ambassadors without diplomatic passport focus on individuals is deeply rooted in the corporate culture, evaluation systems, evaluation interviews and elsewhere. USA is certainly further in this area which is another reason to focus on its market.
Sociomapping is actually a method of 3D visualization of information-data among which there is a relation. The method uses a metaphor of landscape, otherwise well known as 3D geographic maps for placing subjects (e.g. people) or objects (e.g. products). The simplicity of visualization will help us understand information that used to take plenty of excel tables, within a few minutes. A Sociomap can visualize relationships between people, departments of a company or values and factors of employees’ engagement. Applications are in the sphere of marketing research and engagement surveys. However, we see the primary value in being able to offer the management a perspective in effectiveness of cooperation between individuals, project teams or departments of a company and help teams get a reflection of how they work together. You have successfully introduced the concept of Sociomapping in Dallas, Washington DC, Silicon Valley and Toronto. In the area of manager trends and development it is countries like USA who sets the trends. How difficult was it to get on the market? What other markets are you focusing on? It may seem odd but USA particularly is perhaps the best market for Sociomapping. It is true that USA sets the trends in this area, especially because a significant number of international corporations takes over the best practice and tools from American parent companies. Moreover, number of reputable researches which proved close relationship between quality of communication and cooperation and financial results of companies, come also from the USA. That’s why we are there. Our first experiences show that simplicity of the instrument and high engagement of the group (Sociomaps arise in real time before eyes of participators) look like tailored for American target group, which is very open and Sociomap is valued as a great impulse for the opening of communication about relationships among team members or divisions. How difficult was it to penetrate foreign markets? I think we have taken only the first step and I am sure it was the right move to the right direction. It wouldn’t be truth saying we have penetrated foreign markets. We have a great product, but more than that a vision that I believe is worth pursuing. I am deeply convinced we help building better teams by helping people communicating more effectively. We help building better organizations, better places to work and live. This is just worth striving for and the foreign market penetration is a just very natural getting this dream materialized. Its not difficult and it is not easy. It is just our route to go and we will face high tides and great downhill rides. Have you ever encountered any prejudices for being from the Czech Republic? More the opposite. The Czech Republic has a great name in technology/IT development. Many great companies and products have their
You are originally from Greece, living in the Czech Republic and your teams and clients are all over the world. Do you consider yourself to be a Czech, a European or a world-citizen? I eat and drink wine like a Greek, I do sports like a Czech, I do business like a European and I travel like a world citizen. Almost always when my wife and I find ourselves in a new place I’m thinking: “I could live here,” but my wife usually brings me down to earth again. Your motto is: “Don’t be a rich man, live a rich life.” What is your advice for work-life balance? I don’t believe in work-life balance, I don’t like the concept. Life is only one. And if you do what you really enjoy, this is usually not an issue. What you call to be my motto can be misunderstood. I think it’s necessary for everyone to set their personal value system. There belongs the definition of wealth. For me the most important part is time. Distribution of time between work, family, traveling and sport should be in line with this value system and then the work-life balance can be omitted. The truth is that one has to accept that he can’t manage to do everything.
origin in the Czech Republic and there is a great awareness of that in the US. Your products allow for building and managing highly effective teams which are in demand in these days. Do you observe a reverse trend from focusing on individuals within learning and development approaches from the 90s? I would like to have observed such a trend already. However, we are nowhere near that yet. I dare to say that clients to whom we are close have done a great job in this area. Still the primary
Finally – which trends in management would you like to point out for Leaders Magazine readers? I think that as good leaders, we should take responsibility for motivation of people whom we have decided to work with. Concept I personally find to be the most effective is called Empowering Teams. It is a set of activities, approaches and attitudes that strengthens and enhances the company’s small structures, or small teams, and where the value for shareholder/owner or leader arises by cooperation of individuals instead of competing and comparing of egos. Translated by Markéta Horázná ■ český překlad naleznete v elektronické verzi magazínu na www.leadersmagazine.cz
Linda Štucbartová graduated from the Institute of International Territorial Studies. After a one year scholarship at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, she obtained a Diplome d’études supérieures from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. Between the years 2002 and 2006, she worked in senior positions at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2006 she has functioned in the private sphere, and lectures at the Anglo-American University, where she was named the Chair of the Department of Diplomacy. In addition to training in negotiation and communication of clients from the private, public and non-profit sector, she regularly collaborates with Photo: Archive NGOs in the projects of the International Global Young Leaders Conference and the Women and Leadership Programme. Linda Štucbartová is a member of the Rotary Club Prague International. Articles are extracts from her book Velvyslanci i bez diplomatického pasu (Eng. “Ambassadors without a Diplomatic Passport”).
TO BE CONTINUED WITH OTHER AMBASSADORS WITHOUT DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT
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