate aboutsupporting women entrepreneurs,
helping them balance growth withpersonal life, while leading
with integrity, purpose andconfidence.
Welcome to the show, anita.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Thank you very much for having me, and it's so great
to hear everything in one bioall together.
I'm not aware that I'm doing somuch.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I know, isn't it funny when somebody else reads
your bio you're like, wow, wasthat me?
So you are in Croatia.
But I understand, were you bornin Croatia?
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yes, I was born in Croatia, but with three years I
moved to Germany.
I grew up in Germany like for10 years, and then I came back.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Wow.
So I mean, you speak amazingEnglish.
I'm doing great with you.
Do you speak more?
Do you speak Croatian andGerman?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yes, I speak Croatian and German and long years I had
German as my first languagebecause I really grew up there
and I went there to school.
But the last three or fouryears I'm working so much
through Global Leadership Summitand with so much people all
around the world, so my Englishimproved in the last two years a
(02:31):
lot.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, your English is way better than my Croatian or
my German, which I don't haveany, so, yay, all right.
Well, again, thank you forjoining us.
I'm excited to talk to a leader, a female leader, in Croatia.
So our first question is reallyabout leadership and approach,
your leadership style andapproach.
So what do you feel makes agreat leader in Croatia, and do
(02:54):
you feel this is unique to yourcountry?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
That's a great first question, because I think it's
not just for unique for Croatia.
I think it's not just uniquefor Croatia.
That's my opinion.
I think every leader needs tobe resilient because of the
constant change in the world andin the market.
So that's something I reallytry to be resilient in our
(03:18):
market.
And also I see that we need tobe better in active listening.
I see that we need to be betterin active listening.
I see how much it's reallyimportant to listen to people,
actively listening, not justspeaking and trying to educate
and trying to help, but reallyto listen to the people and what
the needs are on the market.
(03:40):
And also, I think, to be humble.
To be humble in everything wedo and to really think about
where we started.
Where we started, because onceeverybody from us was small and
had the first step and we reallytried to think of all the
(04:00):
people who helped us and to bealso now that are we, the people
who are helping others.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, you know it's interesting when we talk about
resilience.
I've had a few guests that havebrought that up multiple times.
The word resilient and it was awoman who had come from it was
Olga came from Colombia toCanada.
She talked a lot about beingresilient and how she had to be
from Colombia to Canada.
She talked a lot about beingresilient and how she had to be.
And I just wonder, with youworking with women, because
(04:29):
you're with the global globalnetwork, global leadership
network, you are working withmore than just probably
countries in Germany, croatiaand maybe Canada, like you're
working with so many more.
Do you see that?
Do you see women around theworld being resilient?
And I'm wondering if you cananswer that.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, that's really a good theme.
I see so much similarity withwomen all around the world that
we really try to understandwhere they come from, what's
important in, and really see howthey're working, where they
(05:32):
come from, where they grew up,because it's not the same if we
talk with the women who camefrom a war zone where they had a
war, where we talk with womenwho really traveled a lot and
they have so much moreexperience.
So I think the most importantthing when we work globally and
(05:53):
when we talk to other people, toreally try to prepare and to
see where they come from andalso try to build communication
through actively listening andunderstand why they're doing
what they're doing and howthey're doing it.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, I love that, the active listening and asking
questions.
If you don't understand, it isnot wrong to ask the question.
You know I don't understand.
Is this what I heard?
Oh, I love that.
Thank you for answering that.
So we're going to talk a littleabout challenges and strategies
.
What are some of the uniquechallenges you face as a leader
in Croatia, and if you couldshare an example of how you
(06:33):
addressed it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, I thought a lot about that question because I
think the mostly challengingthing I faced in Croatia is the
locally mistrust, becauseCroatia also faced so much
changes in the last decades andwe don't have so much great
(06:58):
thinking about leaders in ourcountry.
So the people in Croatia arereally mistrusting everybody who
is trying to do a change.
So, when I started work with mycompany seven years ago, the
first thing was to really try toshow people who I am and to be
(07:21):
transparent and to say hi, I'mAnita, I'm from Croatia.
Like you, I grew up in Germany,but I faced these challenges
and I want to help you, too, howto be better in what I learned
through my experience.
So I was really learned throughmy experience.
(07:44):
So I was really transparent, Iwas online, I tried to show
through video content andthrough articles what the
problems was I faced, how Imanaged that and really to be
open and vulnerable, because Ithink when we are open,
vulnerable, which we are gainingtrust through that.
So that was the most hard thingI faced to really to really say
(08:10):
to people that I'm really hereto help them and to guide them
through everything I wentthrough.
So I think the most importantthing is to be really
transparent and open and beyourself.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
So when you opened your company and you're doing
you know as a marketingconsultant, would you say that
the experience was any differentdealing with men, or are there
unique challenges?
As a female, I'm just wonderingif there's any difference, and
I don't know who your clienteleis.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
From my personal experience I'm not sure if I had
a personal challenge becauseI'm a female.
I can just say that I had in myown mind, a challenge.
Before I went through a lot ofpersonal education personal and
spiritual education for myself,I had a way of thinking that
(09:15):
maybe for me as a woman it'sharder before.
But when I started to gainself-love-esteem, when I was
building my skills and mytalents and I surrounded myself
with people who really build meup and who trusted in me, it was
(09:35):
more and more easier.
So I didn't, I didn't, Iwouldn't say it's different for
me as a woman globally or in ourcountry.
It was more like a problem inme, in my head and in my point
of view.
But I know that's just mythoughts and my experience.
(09:56):
I know that some people, somewomen, are treated different in
Croatia and have differentsalaries.
It's also a theme I heard abouttwo weeks ago that women are
still less paid than men inCroatia, like 15% or something
like that.
So it's getting better, but weare not there yet.
(10:18):
It's getting better, but we arenot there yet.
But mostly I want to really saythat sometimes it's not about
the environment.
Then it's more like what we didfor ourselves, for our personal
development and our minds.
If we train ourselves better, Ithink we will have less
(10:39):
problems.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I'm just going to acknowledge that.
I think women around the world.
It's in our head, and I want toacknowledge first that you know
, yes, there are salarydifferences in this environment.
There are many factors.
A lot of it starts in our head,and I love when you said you
surround yourself, because thatis what I talk about is we need
people that support us, thatlove us, that can just say
(11:01):
you're doing okay, we can getthrough this We'll.
You know, we are here for you,you know.
Oh so, but yeah, in the head.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
A big, big theme.
Really, I can really just saythe best thing I could do is
really find people who are doingthe exact thing I want to do
and to learn from them howthey're doing it.
And then I saw what theirenvironment is, what their
education is, how they'redealing with stress, how they're
(11:32):
dealing with difficulties orwith challenges, and really to
learn from them.
That's why I'm here, that's whyI'm doing now what I'm doing,
because I want to give it backwhat I received from all the
people around me.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, oh, that's great, anita, and I just
resonate.
Sometimes I think when you showup at a meeting, sometimes that
day you're the strongest personin the room.
Tomorrow you might not be, butwe all have our days, so I just
appreciate your answer.
I want to move on to culturalsensitivity and global
leadership, so a little question.
Our question is how do youapproach leading a team or
(12:11):
organizations with members fromdiverse cultural backgrounds and
I think this is a greatquestion for you because I think
you have dealt with people inthe global network.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
You are around the world?
Yeah, that's a similar question, Like before when I said it's
really really important tounderstand where someone comes
from and how they'recommunicating.
If you don't know the answer,try to talk to someone else who
have more experience in theircountry and try to find out how
the country is communicating orwhat's the differences between
(12:46):
their country and my country,Because sometimes we are more
maybe open, we are morevulnerable and some countries
they really grew up like reallynot so openly to others.
They need more time to gaintrust, to be open, to ask really
a vulnerable question.
(13:06):
So really understand wherepeople come from.
And also one thing I always talkabout please ask more than once
, Because I'm working a lot withwomen, and women gain to ask
just once a question and if theydon't receive an answer, they
give up.
But I know from experience weneed to ask more than once
(13:30):
Because people are either busyor they forgot or they're not so
good in organizational or timemanagement.
So we really need to beresilient and we need to ask
more than once and try to figureout how they're communicating
(13:51):
better.
And also, it's really importantto know with what generation
you are talking to, Because whenI talk with younger people, I
see that they like to talkthrough Facebook, Instagram and
through the social media.
When I talk with millennials orpeople who are like my age,
(14:14):
they like to communicate throughWhatsApp or through emails, but
also I really have people whoare older than me and they just
try to have emails.
They don't want to communicatewith any other platform than
just through emails.
So we also need to figure outwhat's the best approach and
(14:35):
what's the best way and try toreally, yeah, be there in their
way, if you want to, of course,help them and communicate with
them.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yeah, so prior going into another country or another
cultural background, do you doany research prior to going in?
And what would you do?
And you know you're calling acountry you've never talked to
You're, I don't know.
Do you do anything to prepareyourself?
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yes, I'm always looking at what my colleague
before me did.
I'm always looking at his notes.
What was the challenges before?
Which information he didn'treceive, which information he
did receive, how he communicatedwith them before me.
What's the best way, what's thebest approach?
(15:25):
And, of course, I havecolleagues who already knew
people from the country.
So I really often ask mycolleagues what's the best
approach?
Do you know how they want tocommunicate or love to
communicate?
But sometimes it's really hardwhen you are new somewhere and
(15:46):
people don't know you.
So you need to really try to bereally often there and knock on
the door and try to establishthe communication, the door and
try to establish thecommunication, because when you
are new, people are not sure howlong are you here, if you will
be long term or short term.
(16:07):
Should they try to communicatewith you and try to send you
some questions, or are you justhere temporary?
So you need to really try tobuild trust yeah, oh, great
answer.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
My next question is about personal development,
learning, which you've a littlebit touched on, but what advice
would you give to an inspiringleader, particularly those from
different cultural backgrounds?
So and my mind even goes towhen someone wants to work with
someone from Croatia or you know, but just personal development
and learning.
(16:41):
Do you have any advice?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yes, yes, I think the most important advice I would
have from my experience is to bereally open-minded, first of
all.
Open-minded, try to understandthe person's point of view.
Empathy Empathy helped me a lotin my work Really to be here
(17:04):
because of people.
That's something I also learnedin my personal development and
spiritual, of course thateverything we do, we do it for
people, not for us, because Godgave us skills, god gave us
talents for other people, notjust for us, because we can't
(17:27):
use them if we can't helpsomeone with them.
So we need to understand thatwe are here for others and when
we are here for others, we needto be better in listening and
asking questions, in empathy andreally trying to see the point
of view from the other person.
(17:48):
Yeah, and really trying to seethe point of view from the other
person, and I think that's thebest way you can really have a
good relationship with theperson in front of you.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, listening to you, I'm thinking of you are
leading a small group in LeaderImpact.
Is that right in Croatia?
Yes, and I think of sometimesas a leader, that might you know
that might be all theprofessional development,
personal development, spiritualdevelopment you get, and I think
of.
I just, I just want you to talka little bit about your own
(18:18):
group and and maybe what you'redoing in your group.
Are you doing any book studies,like what?
Because I lead two groups inCanada and I just want to hear
more, a little bit about yourgroup.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Great, great question .
I love that Because my group isreally fresh, really new,
starting the Leader Impact bookfrom Brayden Douglas and we
started like six weeks ago andwe have online meetings every
two weeks and I love thestructure.
(18:52):
I'm working on that.
I'm always here with questionsbefore the meeting, then they
have time to read the book andon the meeting we are discussing
the questions and the group isreally.
The women are really different.
I have uh um women who arereally uh open, uh, and they uh,
(19:14):
they like to talk and they liketo give their uh feedback and
uh, they um want to say what, uh, what's on their mind.
And I also have women who arereally uh, more uh, the
listeners.
Uh, they don't talk a lot andmy approach is always to really
give space also to the women whowant to talk and want to share,
(19:36):
but also to encourage andmotivate people who are not so
open to step up and to saywhat's on their mind.
And the most important thing Iheard from the women yesterday
we had yesterday a meeting andthey shared with me that they
are really encouraged and theyare feeling safe that we are in
(19:59):
a safe space, and that was, Ithink, the best thing a leader
in a small group can do toreally make a safe space where
everybody can share their pointof view, where no judgment is
involved.
So I know maybe I'm notthinking like you, but I'm not
judging.
(20:19):
I'm really listening to you andwe are here to openly discuss
what we listened or what we readand to learn more about
ourselves and about others, andI think we are doing it with the
group and the group is reallygaining a lot from each other.
(20:40):
So I think that's the best partsmall group when we are so
different and open to tolearning from each other yeah,
does your group meet in personor online?
Online.
This is the first online group,because I have women from all
over Croatia, so we really arewhere everybody is at home and
(21:03):
every two weeks we are meetingonline and it functions very
well, because I was a little bitconcerned at the beginning if
everybody will be there, ifeverybody will turn on their
camera and so on, but it'sreally a great safe space and
everybody is so open and sovulnerable.
I'm really, I'm really sograteful and blessed to see how
(21:28):
the group helped them in theirpersonal and business life.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yeah, so the book Becoming a Leader of Impact by
Brayden Douglas.
I know it's in English, is it?
Are you doing it in English oris it translated?
No, it's translated in Croatian.
Oh, wow, I think it's been.
I don't even know how manylanguages it's been translated.
So thank you for sharing that.
It's interesting because we Ihost meetings both Tuesdays and
Wednesday mornings.
(21:52):
I have two groups, twodifferent cities, and one of the
comments made today was howleadership is so lonely at the
top.
I don't know if I want to gothere.
She's like director, she'sright next to being, you know,
the top of the line, and shejust said it's it's so lonely
and she's thankful for our groupbecause, like you said, it's
(22:14):
trust, it's a safe place.
But she's like I why do I wantto go there If it's like what is
my purpose in life?
You know, it was interesting tolisten to her and, but she said
it and, like you said, it's asafe place.
She wouldn't.
She didn't say that to her.
You know her direct reports oranybody you know.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Yeah, that's the best part.
Also, a woman said yesterday tome I don't know any of the
women in the group and I'mfeeling so safe and so secure.
So that was, I think, mostimportant thing when you are
part of a group, part of aneducation, that you really can
step up and ask a question,what's on your mind, and not to
(22:57):
feel, oh, will I be judged oranything else.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yeah, it's the greatest personal, professional
spiritual development and it'sfree, besides the book you might
have to buy, but yeah, I agree.
Um, so our last question foryou is what do you hope your
legacy as a leader will be whenyou leave this world?
Speaker 1 (23:18):
a great big question.
I'm uh, I'm not, I'm, I didn't,I didn't, uh, thought about the
question before and it wasreally really great to think
about that and I think my wishwould be that really people that
really people when theyremember me about helping others
(23:41):
, helping others to grow, andalso not just in business but
personal to step up, to bebetter, to be better for
themselves and then for theirbusiness and also for other
people.
And my aim as a mentor is alwaysreally be there through
(24:03):
transparency, authenticity andreally to be there for women to
help them organize theirbusiness, organize their time,
because I know from personalexperience, when we organize our
time, when we organize ourbusiness, we have more time to
be what God wants us to be andto be there for other people and
(24:27):
really to have our skills andtalents there where there needs
to be.
So if we organize everythingelse what's distracting us or
what's so stressing us out thenwe have time to really be there
for others.
And I think that's one of mywishes, to wishes to be as
(24:49):
legacy, to really be there forwomen, to make a change for
women that we can balanceprivate and personal and
business life and also be therefor others and help in the
community and surround ourselveswith people who are like-minded
, because that's something I nowwitness.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Yeah, oh, anita, you're awesome.
I have loved this this lasthalf hour and it makes me think
of leader impacts in over 350cities around the world.
And how how can I mean?
I feel blessed just to hang outwith you.
It's like you know how lucky weare through technology to just
sit here and you're clear as dayand we're having a conversation
(25:34):
, and my mind goes to how Ishould share this and not like
the podcast.
That's great, but with otherfemale leaders matching up our
groups, I don't know.
Do any of your I know you speakgood English Do other women in
your group, because I know noneof mine speak Croatian?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I can ask them, but I know that mostly people who go
through education like thisgroup speaks English well.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Wow, so would you so thinking of linking our groups
up one day?
It would have to be the end ofyour day, beginning of my day,
but how cool to talk aboutleadership.
I just thought of that andthought, oh, anita, would you
ever be interested?
Speaker 1 (26:16):
So we'll take that offline, but what an opportunity
to meet with other femaleleaders around the world, so of
course, and to see that we arenot alone, that all around the
world we, we, we face similarproblems and similar changes,
and to see other perspectives.
So I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Oh, I love it.
My, my team's gonna love this.
So well, this ends our podcastand I just again thank you.
My cheeks are from smilinglistening to you.
I've loved, loved it.
If other people want to findyou, engage with you, what is
the best way to find you?
Speaker 1 (26:51):
the best way is through my website.
It's my name and surname,anitakanjeracom, and I know it's
in Croatia, but the links to mysocial media channels are also
on the website, so that's theeasiest way.
And is your social media inEnglish?
No, it's in Croatian, but onsocial media you can click and
(27:12):
it translates everything.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Right, there's so many apps for that.
Yeah, all right.
Well, anita, thank you again.
It has been a joy to spend thistime with you.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Thank you for inviting me All right.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Well, I want to thank everyone else for joining us
here today.
If you're part of Leader Impact, you can always discuss or
share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page at leaderimpactca and checkout our free leadership
assessment.
You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Brayden
Douglas's book, as Anita said,becoming a Leader of Impact.
(27:49):
It is an amazing leadershipbook.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
leaderimpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
the world, check outleaderimpactcom or get in touch
with us by email info atleaderimpactca and we will
connect you.
And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
us a rating or review.
This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
(28:10):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember impact starts with
you.
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the worlddedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments, comments orsuggestions to make the show
even better, please let us know.
(00:27):
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at leaderimpactca oron social at Leader Impact.
If you're listening fromoutside of Canada, check out our
website at leaderimpactcom.
I'm your host, lisa Peters, andour guest today is Anita Kandera
.
Host Lisa Peters and our guesttoday is Anita Kandera.
Anita is a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and business
(00:50):
development mentor with over adecade of experience in digital
marketing, sales and businessstrategy.
She helps nonprofitorganizations, small businesses
and entrepreneurs improve theirbusiness operations and online
presence.
Anita is actively involved inthe Global Leadership Network as
the regional marketing directorfor Europe, where she plays an
active role in promoting theGlobal Leadership Summit.
She also leads a small group ofwomen through Leader Impact,
(01:10):
guiding them in their personaland professional development
Through her consulting business.
Anita is passionate aboutsupporting women entrepreneurs,
helping them balance growth withpersonal life, while leading
with integrity, purpose andconfidence.
Welcome to the show, anita.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Thank you very much for having me, and it's so great
to hear everything in one bioall together.
I'm not aware that I'm doing somuch.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I know, isn't it funny when somebody else reads
your bio you're like, wow, wasthat me?
So you are in Croatia.
But I understand, were you bornin Croatia?
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yes, I was born in Croatia, but with three years I
moved to Germany.
I grew up in Germany like for10 years, and then I came back.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Wow.
So I mean, you speak amazingEnglish.
I'm doing great with you.
Do you speak more?
Do you speak Croatian andGerman?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yes, I speak Croatian and German and long years I had
German as my first languagebecause I really grew up there
and I went there to school.
But the last three or fouryears I'm working so much
through Global Leadership Summitand with so much people all
around the world, so my Englishimproved in the last two years a
(02:31):
lot.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, your English is way better than my Croatian or
my German, which I don't haveany, so, yay, all right.
Well, again, thank you forjoining us.
I'm excited to talk to a leader, a female leader, in Croatia.
So our first question is reallyabout leadership and approach,
your leadership style andapproach.
So what do you feel makes agreat leader in Croatia, and do
(02:54):
you feel this is unique to yourcountry?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
That's a great first question, because I think it's
not just for unique for Croatia.
I think it's not just uniquefor Croatia.
That's my opinion.
I think every leader needs tobe resilient because of the
constant change in the world andin the market.
So that's something I reallytry to be resilient in our
(03:18):
market.
And also I see that we need tobe better in active listening.
I see that we need to be betterin active listening.
I see how much it's reallyimportant to listen to people,
actively listening, not justspeaking and trying to educate
and trying to help, but reallyto listen to the people and what
the needs are on the market.
(03:40):
And also, I think, to be humble.
To be humble in everything wedo and to really think about
where we started.
Where we started, because onceeverybody from us was small and
had the first step and we reallytried to think of all the
(04:00):
people who helped us and to bealso now that are we, the people
who are helping others.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, you know it's interesting when we talk about
resilience.
I've had a few guests that havebrought that up multiple times.
The word resilient and it was awoman who had come from it was
Olga came from Colombia toCanada.
She talked a lot about beingresilient and how she had to be
from Colombia to Canada.
She talked a lot about beingresilient and how she had to be.
And I just wonder, with youworking with women, because
(04:29):
you're with the global globalnetwork, global leadership
network, you are working withmore than just probably
countries in Germany, croatiaand maybe Canada, like you're
working with so many more.
Do you see that?
Do you see women around theworld being resilient?
And I'm wondering if you cananswer that.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, that's really a good theme.
I see so much similarity withwomen all around the world that
we really try to understandwhere they come from, what's
important in, and really see howthey're working, where they
(05:32):
come from, where they grew up,because it's not the same if we
talk with the women who camefrom a war zone where they had a
war, where we talk with womenwho really traveled a lot and
they have so much moreexperience.
So I think the most importantthing when we work globally and
(05:53):
when we talk to other people, toreally try to prepare and to
see where they come from andalso try to build communication
through actively listening andunderstand why they're doing
what they're doing and howthey're doing it.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, I love that, the active listening and asking
questions.
If you don't understand, it isnot wrong to ask the question.
You know I don't understand.
Is this what I heard?
Oh, I love that.
Thank you for answering that.
So we're going to talk a littleabout challenges and strategies
.
What are some of the uniquechallenges you face as a leader
in Croatia, and if you couldshare an example of how you
(06:33):
addressed it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, I thought a lot about that question because I
think the mostly challengingthing I faced in Croatia is the
locally mistrust, becauseCroatia also faced so much
changes in the last decades andwe don't have so much great
(06:58):
thinking about leaders in ourcountry.
So the people in Croatia arereally mistrusting everybody who
is trying to do a change.
So, when I started work with mycompany seven years ago, the
first thing was to really try toshow people who I am and to be
(07:21):
transparent and to say hi, I'mAnita, I'm from Croatia.
Like you, I grew up in Germany,but I faced these challenges
and I want to help you, too, howto be better in what I learned
through my experience.
So I was really learned throughmy experience.
(07:44):
So I was really transparent, Iwas online, I tried to show
through video content andthrough articles what the
problems was I faced, how Imanaged that and really to be
open and vulnerable, because Ithink when we are open,
vulnerable, which we are gainingtrust through that.
So that was the most hard thingI faced to really to really say
(08:10):
to people that I'm really hereto help them and to guide them
through everything I wentthrough.
So I think the most importantthing is to be really
transparent and open and beyourself.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
So when you opened your company and you're doing
you know as a marketingconsultant, would you say that
the experience was any differentdealing with men, or are there
unique challenges?
As a female, I'm just wonderingif there's any difference, and
I don't know who your clienteleis.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
From my personal experience I'm not sure if I had
a personal challenge becauseI'm a female.
I can just say that I had in myown mind, a challenge.
Before I went through a lot ofpersonal education personal and
spiritual education for myself,I had a way of thinking that
(09:15):
maybe for me as a woman it'sharder before.
But when I started to gainself-love-esteem, when I was
building my skills and mytalents and I surrounded myself
with people who really build meup and who trusted in me, it was
(09:35):
more and more easier.
So I didn't, I didn't, Iwouldn't say it's different for
me as a woman globally or in ourcountry.
It was more like a problem inme, in my head and in my point
of view.
But I know that's just mythoughts and my experience.
(09:56):
I know that some people, somewomen, are treated different in
Croatia and have differentsalaries.
It's also a theme I heard abouttwo weeks ago that women are
still less paid than men inCroatia, like 15% or something
like that.
So it's getting better, but weare not there yet.
(10:18):
It's getting better, but we arenot there yet.
But mostly I want to really saythat sometimes it's not about
the environment.
Then it's more like what we didfor ourselves, for our personal
development and our minds.
If we train ourselves better, Ithink we will have less
(10:39):
problems.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I'm just going to acknowledge that.
I think women around the world.
It's in our head, and I want toacknowledge first that you know
, yes, there are salarydifferences in this environment.
There are many factors.
A lot of it starts in our head,and I love when you said you
surround yourself, because thatis what I talk about is we need
people that support us, thatlove us, that can just say
(11:01):
you're doing okay, we can getthrough this We'll.
You know, we are here for you,you know.
Oh so, but yeah, in the head.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
A big, big theme.
Really, I can really just saythe best thing I could do is
really find people who are doingthe exact thing I want to do
and to learn from them howthey're doing it.
And then I saw what theirenvironment is, what their
education is, how they'redealing with stress, how they're
(11:32):
dealing with difficulties orwith challenges, and really to
learn from them.
That's why I'm here, that's whyI'm doing now what I'm doing,
because I want to give it backwhat I received from all the
people around me.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, oh, that's great, anita, and I just
resonate.
Sometimes I think when you showup at a meeting, sometimes that
day you're the strongest personin the room.
Tomorrow you might not be, butwe all have our days, so I just
appreciate your answer.
I want to move on to culturalsensitivity and global
leadership, so a little question.
Our question is how do youapproach leading a team or
(12:11):
organizations with members fromdiverse cultural backgrounds and
I think this is a greatquestion for you because I think
you have dealt with people inthe global network.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
You are around the world?
Yeah, that's a similar question, Like before when I said it's
really really important tounderstand where someone comes
from and how they'recommunicating.
If you don't know the answer,try to talk to someone else who
have more experience in theircountry and try to find out how
the country is communicating orwhat's the differences between
(12:46):
their country and my country,Because sometimes we are more
maybe open, we are morevulnerable and some countries
they really grew up like reallynot so openly to others.
They need more time to gaintrust, to be open, to ask really
a vulnerable question.
(13:06):
So really understand wherepeople come from.
And also one thing I always talkabout please ask more than once
, Because I'm working a lot withwomen, and women gain to ask
just once a question and if theydon't receive an answer, they
give up.
But I know from experience weneed to ask more than once
(13:30):
Because people are either busyor they forgot or they're not so
good in organizational or timemanagement.
So we really need to beresilient and we need to ask
more than once and try to figureout how they're communicating
(13:51):
better.
And also, it's really importantto know with what generation
you are talking to, Because whenI talk with younger people, I
see that they like to talkthrough Facebook, Instagram and
through the social media.
When I talk with millennials orpeople who are like my age,
(14:14):
they like to communicate throughWhatsApp or through emails, but
also I really have people whoare older than me and they just
try to have emails.
They don't want to communicatewith any other platform than
just through emails.
So we also need to figure outwhat's the best approach and
(14:35):
what's the best way and try toreally, yeah, be there in their
way, if you want to, of course,help them and communicate with
them.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yeah, so prior going into another country or another
cultural background, do you doany research prior to going in?
And what would you do?
And you know you're calling acountry you've never talked to
You're, I don't know.
Do you do anything to prepareyourself?
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yes, I'm always looking at what my colleague
before me did.
I'm always looking at his notes.
What was the challenges before?
Which information he didn'treceive, which information he
did receive, how he communicatedwith them before me.
What's the best way, what's thebest approach?
(15:25):
And, of course, I havecolleagues who already knew
people from the country.
So I really often ask mycolleagues what's the best
approach?
Do you know how they want tocommunicate or love to
communicate?
But sometimes it's really hardwhen you are new somewhere and
(15:46):
people don't know you.
So you need to really try to bereally often there and knock on
the door and try to establishthe communication, the door and
try to establish thecommunication, because when you
are new, people are not sure howlong are you here, if you will
be long term or short term.
(16:07):
Should they try to communicatewith you and try to send you
some questions, or are you justhere temporary?
So you need to really try tobuild trust yeah, oh, great
answer.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
My next question is about personal development,
learning, which you've a littlebit touched on, but what advice
would you give to an inspiringleader, particularly those from
different cultural backgrounds?
So and my mind even goes towhen someone wants to work with
someone from Croatia or you know, but just personal development
and learning.
(16:41):
Do you have any advice?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yes, yes, I think the most important advice I would
have from my experience is to bereally open-minded, first of
all.
Open-minded, try to understandthe person's point of view.
Empathy Empathy helped me a lotin my work Really to be here
(17:04):
because of people.
That's something I also learnedin my personal development and
spiritual, of course thateverything we do, we do it for
people, not for us, because Godgave us skills, god gave us
talents for other people, notjust for us, because we can't
(17:27):
use them if we can't helpsomeone with them.
So we need to understand thatwe are here for others and when
we are here for others, we needto be better in listening and
asking questions, in empathy andreally trying to see the point
of view from the other person.
(17:48):
Yeah, and really trying to seethe point of view from the other
person, and I think that's thebest way you can really have a
good relationship with theperson in front of you.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, listening to you, I'm thinking of you are
leading a small group in LeaderImpact.
Is that right in Croatia?
Yes, and I think of sometimesas a leader, that might you know
that might be all theprofessional development,
personal development, spiritualdevelopment you get, and I think
of.
I just, I just want you to talka little bit about your own
(18:18):
group and and maybe what you'redoing in your group.
Are you doing any book studies,like what?
Because I lead two groups inCanada and I just want to hear
more, a little bit about yourgroup.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Great, great question .
I love that Because my group isreally fresh, really new,
starting the Leader Impact bookfrom Brayden Douglas and we
started like six weeks ago andwe have online meetings every
two weeks and I love thestructure.
(18:52):
I'm working on that.
I'm always here with questionsbefore the meeting, then they
have time to read the book andon the meeting we are discussing
the questions and the group isreally.
The women are really different.
I have uh um women who arereally uh open, uh, and they uh,
(19:14):
they like to talk and they liketo give their uh feedback and
uh, they um want to say what, uh, what's on their mind.
And I also have women who arereally uh, more uh, the
listeners.
Uh, they don't talk a lot andmy approach is always to really
give space also to the women whowant to talk and want to share,
(19:36):
but also to encourage andmotivate people who are not so
open to step up and to saywhat's on their mind.
And the most important thing Iheard from the women yesterday
we had yesterday a meeting andthey shared with me that they
are really encouraged and theyare feeling safe that we are in
(19:59):
a safe space, and that was, Ithink, the best thing a leader
in a small group can do toreally make a safe space where
everybody can share their pointof view, where no judgment is
involved.
So I know maybe I'm notthinking like you, but I'm not
judging.
(20:19):
I'm really listening to you andwe are here to openly discuss
what we listened or what we readand to learn more about
ourselves and about others, andI think we are doing it with the
group and the group is reallygaining a lot from each other.
(20:40):
So I think that's the best partsmall group when we are so
different and open to tolearning from each other yeah,
does your group meet in personor online?
Online.
This is the first online group,because I have women from all
over Croatia, so we really arewhere everybody is at home and
(21:03):
every two weeks we are meetingonline and it functions very
well, because I was a little bitconcerned at the beginning if
everybody will be there, ifeverybody will turn on their
camera and so on, but it'sreally a great safe space and
everybody is so open and sovulnerable.
I'm really, I'm really sograteful and blessed to see how
(21:28):
the group helped them in theirpersonal and business life.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yeah, so the book Becoming a Leader of Impact by
Brayden Douglas.
I know it's in English, is it?
Are you doing it in English oris it translated?
No, it's translated in Croatian.
Oh, wow, I think it's been.
I don't even know how manylanguages it's been translated.
So thank you for sharing that.
It's interesting because we Ihost meetings both Tuesdays and
Wednesday mornings.
(21:52):
I have two groups, twodifferent cities, and one of the
comments made today was howleadership is so lonely at the
top.
I don't know if I want to gothere.
She's like director, she'sright next to being, you know,
the top of the line, and shejust said it's it's so lonely
and she's thankful for our groupbecause, like you said, it's
(22:14):
trust, it's a safe place.
But she's like I why do I wantto go there If it's like what is
my purpose in life?
You know, it was interesting tolisten to her and, but she said
it and, like you said, it's asafe place.
She wouldn't.
She didn't say that to her.
You know her direct reports oranybody you know.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Yeah, that's the best part.
Also, a woman said yesterday tome I don't know any of the
women in the group and I'mfeeling so safe and so secure.
So that was, I think, mostimportant thing when you are
part of a group, part of aneducation, that you really can
step up and ask a question,what's on your mind, and not to
(22:57):
feel, oh, will I be judged oranything else.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yeah, it's the greatest personal, professional
spiritual development and it'sfree, besides the book you might
have to buy, but yeah, I agree.
Um, so our last question foryou is what do you hope your
legacy as a leader will be whenyou leave this world?
Speaker 1 (23:18):
a great big question.
I'm uh, I'm not, I'm, I didn't,I didn't, uh, thought about the
question before and it wasreally really great to think
about that and I think my wishwould be that really people that
really people when theyremember me about helping others
(23:41):
, helping others to grow, andalso not just in business but
personal to step up, to bebetter, to be better for
themselves and then for theirbusiness and also for other
people.
And my aim as a mentor is alwaysreally be there through
(24:03):
transparency, authenticity andreally to be there for women to
help them organize theirbusiness, organize their time,
because I know from personalexperience, when we organize our
time, when we organize ourbusiness, we have more time to
be what God wants us to be andto be there for other people and
(24:27):
really to have our skills andtalents there where there needs
to be.
So if we organize everythingelse what's distracting us or
what's so stressing us out thenwe have time to really be there
for others.
And I think that's one of mywishes, to wishes to be as
(24:49):
legacy, to really be there forwomen, to make a change for
women that we can balanceprivate and personal and
business life and also be therefor others and help in the
community and surround ourselveswith people who are like-minded
, because that's something I nowwitness.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Yeah, oh, anita, you're awesome.
I have loved this this lasthalf hour and it makes me think
of leader impacts in over 350cities around the world.
And how how can I mean?
I feel blessed just to hang outwith you.
It's like you know how lucky weare through technology to just
sit here and you're clear as dayand we're having a conversation
(25:34):
, and my mind goes to how Ishould share this and not like
the podcast.
That's great, but with otherfemale leaders matching up our
groups, I don't know.
Do any of your I know you speakgood English Do other women in
your group, because I know noneof mine speak Croatian?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I can ask them, but I know that mostly people who go
through education like thisgroup speaks English well.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Wow, so would you so thinking of linking our groups
up one day?
It would have to be the end ofyour day, beginning of my day,
but how cool to talk aboutleadership.
I just thought of that andthought, oh, anita, would you
ever be interested?
Speaker 1 (26:16):
So we'll take that offline, but what an opportunity
to meet with other femaleleaders around the world, so of
course, and to see that we arenot alone, that all around the
world we, we, we face similarproblems and similar changes,
and to see other perspectives.
So I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Oh, I love it.
My, my team's gonna love this.
So well, this ends our podcastand I just again thank you.
My cheeks are from smilinglistening to you.
I've loved, loved it.
If other people want to findyou, engage with you, what is
the best way to find you?
Speaker 1 (26:51):
the best way is through my website.
It's my name and surname,anitakanjeracom, and I know it's
in Croatia, but the links to mysocial media channels are also
on the website, so that's theeasiest way.
And is your social media inEnglish?
No, it's in Croatian, but onsocial media you can click and
(27:12):
it translates everything.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Right, there's so many apps for that.
Yeah, all right.
Well, anita, thank you again.
It has been a joy to spend thistime with you.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Thank you for inviting me All right.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Well, I want to thank everyone else for joining us
here today.
If you're part of Leader Impact, you can always discuss or
share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page at leaderimpactca and checkout our free leadership
assessment.
You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Brayden
Douglas's book, as Anita said,becoming a Leader of Impact.
(27:49):
It is an amazing leadershipbook.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
leaderimpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
the world, check outleaderimpactcom or get in touch
with us by email info atleaderimpactca and we will
connect you.
And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
us a rating or review.
This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
(28:10):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember impact starts with
you.
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