POSLOVNA ŽENA Mirela Španjol

Guest Mirela ŠpanjolMay 3, 2026

Mirela Španjol

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Mirela Španjol Marković has spent fifteen years building Ciceron komunikacije into a leading consultancy for rhetoric and communication, becoming the author of Croatia's first comprehensive rhetoric manual, 'The Power of Persuasion.' Yet, when asked to introduce herself, she doesn't lead with her titles or achievements. She calls herself a teacher, someone driven to raise the culture of communication regardless of payment. This distinction between her public role and her intrinsic mission shapes her approach to influence, public speaking, and even the strategic decision to step away from certain public commentaries. Her experience reveals that true mastery in communication isn't just about what you say, but how you choose your stage, your audience, and even your silences.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Her book, 'The Power of Persuasion,' has become a classic, still selling well years after publication and appearing on university syllabi. The market, she observes, often validates a work's lasting value far more reliably than an author's initial self-critique.

Asked to introduce herself, Mirela Španjol Marković does not list her titles or achievements; she defines herself as a 'teacher' first, driven to raise communication culture even when unpaid. Your intrinsic mission, she suggests, often reveals a deeper identity than any business card.

After years of commenting on political rhetoric, Mirela chose to step back, realizing that public subjectivity around politics was detracting from her business image. Not all visibility is good visibility; sometimes, protecting your professional authority means strategically withdrawing from certain public stages.

Early in her career, Mirela learned not to offer unsolicited feedback, even with good intentions, because it was often poorly received. The most valuable insights, she found, are delivered only when explicitly requested, and even then, with careful consideration.

Ninety percent of Ciceron's clients initially seek help for stage fright, but Mirela notes this is merely the entry point to deeper work on argumentation, structure, and audience adaptation. What clients *think* they need is often a symptom; the real value lies in addressing the underlying skills that resolve the perceived problem.

In individual coaching, Mirela’s team focuses not just on fixing weaknesses, but on amplifying a person's unique qualities, like their use of humor or metaphor. The most effective development, she finds, often comes from giving people permission to enhance their distinct strengths, rather than solely correcting flaws.

Every presentation, Mirela insists, is a form of persuasion — whether you are selling an idea, a product, yourself, or your company. Approaching any public speaking engagement with this mindset fundamentally shifts how you prepare and deliver your message.

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