November the 25th, 2024 – Bringing with it plenty of encouraging messages, the fifth D Business Leadership Summit, designed as a movement for personal and business transformation, concluded in Zagreb on Saturday.
Zagreb’s manifestation was otherwise the strongest in terms of the event’s programme to date. It originated from education for dentists, and has since established itself as a unique three-day gathering of top managers from the world of healthcare, sports and technology.
This year, from November the 21st to the 23rd, around two hundred participants came together at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel, where they had the opportunity to experience a unique experience outside of their comfort zone.
Siniša Drobnjak is the name behind the concept of the D Business Leadership Summit. He is an expert in personal and business transformations, as well as a seasoned entrepreneur with thirty years of experience under his belt.
”Five years ago, after returning from the USA, I became aware of the existence of the so-called dental paradox. It came to me during a conversation with private dentists that clinical problems aren’t the biggest challenges they face in business. Today, we’ve proven to help them solve real problems – business, communication, legal and operational. This has also been recognised by managers from other branches of healthcare and business, so the number and profile of participants are expanding every year. Each of them individually contributes to the great atmosphere that we always feel in the hall,” explained Drobnjak.
In collaboration with the Croatian Society of Aesthetic Dental Medicine, the event’s first day was dedicated to clinical skills, with leading world-class dental experts, such as Victor Clavi and Edson da Silva. Lectures were also given by dentist Joško Viskić, periodontist and educator Larisa Musić, and dental technician Marijo Rezo.
The second two days were “reserved” for both foreign and domestic entrepreneurs, athletes, managers, and business consultants who have already succeeded in the field in which they shared their experiences.
Some of the non-clinical skills in healthcare are leadership skills, which can be learned, explained business trainer Gordana Kastrapeli at the Heart and Maths of Leadership workshop.
“There’s a sense of playfulness, purpose and meaning, and the potential that a certain job gives us for our development. There’s also emotional and economic pressure, as well as inertia, the moment when we no longer know why we’re doing what we’re doing. They’re the six main motivators. Their combination needs to be measured by numbers, not just by personal attitude, which are two components that make up good leadership,” said Kastrapeli. This was the explanation of the workshop’s name – the heart as the empathy with which we should approach people, and the maths as the data that we should be guided by. This combination is the key to a good leader.
Dental surgeon and entrepreneur Cyril Gaillard explained at the how practitioners can engage a patient at the first appointment, and orthodontist Monica Goldenberg held a workshop on the lever of measurement. Famous Croatian swimmer Dina Levačić spoke about building a winning mindset, summarising four key steps: start, action, turning point and resolution.
Dentist and entrepreneur Quoc An Nguyen, who is also a co-founder of D Business Leadership Summit, revealed how one can take their personal branding and communication to the next level.
A lecture on family values, breaking boundaries and abandoning predefined paths to follow your own passion was given by three brothers – Jasper, Robbert and Stijn Thoolen. The latter is a medical doctor and a space physiologist, a NASA associate, where he is researching the limits of human health and performance for future missions to the Moon.
Croatian entrepreneur Saša Cvetojević talked about the secrets of the art of crisis communication with communications expert Krešimir Macan, and general manager Barbara Cerinski talked about the importance of legal issues with attorney Natalija Labavić.
The organisers of the D Business Leadership Summit paid special attention to the musical part and the final live concert in Zagreb’s Katran. The original music for the D Business Leadership Summit is by Nino Krznar, a bassist and keyboardist with extensive experience in production, arranging and leading bands, and the participants were delighted by the performance of Mario Klarić, a renowned drummer and music producer, as well as virtuoso guitarist Marko Vojvodić.
Both lecturers and participants sang along to their “D Band”, and the impressive scenography was complemented by the D Leadership Summit’s ubiquitous trademark – Dorothy the black sheep, which symbolises the fact that we’re all different and that that is perfectly okay.
