What leadership skill do you think women are most often underestimated for, and why is it actually a strategic advantage?

One of the most underestimated leadership capabilities often associated with women is relational intelligence — the ability to deeply understand people, motivations, and dynamics within teams.

For a long time, this ability was mistakenly categorized as “soft.” In reality, it is a highly strategic capability, especially in modern organizations where performance increasingly depends on collaboration, trust, and engagement.

Leaders who understand people are better able to:

• build psychological safety
• resolve conflicts early
• align individuals around a shared purpose
• retain and develop talent

Research consistently shows that high-trust environments produce stronger performance, innovation, and resilience.

In my experience, leadership is rarely about authority. It is about creating an environment where people want to contribute their best.

Relational intelligence allows leaders to read situations beyond numbers or processes. It enables them to understand what drives people, what blocks them, and what enables them to grow.

That is not a “soft skill.”
It is an organizational performance lever.

How did the Ljubljana MBA strengthen the way you think, decide, or lead, and what difference has that made in your work?

For me, the MBA did not define my leadership philosophy. That foundation was shaped much earlier by my own values, experiences, and responsibility toward people I work with.

What the MBA strengthened was structure and perspective.

It helped me:

• step back and see organizations as complex systems
• connect decisions with broader economic and strategic consequences
• challenge my own assumptions

In practice, this means I now combine two dimensions more consciously: human judgment and analytical thinking.

Leadership decisions are rarely purely analytical, but they should also not be purely intuitive. The MBA strengthened my ability to balance both.

It also reinforced something important for me and that is good leadership requires intellectual honesty.

You need to question data, question trends, and sometimes even question organizational norms if they are not aligned with long-term value creation.

The difference in my work is that I approach challenges with more structure, but not less humanity.

The goal is not to become more “corporate.” The goal is to become more responsible in decision-making.

What advice would you give to women stepping into more visible leadership roles?

My advice would be simple, but not always easy.

First: know your values.
Leadership becomes very difficult if you constantly try to adapt yourself to expectations around you. If you are clear about what you stand for, decisions become clearer even in difficult situations.

Second: do not confuse empathy with weakness.
Understanding people and caring about their development is one of the strongest leadership tools you can have. At the same time, empathy must go together with accountability and clear standards.

People actually respect leaders who combine both.

Third: take responsibility for your direction.
No organization will fully define your leadership path. That responsibility always remains yours.

Leadership is not a title or a position. It is the ability to influence outcomes while staying aligned with your integrity.

And finally, something I believe strongly:

The goal should not be to prove that women can lead like men.

The goal should be to show that authentic leadership, grounded in values, accountability, and respect for people, is what organizations truly need today.

 

Feeling inspired? Take the next step in your journey.

Download the LJUBLJANA MBA brochure and see how you can shape your future with us.