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Miroslav Klepač
Episode · #632

RITAM POSLA Miroslav Klepač

Guest Miroslav KlepačHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Miroslav Klepač spent decades as a "hardcore finance" executive, orchestrating major transactions like the first sale of Hrvatski Telekom and serving as CFO for Allianz, Podravka, and Croatia Osiguranje. Today, he coaches talented managers, focusing on what he calls "soft skills" and corporate culture. This shift wasn't just a career change; it was a realization that the ruthless efficiency prized in investment banking can become a liability in a large, integrated organization. He learned this lesson the hard way, through a direct feedback loop that cost his company millions. His story offers a rare glimpse into the internal reckoning of a leader who had to unlearn the very behaviors that made him successful. You will leave this conversation considering how your own pursuit of immediate results might be silently eroding your long-term influence, and how to set personal boundaries that sustain you, not just your quarterly targets.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Miroslav Klepač received a handwritten Christmas letter from his American boss at T-Mobile, praising his results-orientation but suggesting he be "a bit more diplomatic with colleagues." The lesson isn't about mere politeness; it's that the behaviors that drive success in project-based roles can actively hinder it in a line organization, where long-term collaboration is more valuable than immediate, aggressive efficiency.
02
Klepač would "verbally slap" unprepared managers in meetings, feeling justified about saving €200-300k by rejecting their business cases. Yet, when his own €2M proposals later went to management, the same colleagues would stall them, costing him €1.8M. The lesson is clear: being "right" in the short term, especially at the expense of internal relationships, can lead to much larger, hidden losses in the long run.
03
Miroslav Klepač defines personal integrity in business not as a "moral high ground," but as setting "a boundary low enough that you can survive when things get tough, but never cross it." This isn't an aspirational ethical stance; it's a practical, self-preserving strategy for leaders navigating intense corporate pressure, defining your non-negotiables before you're forced to compromise them.
04
After decades as a "hardcore financier" in controlling and M&A, Miroslav Klepač now coaches managers in "soft skills" and corporate culture. The skills that define success in one career phase or organizational structure can become liabilities in the next; the most effective leaders recognize when to fundamentally re-evaluate their core competencies and adapt.
05
Miroslav Klepač learned that by letting some things be "a little imperfect," rather than striving for perfection in every detail, "sometimes those imperfections turned into beautiful flowers and fruits later." An obsession with flawless execution can stifle unexpected positive outcomes and consume energy better spent elsewhere. Allowing for minor imperfections can free up resources for larger strategic priorities and foster unforeseen growth.
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