LeaderImpact Podcast
LeaderImpact Podcast
Ep 80 - Anita Kandera - Leaders Need to Be Better Listeners
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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Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast. We are a community of leaders with a network in over 350 cities around the world dedicated to optimizing our personal, professional and spiritual lives to have impact. This show is where we have a chance to listen and engage with leaders who are living this out. We love talking with leaders, so if you have any questions, comments, comments or suggestions to make the show even better, please let us know. The best way to stay connected in Canada is through our newsletter at leaderimpactca or on social at Leader Impact. If you're listening from outside of Canada, check out our website at leaderimpactcom.
Speaker 2:I'm your host, lisa Peters, and our guest today is Anita Kandera. Host Lisa Peters and our guest today is Anita Kandera. Anita is a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and business development mentor with over a decade of experience in digital marketing, sales and business strategy. She helps nonprofit organizations, small businesses and entrepreneurs improve their business operations and online presence. Anita is actively involved in the Global Leadership Network as the regional marketing director for Europe, where she plays an active role in promoting the Global Leadership Summit. She also leads a small group of women through Leader Impact, guiding them in their personal and professional development Through her consulting business. Anita is passionate about supporting women entrepreneurs, helping them balance growth with personal life, while leading with integrity, purpose and confidence. Welcome to the show, anita.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much for having me, and it's so great to hear everything in one bio all together. I'm not aware that I'm doing so much.
Speaker 2:I know, isn't it funny when somebody else reads your bio you're like, wow, was that me? So you are in Croatia. But I understand, were you born in Croatia?
Speaker 1:Yes, I was born in Croatia, but with three years I moved to Germany. I grew up in Germany like for 10 years, and then I came back.
Speaker 2:Wow. So I mean, you speak amazing English. I'm doing great with you. Do you speak more? Do you speak Croatian and German?
Speaker 1:Yes, I speak Croatian and German and long years I had German as my first language because I really grew up there and I went there to school. But the last three or four years I'm working so much through Global Leadership Summit and with so much people all around the world, so my English improved in the last two years a lot.
Speaker 2:Yeah, your English is way better than my Croatian or my German, which I don't have any, so, yay, all right. Well, again, thank you for joining us. I'm excited to talk to a leader, a female leader, in Croatia. So our first question is really about leadership and approach, your leadership style and approach. So what do you feel makes a great leader in Croatia, and do you feel this is unique to your country?
Speaker 1:That's a great first question, because I think it's not just for unique for Croatia. I think it's not just unique for Croatia. That's my opinion. I think every leader needs to be resilient because of the constant change in the world and in the market. So that's something I really try to be resilient in our market. And also I see that we need to be better in active listening. I see that we need to be better in active listening. I see how much it's really important to listen to people, actively listening, not just speaking and trying to educate and trying to help, but really to listen to the people and what the needs are on the market. And also, I think, to be humble. To be humble in everything we do and to really think about where we started. Where we started, because once everybody from us was small and had the first step and we really tried to think of all the people who helped us and to be also now that are we, the people who are helping others.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know it's interesting when we talk about resilience. I've had a few guests that have brought that up multiple times. The word resilient and it was a woman who had come from it was Olga came from Colombia to Canada. She talked a lot about being resilient and how she had to be from Colombia to Canada. She talked a lot about being resilient and how she had to be. And I just wonder, with you working with women, because you're with the global global network, global leadership network, you are working with more than just probably countries in Germany, croatia and maybe Canada, like you're working with so many more. Do you see that? Do you see women around the world being resilient? And I'm wondering if you can answer that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's really a good theme. I see so much similarity with women all around the world that we really try to understand where they come from, what's important in, and really see how they're working, where they come from, where they grew up, because it's not the same if we talk with the women who came from a war zone where they had a war, where we talk with women who really traveled a lot and they have so much more experience. So I think the most important thing when we work globally and when we talk to other people, to really try to prepare and to see where they come from and also try to build communication through actively listening and understand why they're doing what they're doing and how they're doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that, the active listening and asking questions. If you don't understand, it is not 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 little about challenges and strategies. What are some of the unique challenges you face as a leader in Croatia, and if you could share an example of how you addressed it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I thought a lot about that question because I think the mostly challenging thing I faced in Croatia is the locally mistrust, because Croatia also faced so much changes in the last decades and we don't have so much great thinking about leaders in our country. So the people in Croatia are really mistrusting everybody who is trying to do a change.
Speaker 1:So, when I started work with my company seven years ago, the first thing was to really try to show people who I am and to be transparent and to say hi, I'm Anita, I'm from Croatia. Like you, I grew up in Germany, but I faced these challenges and I want to help you, too, how to be better in what I learned through my experience. So I was really learned through my experience. So I was really transparent, I was online, I tried to show through video content and through articles what the problems was I faced, how I managed that and really to be open and vulnerable, because I think when we are open, vulnerable, which we are gaining trust through that. So that was the most hard thing I faced to really to really say to people that I'm really here to help them and to guide them through everything I went through. So I think the most important thing is to be really transparent and open and be yourself.
Speaker 2:So when you opened your company and you're doing you know as a marketing consultant, would you say that the experience was any different dealing with men, or are there unique challenges? As a female, I'm just wondering if there's any difference, and I don't know who your clientele is.
Speaker 1:From my personal experience I'm not sure if I had a personal challenge because I'm a female. I can just say that I had in my own mind, a challenge. Before I went through a lot of personal education personal and spiritual education for myself, I had a way of thinking that maybe for me as a woman it's harder before. But when I started to gain self-love-esteem, when I was building my skills and my talents and I surrounded myself with people who really build me up and who trusted in me, it was more and more easier. So I didn't, I didn't, I wouldn't say it's different for me as a woman globally or in our country. It was more like a problem in me, in my head and in my point of view. But I know that's just my thoughts and my experience.
Speaker 1:I know that some people, some women, are treated different in Croatia and have different salaries. It's also a theme I heard about two weeks ago that women are still less paid than men in Croatia, like 15% or something like that. So it's getting better, but we are not there yet. It's getting better, but we are not there yet. But mostly I want to really say that sometimes it's not about the environment. Then it's more like what we did for ourselves, for our personal development and our minds. If we train ourselves better, I think we will have less problems.
Speaker 2:I'm just going to acknowledge that. I think women around the world. It's in our head, and I want to acknowledge first that you know, yes, there are salary differences 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 that is what I talk about is we need people that support us, that love us, that can just say you're doing okay, we can get through this We'll. You know, we are here for you, you know. Oh so, but yeah, in the head.
Speaker 1:A big, big theme. Really, I can really just say the best thing I could do is really find people who are doing the exact thing I want to do and to learn from them how they're doing it. And then I saw what their environment is, what their education is, how they're dealing with stress, how they're dealing with difficulties or with challenges, and really to learn from them. That's why I'm here, that's why I'm doing now what I'm doing, because I want to give it back what I received from all the people around me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, that's great, anita, and I just resonate. Sometimes I think when you show up at a meeting, sometimes that day you're the strongest person in the room. Tomorrow you might not be, but we all have our days, so I just appreciate your answer. I want to move on to cultural sensitivity and global leadership, so a little question. Our question is how do you approach leading a team or organizations with members from diverse cultural backgrounds and I think this is a great question for you because I think you have dealt with people in the global network.
Speaker 1:You are around the world? Yeah, that's a similar question, Like before when I said it's really really important to understand where someone comes from and how they're communicating. If you don't know the answer, try to talk to someone else who have more experience in their country and try to find out how the country is communicating or what's the differences between their country and my country, Because sometimes we are more maybe open, we are more vulnerable and some countries they really grew up like really not so openly to others. They need more time to gain trust, to be open, to ask really a vulnerable question. So really understand where people come from.
Speaker 1:And also one thing I always talk about please ask more than once, Because I'm working a lot with women, and women gain to ask just once a question and if they don't receive an answer, they give up.
Speaker 1:But I know from experience we need to ask more than once Because people are either busy or they forgot or they're not so good in organizational or time management. So we really need to be resilient and we need to ask more than once and try to figure out how they're communicating better. And also, it's really important to know with what generation you are talking to, Because when I talk with younger people, I see that they like to talk through Facebook, Instagram and through the social media. When I talk with millennials or people who are like my age, they like to communicate through WhatsApp or through emails, but also I really have people who are older than me and they just try to have emails. They don't want to communicate with any other platform than just through emails. So we also need to figure out what's the best approach and what's the best way and try to really, yeah, be there in their way, if you want to, of course, help them and communicate with them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so prior going into another country or another cultural background, do you do any research prior to going in? And what would you do? And you know you're calling a country you've never talked to You're, I don't know. Do you do anything to prepare yourself?
Speaker 1: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't receive, which information he did receive, how he communicated with them before me. What's the best way, what's the best approach? And, of course, I have colleagues who already knew people from the country. So I really often ask my colleagues what's the best approach? Do you know how they want to communicate or love to communicate? But sometimes it's really hard when you are new somewhere and people don't know you. So you need to really try to be really often there and knock on the door and try to establish the communication, the door and try to establish the communication, because when you are new, people are not sure how long are you here, if you will be long term or short term. Should they try to communicate with you and try to send you some questions, or are you just here temporary? So you need to really try to build trust yeah, oh, great answer.
Speaker 2:My next question is about personal development, learning, which you've a little bit touched on, but what advice would you give to an inspiring leader, particularly those from different cultural backgrounds? So and my mind even goes to when someone wants to work with someone from Croatia or you know, but just personal development and learning. Do you have any advice?
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, I think the most important advice I would have from my experience is to be really open-minded, first of all. Open-minded, try to understand the person's point of view. Empathy Empathy helped me a lot in my work Really to be here because of people. That's something I also learned in my personal development and spiritual, of course that everything we do, we do it for people, not for us, because God gave us skills, god gave us talents for other people, not just for us, because we can't use them if we can't help someone with them. So we need to understand that we are here for others and when we are here for others, we need to be better in listening and asking questions, in empathy and really trying to see the point of view from the other person. Yeah, and really trying to see the point of view from the other person, and I think that's the best way you can really have a good relationship with the person in front of you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, listening to you, I'm thinking of you are leading a small group in Leader Impact. Is that right in Croatia? Yes, and I think of sometimes as a leader, that might you know that might be all the professional development, personal development, spiritual development you get, and I think of. I just, I just want you to talk a little bit about your own group and and maybe what you're doing in your group. Are you doing any book studies, like what? Because I lead two groups in Canada and I just want to hear more, a little bit about your group.
Speaker 1:Great, great question. I love that Because my group is really fresh, really new, starting the Leader Impact book from Brayden Douglas and we started like six weeks ago and we have online meetings every two weeks and I love the structure. I'm working on that. I'm always here with questions before the meeting, then they have time to read the book and on the meeting we are discussing the questions and the group is really. The women are really different. I have uh um women who are really uh open, uh, and they uh, they like to talk and they like to give their uh feedback and uh, they um want to say what, uh, what's on their mind. And I also have women who are really uh, more uh, the listeners. Uh, they don't talk a lot and my approach is always to really give space also to the women who want to talk and want to share, but also to encourage and motivate people who are not so open to step up and to say what's on their mind.
Speaker 1:And the most important thing I heard from the women yesterday we had yesterday a meeting and they shared with me that they are really encouraged and they are feeling safe that we are in a safe space, and that was, I think, the best thing a leader in a small group can do to really make a safe space where everybody can share their point of view, where no judgment is involved. So I know maybe I'm not thinking like you, but I'm not judging. I'm really listening to you and we are here to openly discuss what we listened or what we read and to learn more about ourselves and about others, and I think we are doing it with the group and the group is really gaining a lot from each other. So I think that's the best part small group when we are so different and open to to learning from each other yeah, does your group meet in person or online?
Speaker 1:Online. This is the first online group, because I have women from all over Croatia, so we really are where everybody is at home and every two weeks we are meeting online and it functions very well, because I was a little bit concerned at the beginning if everybody will be there, if everybody will turn on their camera and so on, but it's really a great safe space and everybody is so open and so vulnerable. I'm really, I'm really so grateful and blessed to see how the group helped them in their personal and business life.
Speaker 2: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 or is it translated? No, it's translated in Croatian. Oh, wow, I think it's been. I don't even know how many languages it's been translated. So thank you for sharing that. It's interesting because we I host meetings both Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings. I have two groups, two different cities, and one of the comments made today was how leadership is so lonely at the top. I don't know if I want to go there. She's like director, she's right next to being, you know, the top of the line, and she just said it's it's so lonely and she's thankful for our group because, like you said, it's trust, it's a safe place. But she's like I why do I want to go there If it's like what is my purpose in life? You know, it was interesting to listen to her and, but she said it and, like you said, it's a safe place. She wouldn't. She didn't say that to her. You know her direct reports or anybody you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the best part. Also, a woman said yesterday to me I don't know any of the women in the group and I'm feeling so safe and so secure. So that was, I think, most important thing when you are part of a group, part of an education, that you really can step up and ask a question, what's on your mind, and not to feel, oh, will I be judged or anything else.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the greatest personal, professional spiritual development and it's free, besides the book you might have to buy, but yeah, I agree. Um, so our last question for you is what do you hope your legacy as a leader will be when you leave this world?
Speaker 1:a great big question.
Speaker 1:I'm uh, I'm not, I'm, I didn't, I didn't, uh, thought about the question before and it was really really great to think about that and I think my wish would be that really people that really people when they remember me about helping others, helping others to grow, and also not just in business but personal to step up, to be better, to be better for themselves and then for their business and also for other people.
Speaker 1:And my aim as a mentor is always really be there through transparency, authenticity and really to be there for women to help them organize their business, organize their time, because I know from personal experience, when we organize our time, when we organize our business, we have more time to be what God wants us to be and to be there for other people and really to have our skills and talents there where there needs to be. So if we organize everything else what's distracting us or what's so stressing us out then we have time to really be there for others. And I think that's one of my wishes, to wishes to be as legacy, to really be there for women, to make a change for women that we can balance private and personal and business life and also be there for others and help in the community and surround ourselves with people who are like-minded, because that's something I now witness.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, anita, you're awesome. I have loved this this last half hour and it makes me think of leader impacts in over 350 cities around the world. And how how can I mean? I feel blessed just to hang out with you. It's like you know how lucky we are through technology to just sit here and you're clear as day and we're having a conversation, and my mind goes to how I should share this and not like the podcast. That's great, but with other female leaders matching up our groups, I don't know. Do any of your I know you speak good English Do other women in your group, because I know none of mine speak Croatian?
Speaker 1:I can ask them, but I know that mostly people who go through education like this group speaks English well.
Speaker 2:Wow, so would you so thinking of linking our groups up one day? It would have to be the end of your day, beginning of my day, but how cool to talk about leadership. I just thought of that and thought, oh, anita, would you ever be interested?
Speaker 1:So we'll take that offline, but what an opportunity to meet with other female leaders around the world, so of course, and to see that we are not alone, that all around the world we, we, we face similar problems and similar changes, and to see other perspectives. So I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love it. My, my team's gonna love this. So well, this ends our podcast and I just again thank you. My cheeks are from smiling listening to you. I've loved, loved it. If other people want to find you, engage with you, what is the best way to find you?
Speaker 1: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 my social media channels are also on the website, so that's the easiest way. And is your social media in English? No, it's in Croatian, but on social media you can click and it translates everything.
Speaker 2:Right, there's so many apps for that. Yeah, all right. Well, anita, thank you again. It has been a joy to spend this time with you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for inviting me All right.
Speaker 2: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 your group. And if you are not yet part of Leader Impact and would like to find out more and grow your leadership, find our podcast page at leaderimpactca and check out our free leadership assessment. You will also find on our webpage chapter one of Brayden Douglas's book, as Anita said, becoming a Leader of Impact. It is an amazing leadership book. You can also check out groups available in Canada at leaderimpactca or, if you're listening from anywhere else in the world, check out leaderimpactcom or get in touch with us by email info at leaderimpactca 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 global leaders find our podcast. Thank you for engaging with us and remember impact starts with you.
