PSIHOLOGIJA USPJEHA Ingrid Prkačin

Guest Ingrid PrkačinHosted by Tanja PuretaMay 3, 2026

Ingrid Prkačin

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Imagine leading a medical clinic where patients arrive with serious conditions, often in high volume, yet the atmosphere remains one of unusual calm and cohesion. That is the daily reality Dr. Ingrid Prkačin navigates as the chief of Internal Medicine Polyclinic at KB Merkur. A specialist in internal medicine, nephrology, and emergency medicine, her medical credentials are only part of the story. Her colleagues describe her leadership as the source of a unique team dynamic, one built on mutual respect and an unwavering focus on patient care. This conversation explores how she cultivates such an environment, drawing on principles that extend far beyond the hospital walls. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how to foster resilience, eliminate team friction, and lead effectively under pressure, no matter your field.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

When a patient needs an X-ray, Dr. Prkačin herself drives them if the team is busy, embodying a 'no, that's not my job' attitude. In high-stakes environments, the leader's willingness to cross traditional role boundaries sets the standard for how the entire team prioritizes the mission over individual tasks.

Acknowledging roles 'from the cleaning staff to myself,' Dr. Prkačin emphasizes that 'the chain is only as strong as its weakest link,' citing the essential work of cleaning up after difficult patients. The real strength of any organization comes from a leader's ability to ensure every individual, regardless of their position, feels valued and integral to the overall success.

Dr. Prkačin maintains 'zero tolerance' for anyone who yells or humiliates others, stating this behavior reveals the aggressor's own insecurity. True authority in leadership isn't asserted through intimidation, but through a calm, respectful demeanor that reflects inner confidence.

Defining intelligence as 'daily adaptation to things you cannot influence,' Dr. Prkačin advocates focusing on what's within one's own power. The most effective leaders don't waste energy fighting immutable circumstances, but instead channel it into adapting and acting where they can make a difference.

Dr. Prkačin works to 'pull out of each of us what I see in them that makes them satisfied,' ensuring her team can work 'without a knot in their stomach, without fear.' Cultivating an environment free from anxiety and insecurity is not a soft skill, but a prerequisite for any team to perform at its highest potential.

Her passion for nephrology stems from the kidneys' role in harmonizing the *entire* organism, underscoring that 'you cannot treat an organ in isolation.' Any complex system, from the human body to a business, requires understanding how seemingly disparate parts are interconnected and influence the health of the whole.

Asked if their fifties are the new twenties, Dr. Prkačin agrees, noting a 'different dimension of looking at life's difficulties or challenges,' and her own habit of finding open windows when doors close. The passage of time, for some, brings not a decline in drive, but a sharpened ability to see obstacles as opportunities for growth and self-improvement.

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