BonaMente

Helping companies bring transformational ideas into Business-as-usual.
Powerful blend of Strategic HR experience, strong business acumen and passion for modern trends in people-centric Leadership and way of organizing.

Supporting business leaders and company owners on wide range of transformative journeys:
- Complex multi-dimentional change programs
- Business Performance turnaround
- Business model change
- Leadership paradigm shift
- Targeted organizational culture change
- HR transformation
- M&A integration, spin-off business transformation

Individual Entrepreneur, Business Transformation Consultant

LeanPeople

The multi-discipline expertise business service platform, dedicated to put strategies into practice. Everything a mid-size business needs to reach outstanding results:
- business and market positioning
- marketing and market intelligence
- people and culture
- organization and processes
- legal and finance
We take care of your organization in all means, so you could care of your core business.

Co-founder and Chief Transformation Officer

Electrolux

Effectively manage manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics for 20 factories, 34 warehouses, one supply chain fulfillment centre, a population of 15k, and 18 direct reports. Define and deliver major improvements for Employer Value Proposition. Address the coming needs of Industry 4.0 transformations regarding digitization and modern capabilities. Utilize leadership skills to fuel positive organizational change, experiment with the latest methods, and meet the needs of the VUCA environment. Travel 50–70%.
Key Contributions
Reached and maintained the strategic target for product delivery at continuously improving cost while growing employee engagement since 2016. The key success came from several turnaround initiatives allowing entire end-to-end Supply Chain to perform at best of capabilities:
•	Designed, implemented and continouosly growing the new leadership approach based upon trust, engagement, and realizing full team potential.
•	Accomplished several multi-year cultural change programs: Consumer-focused supply, cross-functional collaboration, talent-driven teams; new practices became the blueprint for success.
•	Realized major organizational setup changes in Quality, Supply Chain and Manufacturing; completely re-energized and transformed the teams into admirable, high-achieving and continuously improving.

HR Director Industrial Operations EMEA (from 2019 - Europe)

Fully supported all organization units located in the region (Sales & Service, Professional Equipment, Logistics, IT, Global Technology) leading an HR team of three that managed 250 staff members. Guaranteed timely turn-arounds on key projects. Streamlined the processes for leadership changes and paved the way for increased profits and growth. Built new capabilities and new culture while making the leap to drive business to the next level as an independent self-driving sales machine.
Key Contributions
•	Secured business continuity and increased HQ stakeholders’ understanding of situation.
•	Completely re-energized the team and seeded enthusiasm and self-esteem, assuring all are ready for stepping up the responsibility and taking all market opportunities
•	Ushered the company into an era of being a top player in the Russian and CIS markets.

Regional HR Director (CIS counties + Baltics)

Linde Gas

Oversaw four production facilities, two ongoing M&A projects, and an HR team of 10 that supervised 1k employees.  Developed and implemented new and improved HR policies, procedures, and processes that contributed to overall organizational success. Preserved cost basis and needed profitability after the financial crisis struck. Restructured processes, minimized hiring and training efforts, and developed key leadership teams. Oversaw large customer installation projects. Focused upon succession planning and preserving operational capabilities.
Key Contributions
•	Reached all targets and deliverables when completing two M&A projects.
•	Assured business continuity along economical crisis, delivering expected level of EBIT and ROI.
•	Successfully rolled out a critical SAP HR project.

HR Director

Samsung Electronics

CIS region was newly shaped organization in 2005, became independent and reported directly to HQ. CIS region included 8 subsidiaries: Sales, Service, and R&D functions. Population around 1.000 employees, HR team 8 people.
Main achievements:
-	Built up CIS Headquarter from scratch, including main holding function (among which HR)
-	Established all core HR processes from practically 0 levels or upgraded up to required international standard
-	Effectively installed localized Leadership team. Traditional Korean expatriates moved to "adviser" roles where needed, otherwise fully localized.
-	Reduced Employee turnover from 25% to 5%
-	Together with the Manufacturing unit completed due diligence study (people side) for the opening factory in Russia

CIS Region HR Manager

That was the project of integrating acquired PWC Consulting business into IBM. The idea was to find synergies between 2 businesses to move from Product- to Solution-based model. The population of ~100 consultants.
- Aligned all processes to IBM standard while keeping low turnover rate.  
- Consulting department got through several restructurings with overall headcount increase
- Reached project deployment ratio was 86%. 
- Re-tuned the educational system to allow consultants to use time without project for learning.

HR Manager. Business Consulting Services department (integration project)

Luxoft

My core responsibility was to build the software development team of around 200 people for the new business stream of Luxoft - dedicated software development centres for big corporate clients.
The pilot project I held was with super demainging Deutsche Bank who decided to outsource their USA and UK development centres to Luxoft.

The core responsibility was hiring initial team of ±100 people within a strict timeline of several months and expand it as per demand keeping speed, at uncompromised quality of candidates.

Along with the growth of the team, I was also involved into employee development, leadership development and team cohesion building activities.

Recruitment Manager

Unconventional Leadership Enthusiast | Creator and propagator of the "5E's of Leadership" | Empowering Leaders to Transform & Thrive in the Age of Change

With over 20 years in corporate HR, I’ve transformed underperforming teams into high achievers and turned potential into performance.

Like many managers, those I’ve helped have faced the complexities of leading teams through challenging changes and resolving deep-rooted issues.

Today, as a consultant, I elevate leaders from daily firefighting to strategic excellence, driving outstanding team results.

My Commitment. 

I empower you to:
- Elevate your teams to new heights.
- Synchronize structures, processes, capabilities, and culture.
- Unlock your team's full potential with a clear performance roadmap.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning, tailored to your needs.

Why Partner with Me?
I offer more than advice — I become your strategic partner, crafting a unique approach that fits your world. As a mentor, coach, advisor, and consultant, I provide the methods and insights to view your organization from every angle, connecting these elements into a holistic picture.

People are the core of business success and the central driver of growth. If you're ready to uncover and maximize your organization's potential, let's collaborate.

Your vision, combined with my expertise, will forge a path to outstanding team results. 
Reach out with a message or book a call (button at the top of my profile). Together, we’ll shape the future of your organization.

Mikhail Lvovskii

I remember a 7 a.m. meeting with a tired CEO.

Revenue slipped. Attrition spiked. A big bet was on the line.

We sketched the org on a whiteboard. 
Not the boxes, the work that actually moved value.

Then it clicked.

Only two seats see the whole picture: CEO and HR.

- The CEO sees customers, cash, brand, risk.
- HR sees talent, culture, org design, capacity.

Together, they see how money, people, process, and time fit. Like a single system, not a set of parts. 🧩
-> Sales sees pipeline, not burnout cycles.
-> Finance sees costs, not skill gaps.
-> Ops sees throughput, not trust.

Great leaders know this. 

The CEO sets the why and where. 
HR sets the how and who. 

Same map, different lenses.

So if you are facing change, do not fight alone.

Do not wait for a unicorn HR hire to land six months from now.

Start with an experienced sparring partner and organizational architect. 
The one who will pair with you and your current HR. 

You will build the plan, reduce the noise, ship the work. It is faster than you think, and not awfully expensive.

If you have run this duo well, what made it work?
If it failed, what was missing, clarity, trust, or time?

I am collecting real stories, wins and scars both. Drop yours below. 🤝
#Leadership #HR #Transformation

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(8) Arek Wawryszewicz | LinkedIn

li_at

Talks about #culture, #leadership, #management, #futureofwork, and #humanresources

Helping new CEOs/MDs install a leadership system in 8 weeks | From untapped potential to decisions at market speed

Every time I teach a senior team about leadership or business, I find myself starting in the same place—helping them unlearn complexity.

Funny thing is, I see the same lesson at home.

My son is seven. 
He’s curious, direct, and not weighed down by all the baggage grown-ups collect. 
This week he asked me, 
"Dad, why shouldn't I just keep saving money forever?"

Here’s the thing:
Kids see the world in straight lines. 
If they save, the number goes up. 
If they spend, it goes down. 
Simple math, simple logic, simple rules.

But somewhere along the way, as adults, we layer in a mess of stories, fears, and habits. 
Money stops being a tool and starts being a source of stress or mystery.

So when I talk to my son about money, I keep it as clear as possible. 
Money has a job: it helps you and it helps others move forward. 
When you use it well, everyone grows.

The same is true for leadership—at work or at home. 
The most powerful systems aren’t complicated. 
They’re built on clear, honest principles that actually get used.

I want my son to hold onto that simplicity—and maybe share it with others as he grows.
Maybe we overcomplicate what it means to succeed.
Maybe the next wave of creators will cut through the noise.

That’s the journey we’re starting. 
Less theory, more real talk about money, value, and impact.

Stay tuned for what comes next.

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2025 proved it: HR is a growth engine. 

What worked, and how I’ll scale it in 2026.

What 2025 taught us:
- Skills > roles for speed and mobility
- AI with guardrails = faster, better decisions
- Outcomes beat activity tracking
- Personalization lifts retention
- Finance + HR planning improves margins
- Internal gigs surface hidden talent
- Learning in the flow sticks
- Data ethics drives trust
- Flex needs clear team norms
- HR as product boosts ROI

What changed in H2 2025:
- Governed AI pilots, vendor consolidation, early ROI tracking
- More scrutiny on AI in hiring and performance
- “Office with purpose” days, fewer meetings, clearer decision rights
- Better skills inference from work and learning
- Tighter hiring gates tied to pipeline and margin

My expectations on 2026 moves to scale:
1) Institutionalize skills-based planning
2) Scale AI with governance and human-in-the-loop
3) Make outcomes the management system
4) Personalize benefits and learning at scale
5) Tie workforce plans to revenue math
6) Evolve talent marketplaces into career paths
7) Build 10-minute learning sprints into tools
8) Lock in people data ethics and audits
9) Refresh flexible work with clear team contracts
10) Run HR like a product with SLAs and NPS

Q1 2026, first 90 days:
- Map critical skills, set outcome goals
- Pick 3 governed AI use cases
- Upgrade internal talent marketplace
- Launch learning sprints for top workflows
- Stand up a people data council and pledge
- Tie hiring gates to pipeline and margin

If you want a one-page slide or a version tailored to your industry and headcount, comment PLAYBOOK or DM me.

Still mixing up "busy" with "effective" in your leadership system?

I see this all the time - especially with new CEOs and MDs stepping into fresh roles. 

The assumption is, if your team looks busy, things must be moving in the right direction.

But real progress isn't about noise or motion. 

It's about knowing which levers to pull, focusing on results that matter, and creating the kind of clarity that fuels decisive execution.

High-performing teams aren’t caught in non-stop activity. They’re intentional. Every leader in those organizations knows where to focus—and what to ignore.

If you just took on a top role, or you’re trying to get a transformation off the ground, ask yourself:
- Are you building a leadership system that prioritizes impact, or just activity?
- Are you measuring what actually drives change, or just keeping people busy?

Curious—what was the first intentional shift you made as a leader that actually moved the needle for your team? 

Let’s get real about what works. Turning execution from chaos to clarity is possible - with the right system.

Want to see how a high-performing leadership system looks in practice? Drop a comment or send me a message. Let’s talk about what would actually move the needle for your team.

Most turnarounds fail because leaders cling to old playbooks and chase surface-level wins.

Let's be honest—effective change leadership isn't about giving pep talks or fiddling with KPIs.

It's about going straight to the heart of the system and pressing reset, even when the team is beat down or wary.

Over the past three years, I’ve walked into the kind of post-crisis messes most people run from.
Places where “tradition” means inertia, and pressure comes from every angle.

Want to know what actually gets organizations out of this rut?
It’s not the fancy vision decks.
It’s not endless reorgs or another round of corporate slogans.

It’s this:
→ Unlocking energy from people who feel defeated and helping them channel it into real results.
→ Building leadership rhythms that force clarity and drive honest accountability.
→ Redesigning how a team works together, from the ground up.

Here’s what moved the needle in real life:
1. Letting people take on riskier projects - but with a safety net, not a lecture.
2. Breaking routines on purpose and rewriting the “how” every time the game changed.
3. Building empathy and flexibility into every process. Not just for show, but so teams survive the next wave.
4. Balancing urgency with patience. The best transformations keep the pressure on, but don’t burn everyone out.

I’ve seen CFOs turn skeptics into champions after getting involved in a messy ops project, just because we made it safe to try.
I’ve watched tired teams light up again, not because we set new targets, but because we let them build what mattered and own the outcome.

Here’s the catch:
-> Transformation is never about solo heroics.
-> It’s about creating a core group that’s half allies, half gentle rebels. People who hold you to the fire but never let you lose faith.

If you’re a new CEO or MD, don’t waste time counting “wins” just to show the board progress.

Instead, rip up the old rulebook.

- Get systems thinking into your leadership team.
- Let your people move from task-doers to system-builders.
- Make them obsessed with how things connect, not just what gets done.

That’s the DNA of organizations that last.

Ever wondered how to lead transformation when nobody thinks change is possible? Or when you’re surrounded by silos and old-school habits?

It’s not theory for me.
I’ve installed these systems in the toughest places.
What I’ve learned: The legacy isn’t just what you finish during your tenure.
It’s the staying power your systems give to everyone who comes next.

Ready to drive the kind of change that actually sticks?
Let’s talk.

Everyone loves to talk about “smooth turnarounds.”

But real transformation? It starts with a mess.

You roll out a new system. On paper, it’s clean, sharp, a beautiful blueprint. 
The boardroom nods. The exec team lines up. 
You hit the “go” button on Monday.

By Wednesday:
- Productivity drops.
- Frustration takes over.
- Suddenly, ops gaps you never knew existed are everywhere.

It doesn’t matter if you’re swapping software or reworking a 20-year-old org chart. 
The actual work looks ugly. 
People resist. 
Energy drips away into endless “alignment” talks and weird turf battles.

This is the part no one brags about — the chaos before clarity.

That “elegant” system? It gets battered during rollout. 
Old habits, broken trust, and missing steps bubble up fast. 
It’s almost like you took a step back.

Truth is, creating a high-performing culture has almost nothing to do with picking the right tech or copying another company’s org chart.

It’s about what happens when people feel threatened, uncertain, and overloaded:
- Do they own the chaos or hide from it?
- Will they stick with the plan after the first draft fails?
- Does the team grind through the discomfort, or does it just argue louder?

You want a culture that moves fast? 
You don’t get there by skipping the pain curve. 
You get there by walking into the storm, naming the issues, and working through them together.

Meetings, not speeches. 
Real, uncomfortable conversations. 
Admitting what isn’t working, even when it hurts.

If you want a business that really changes, don’t settle for glass-walled strategies or “instant-fix” initiatives. 
Real turnaround starts when your team faces the full blast of adaptation — not when the whiteboard is still spotless.

First comes the mess. 
Then comes less clutter, fewer excuses, and — finally — the momentum everyone wants.

So, if your “system” feels bumpy or your team is wrestling with chaos... you’re not failing. 
You’re just doing the real work.

What’s the ugliest part of a turnaround you’ve survived?

I’ve spent most of my career obsessed with one thing:
𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗴, 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻.

The messier the challenge, the more fired up I get.

Looking back, I realize it’s always been about transformation - just in different forms.

-> First it was M&As and culture change.
-> Then leadership journeys.
-> Then came financial crises, restructuring, and the need to rebuild trust.

-> Then Covid hit - disrupting everything.
-> Business progress stalled, energy drained, and uncertainty ruled.

Then came the next wave - 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜.
Suddenly, every old playbook was up for grabs.

The last four years of running my organizational transformation consultancy have been the most intense and rewarding of my life.
Each project, each turnaround, each leadership reset - a chance to rebuild something stronger.

And the wildest part?
We did it all in a world that seemed to reinvent itself every five minutes.

I’ve never been prouder - or more grateful - to have helped incredible teams thrive under pressure.

But a consultant’s mission always ends the same way:
when the team has the strength to run on its own, it’s time to step back and find the next turnaround.

Now, with 2026 around the corner and a solid pipeline forming, I’m getting ready for more - 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁.

Let’s keep building what’s possible.
Who’s in? 💡

The future of people + work in the AI era is being built at Transform 2026 — where innovators, leaders, and changemakers come together to reimagine how work gets done.

If you’re passionate about the future of work, this is the place to be.
Ticket prices increase on Friday, October 24 — secure your spot now and save nearly 50%!

Learn more and register here: 
https://lnkd.in/dYe4tGuH

#Transform2026

When a new CEO or MD steps into the role, the clock starts ticking—fast.

One of the biggest mistakes I see? 

Leaders wait too long to install a leadership system that’s both decisive and human. Instead, they get pulled into endless firefighting or analysis paralysis. 

The truth: You don’t need 12 months to implement effective leadership systems. 
8 weeks is often enough to ignite rapid change—if you focus on clarity, accountability, and people-first practices from day one.

- What’s your approach in those first crucial weeks? 
- Are you building momentum with quick wins and candid conversations, or stuck recalibrating every detail? 

Rapid organizational turnaround isn’t magic—it’s deliberate structure, relentless feedback loops, and empowering your team to own the mission. 

I’d love to hear which tactics have turned things around fastest for you—or where leaders get stuck most often.

Most leadership "systems" aren't really systems at all. 

They're just checklists and wishful thinking.

New CEOs and MDs walk in with the best intentions. 

But too often, they inherit playbooks built for problems no one has anymore. 

The result? 
-> Lots of motion, not much progress. 
-> Teams disengage. 
-> Execution drags. 
-> Results stall.

If you want a high-performing, human-centric leadership system, you need to build it on purpose - not by accident.

Your first 8 weeks are your only runway to make real change. Not with forced optimism or top-down mandates, but with intent.

This means:
- Clear roles, so everyone knows their lane
- Radical transparency, so no one works in the dark
- Real feedback loops, not just performance reviews
- Accountability that feels fair, not forced

Most leaders skip this step. 

They shuffle org charts and hope for the best. 

But the teams that win? 

They make the system human and fast - so the right work gets done, and people actually want to show up.

If you had to rebuild your leadership system from scratch, would you stick with what you’ve got? 
Or is it time to scrap the old playbook and start fresh?

What’s one thing you’d do differently if you could start over?

Everyone talks about AI’s power to automate tasks.

But here’s what gets overlooked: AI is quietly breaking the old rules about what leadership even means.

We’re now in a world where productivity is no longer about how many people you hire—or how many hours they put in.

AI is cutting straight through the way work gets done.

Want results? You need to rethink everything:

→ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Does your team know what the future looks like when AI is everywhere?
→ 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Is your decision-making stuck in 2015, or are you building in real-time feedback loops, not quarterly reviews?
→ 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Are your leaders focused on control, or on unlocking experiments and accepting chaos as the new normal?

The biggest mistake I see from CEOs and executive teams?

They treat AI as another tech upgrade. A line item. Something "for IT to figure out."

But AI isn’t a new system. It’s a new set of rules for the entire game.

The truth: The transformation is already underway.

Some companies will wake up to find they’re suddenly irrelevant—because their culture and leadership style just can’t move as fast as the tech.

Others will realize this is their chance. Not just to optimize costs, but to build companies that work differently at the core.

The future’s not waiting. It’s happening as you read this.

How are you rewiring your leadership approach before someone else rewires your company for you?

Few months ago, I walked into a rescue mission most would call hopeless.

A residential trades company, staring down bankruptcy, 30% chance of making it four months. 

CEO looked at me and said, "We might not make it." 

I didn’t blame him for being blunt. Forty jobs on the line, and not a lot of daylight.

But here’s what we did, fast:
- Built a 13-week cashflow forecast, no fluff, just the numbers that matter. Each client transaction under focus.
- Checked with the bank, got a 3-month loan vacation. Sometimes survival is about buying time.
- Pulled management out of "margin per job" tunnel vision and got them focused on total gross profit. It’s not about being perfect on one job. It’s about making the whole system work.
- Rolled out training and best practices to boost win rates and get techs earning more per hour.

That’s week one.

What’s next?
- Pricing that matches reality, not wishful thinking.
- Improvement incentives. Money talks, but structure matters more.
- Manager incentives. If you want delivery, reward for it.
- Sales system overhaul - customers want answers now, not tomorrow. 

We’re building for same-day quotes and closes.
- Cutting fixed cost "fat". Every dollar counts when you’re in survival mode.
- Zero-based budgeting. Every cost back to zero, justify it or cut it.
- Cash collection. Commercial clients are great, but not if you’re their free banker.

The best part? 
We’re already seeing liquidity wins. 
Cash isn’t just stable, it’s growing.

Here’s the point: 
Most turnarounds don’t fail because people are dumb. 
They fail because leaders avoid hard truths or move too slow.

Want to survive? Be brutally honest. Move fast. Do the unsexy work. 
And don’t be afraid to change what “worked” in better times.

If you’re facing a turnaround, what’s one move you’d make first? 
What’s your gut reaction to a 30% survival chance?

Let’s hear it.

If you strip away the fancy language, most leadership "systems" boil down to a checklist and a prayer. 

I've watched too many new CEOs and MDs walk into the job only to inherit a playbook built for a world that doesn't exist anymore. 

They're told to "trust the process," but half the time, the process is just rearranging old problems and crossing fingers that the market won't notice.

-> Execution gets slow. 
-> Teams go quiet. 
-> Results flatline.

But real, high-performance leadership systems aren't born out of hope or recycled frameworks. 
They're put together on purpose, with people front and center.

Here's what actually works when the clock is ticking and turnaround can't wait:

- Clear roles, so everyone knows who's doing what (and why).
- Real transparency, even when it's uncomfortable.
- Fast feedback loops, where people get honest input and aren't left wondering.
- Accountability that's not just punishment—it's a culture where showing up matters, and people want to.

All in the first 8 weeks. 
No top-down edicts. 
No artificial cheerleading. 
Just focused change that puts the human part back in leadership.

If you had to start over tomorrow, would you rebuild your existing leadership system? Or is it time for something totally different?

Old playbooks don't create momentum. Precision and bold moves do.

So, what's the one thing you're doing right now that actually shifts the needle for your team?

Drop your answer or tag a leader who gets it.

If you want to turn a stuck leadership team into an engine of action, skip the icebreakers and psych quizzes.

Here’s what most new CEOs and MDs walk into: 

A room full of smart people who’ve learned to duck responsibility, delay tough calls, and nod politely while nothing really changes.

The real breakthrough? 
=> It’s not a fancy retreat. 
-> It’s not “discovering your working style.” 
-> It’s a practical, human leadership system built for speed and honesty.

Eight weeks. 

Three simple levers:

1. Decision rights get crystal clear. No more finger-pointing or endless meetings where nobody owns the call.
2. Roles and responsibilities spelled out in plain English. People know what’s theirs—and what’s not.
3. Open dialogue, every week. Direct, respectful, zero-blame check-ins. Issues get dealt with, not hidden. Rapid feedback becomes normal, not a “process.”

It’s unglamorous. 
It works.

I’ve seen teams go from cautious to bold in under two months - just by sticking to routines that encourage truth-telling and action.

Why do so many companies fall into the same trap? Because telling the truth and making calls together is WAY harder than making slides and dodging real decisions.

So here’s my question for anyone who’s been through a transformation (or watched one stall out):

Where do teams actually get stuck?
→ Is it unclear structure?
→ Mindset refusing to budge?
→ Or dropping the ball on follow-through?

What have you seen that really moved the needle? 
Drop your stories - or your battle scars - in the comments.

Last week I asked a new hire what surprised her most. 

She said, “People actually block focus time here, and leaders protect it.” 

That landed.

The future of work is not a place or a policy. It is a set of daily choices leaders and HR make, then repeat.

Here is what I commit to, and what I ask my peers to do with me:
- Hire for outcomes, not hours. Set clear goals, share the scoreboard, and remove roadblocks fast.
- Make meetings earn their spot. Shorter, fewer, with a written brief sent ahead.
- Treat flexibility like a contract. Clarity on availability, response times, and handoffs, so trust stays high.
- Design for energy, not just efficiency. Build in focus blocks, quiet weeks, and real breaks.
- Train managers like you train engineers. Coaching, feedback, conflict skills, and fair pay decisions.
- Use data to serve people, not police them. Track throughput and quality, not keystrokes.
- Promote in daylight. Share criteria, show examples, and run fair panels.
- Say the hard thing early. Psychological safety is not a poster, it is the next honest sentence.

If we want high performance, we need high care. Not perks, habits.

What is one small rule you changed that had a big effect? What would you ban in 2026, and what would you double down on?

Drop your best move or biggest miss below. I will share a summary of the top ideas next week. 💬
#FutureOfWork #Leadership #HR

Everyone’s still talking about “T-shaped” people.
But here’s the reality: the smartest teams have moved on.

Forget debating I, T, M, or V-shaped talent.

The truth? These are just labels after the fact.

What actually drives performance is talent that flexes and adapts as the business changes.

The market shifts every year - the shapes you need change, too.
So why are most leaders still trying to squeeze everyone into last year’s model?

Here’s what I see in the highest-performing teams:
- People who can move between deep focus and broad collaboration without missing a beat
- Leaders who build systems for rapid skill growth instead of static org charts
- HR that’s obsessed with potential, not just credentials

The old approach was: hire for the shape that’s trendy, then hope for the best.
The new approach is: build a system that helps people develop multiple edges, explore new disciplines, and step into what the business needs next.

If your talent development playbook still looks like a textbook from 2015, you’re already behind.
It’s not about the letter you hire for.
It’s about what those people can become when the system pushes and supports them in real time.

Who’s still hiring for T-shapes?
Who’s building shape-shifters?

Stop following trends. Start building teams that can win in any market.

People don’t stop caring because they’re lazy.

They stop caring because nobody cared when they did.

If you go around offices and listen the kitchen small talk, the following will be pretty common:
“I saved the company thousands (millions) - they thanked me with more work.”
“My idea doubled throughput - my boss took the credit.”
“They said, ‘We’ve always done it this way,’ so I stopped suggesting anything.”

These aren’t complaints.

They’re the early warning signs of organizational disillusionment.

When effort, creativity, and loyalty meet indifference, initiative doesn’t disappear - it just goes underground.

People stop thinking “How can I make this better?”
and start thinking “How can I survive this?”

Underappreciation isn’t a morale issue.
It’s a performance tax.
- Efficiency gains vanish into the noise.
- The best minds stop volunteering ideas.
- Mediocrity becomes the equilibrium.

What leaders call “a lack of ownership” is often just a lack of recognition for ownership shown before.

For any new CEO walking into a tired organization - this is the invisible barrier.
You can’t reignite performance until you fix the recognition deficit.

Every turnaround starts with people decisions.
This guide explains how to run them with speed and respect — no HR department required.
A practical framework for CEOs to restore momentum when the clock is running out.

If cash is tight and time is tighter, talent decisions define the outcome. I have used a simple approach to sort teams fast, keep momentum, and reset 

Talent Triage Without HR for a Turnaround: Who Stays, Who Goes, Who Can Grow

The transformation process normally starts with energy input....

...which leads to the production of email output. 

The kickoff is bold. 
The middle gets foggy. 
The ending quietly disappears in the noise. 

Change doesn’t die in meetings - it dies in momentum debt. 

- The small everyday delays. 
- The decisions were put off until the following week. 
- The updates that turn into presentations. 

Momentum debt grows at a faster rate than any financial obligation. 
And the only way to repay it is to restart. 

So here’s a Friday reflection:

💭 What specific areas did your team experience speed loss during this quarter?
💭 Who still has energy to fix it?
💭 What one ritual would bring it back?

The following transformation starts through this process. 
The organization needed to begin operations from scratch instead of implementing new strategies.

If you’re a new CEO or MD, beware: the first 180 days can make or break your legacy.

Too often, I see leaders waste precious weeks “listening and learning” with no clear agenda

Only to find that culture inertia and defensive mindsets have already set in. 

High-performing leadership systems aren’t built by accident; they require relentless clarity about what good looks like, the courage to challenge old norms, and an unmistakable bias for action.

My advice? 

Don’t wait for consensus to start making changes. 
- Use structured listening sessions to identify not just “what’s broken,” but who’s willing - and able - to help fix it. 
- Then build your core leadership system around those champions.

 If you focus your first 8 weeks on establishing daily rhythms of accountability, values-driven decision-making, and transparent feedback loops, everything else accelerates.

How did your 180-day journey as a new senior leader go? 
What do you wish someone had told you before stepping in? 

Let’s compare notes—there are no perfect playbooks, but so much power in sharing what *actually* works.

Pupin Campus

Founder Pupin Campus

Deutsche Telekom

Business Development Manager at Strategy & Transformation Deutsche Telekom Geschäftskunden

Sales Engagement Manager at Telekom Global Business

T-Systems International GmbH

Sales Engagement Manager

Data Scientist

IT-Projektmanager

IT Business Consultant

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter

In my entire life, I was focused on being the best in what I do. Then, in 2011, I got my first job. 

Nobody cared about my performance. 
No praise, no promotion – nothing.

That made me think. Business mechanics is different. Is it a rigged game?

I realized everybody follows some unspoken job rules, but I don’t know them. 
Nobody explained, taught, or showed me.
It's not taught in school or university.

Since then, I have analyzed the game “business world” and systemized it. 

📌 What I Share:
✅ Tactical strategies for meetings, leadership, and visibility.
✅ How to navigate office politics without playing dirty.
✅ AI-powered career prompts to communicate with authority.
✅ Unspoken job rules that actually determine promotions.

🔹 Why? Because you deserve to win the job game - on your terms. 
My Mission is to be the mentor I never had. 

👀 Want weekly job-winning tactics?
➡️ Follow me for daily career insights & workplace strategies.
➡️ Subscribe to my Newsletter to receive the Saturday Career Playbook tactics:
https://www.pupin-campus.com/subscribe/

I help mid-career professionals gain clarity, confidence, and promotions by mastering unspoken job rules.

Turn your ambition into career growth.

Know the rules, play the game.

Dr. Branislav Poletanović

The biggest career killer: Self-Rejection.

How do you grow when you're your biggest hater?

Be your biggest fan!
Because people love confidence.

My manager once told me: 
"Great slides. The Messages, Layout, and Design - great work."

"I know," I replied. 
He smiled.

"Look, it results from studying storytelling, typography, and design. I followed simple rules. And yes, I don't have a problem with self-confidence :)."

He smiled even more. 
He knew he could rely on me.

So being confident about yourself is OK.

Your work.
Your results.
Your learnings.
Your experiences.

Do good things and share them with confidence.

Don't be shy - it's not bragging. 

People like confidence because it shows strengths. 
They want to follow strong people.

𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲: 
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

——
Want to Stand Out in the Job Game?
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

Sharing battle-tested workplace tactics for your career growth | Unspoken Job Rules Explainer | Keynote- Speaker | Founder of Pupin Campus

Smart, talented, or hard-working people get stuck in a career not because they lack skills. 

Because they don't believe in themselves.

A former student of mine received his Master this week. He made it parallel to his full-time job.

So far, so good. But 10 years back, he was taking private classes to be able to finish school. 

He was a problematic pupil, making problems, doubting himself, and his future was on the razor's edge.

But then a teacher saw his potential. He is intelligent, but he lacks support. She believed in him. 

She said the magic words: "𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶." 

His eyes wide open, it clicked. 

He learned hard, finished high school, got hired in a world top 10 company, worked for top managers, went abroad, and has a career.

His life changed overnight because he started believing in himself.

Believing in oneself comes before confidence. 
Confidence is the 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 of belief in action.

It always follows the same cycle:

Who do you want to be → Build a Habit to reach this → Repeat and reinforce → Share belief with others.

Do you want the full breakdown of the tactics?

My last newsletter explains it. Link in the comments.

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲?

𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲:
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

——
Turn your ambition into career growth
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

Did you know there is no training to become a candidate for leadership?

Let that sink in.

When I started my corporate life, there were these performance reviews.

You sit there with your manager, and you fill out a form with your performance. Along the way, you get feedback.

The feedback is about how you can improve your performance.

The bottom line is: Everything done is to increase your value for the company.

Managers keep the business running.

They don't grow you.

I didn't learn 
• How to make a career,
• How to grow personally,
• How to get a better position.

You are left alone.

There is no training to make you a candidate for the next level.

The funny thing is: 
Once you are nominated for a position, a lot of training exists. 

There are trainings for leadership, project managers, executives, etc. 

But before this, nothing.

Keep in mind:
𝘈 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

Here are six tips on how to become nominated:
• Don’t Wait for HR or Your Manager
• Feed the Identity You Want to Grow Into
• Observe the Difference Between You & the Next Level
• Spend Time with People at the Next Level
• Find a Mentor Who Is Where You Want to Be
• Invest in a Coach If You’re Serious

In my recent newsletter, I explain the details. 
Link in the comments.

Are you waiting to be nominated?

——
Turn your ambition into career growth
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

Hard work is appreciated, but not rewarded.

Companies want you to work hard because we deliver more.

But what is in for you?

A salary? Sure. 
But you are changing time for money.

It
• doesn't give you visibility
• doesn't give you a promotion
• doesn't give you a higher salary.

This frustrated me earlier. I moved on.
There is a mindset beyond. 

I share tactics on how to overcome this fairy tale of hard work.

Do you know how to escape the "My Work speaks for itself"?

Let me know in the comments.

——
Turn your ambition into career growth
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

Career Hack: Copying people's moves won't help your career.

Well, let's compare:

Elon Musk is a physicist - So am I.
Jeff Bezos quit physics - I'm smarter than him.
Sam Altman is doing AI - I was a Data Scientist.

Do similarities make us successful?

Bad news: No, they don't.

It's not about copying other people.

It's not about learning how people achieved success.

It's about learning what keeps you stuck:
• 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: From Victim to Owner
• 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: Own and tell your Story
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Master Communication.
• 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: Be Known for One Thing
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Zoom Out to See the Game
• 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Create relationships with key players

Create a new version of yourself.
Turn your ambition into career growth.

Let others inspire you. But don't copy paths.

Build your path. 

What keeps you stuck?

𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲: 
𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

PS: The biggest secret hack: They all have a coach.

——
Turn your ambition into career growth
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

People get career visibility wrong. It is not about being more visible.

In 1962, John F. Kennedy visited NASA. During his tour, he asked a janitor what he was doing.

The janitor replied: "𝘐’𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯."

Over 50 years later, this story is told. A janitor putting a man to the moon.

Visibility is about having a 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂‘𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺.

Are you answering emails, ticking checkboxes, finishing work packages, or having plenty of calls?

That's not a story. 
That's not visibility.

That's been overlooked.

Craft your story:

Ask yourself:
1. How do I want to be seen?
2. What challenge have I solved?
3. What impact did I create like nobody else?
   
What is the most challenging part of crafting your story?

Let me know in the comments.

——
Turn your ambition into career growth
Follow for more Dr. Branislav Poletanović

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