Talent development involves creating an environment in which employees can recognise their own potential, build resilience, and develop the competencies that will help them navigate an increasingly uncertain business environment. That is why leading organisations invest in targeted development programmes that connect individual growth with the company’s strategic goals.
At Hrvatski Telekom, employee development is approached systematically and with a long-term perspective. The Boosting High Potential programme was designed to provide high-potential employees with practical tools to better understand their own strengths, collaborate more effectively with others, and successfully navigate future professional and personal challenges.
How did the idea for the programme come about? What needs was it designed to address? How did the Belbin methodology and Future Resilience support this process? And how did employees respond to this approach to development? We spoke with Ivana Kovačević Vukas, Employee Development Strategy Expert, to find out.
How important is investing in talent development, and which competencies do you consider essential for future leaders?
Investing in talent development is extremely important because the business environment is changing rapidly, and employees are expected to be adaptable and collaborate effectively. That is why we do not view talent development solely through the lens of acquiring new technical knowledge, but also through strengthening the competencies that help employees become better prepared for future challenges. We consider adaptability, resilience, change management, and critical thinking to be the key competencies for future leaders.
What were the main objectives of your Boosting High Potential programme, and what inspired you to include the Belbin and Future Resilience workshops?
The main objective of the programme was to provide employees with practical tools, skills, and insights that they could apply in their day-to-day work. The programme was designed to support the continued development of employees with high potential who are already delivering strong results and want to further improve the way they work, collaborate, and contribute to the organisation.
It was important for us that the topics were practical, applicable, and aligned with HT’s competency framework, which is used to evaluate performance. We believe that personal development, changes in mindset and behaviour, and encouraging better collaboration all contribute directly to greater effectiveness.
We decided to incorporate the Belbin methodology because we enjoy exploring new concepts and introducing innovation into our development programmes, particularly when we see they can deliver tangible value to participants. Belbin was an excellent fit for this programme because it encourages a better understanding of both ourselves and others in a simple way, while strengthening the quality of teamwork. We particularly appreciated its development logic: first, getting to know yourself through your team role; then recognising and embracing differences; and finally, consciously working towards better collaboration. This is a sequence we strongly believe in ourselves, because effective collaboration begins with understanding your own contribution while also appreciating the different working styles within a team.
Participants responded very positively to Future Resilience. All modules received high ratings for their content, the approach of the facilitators who delivered them, and, most importantly, their practical applicability. We were especially pleased that participants recognised the value of the programme beyond the workplace, seeing how many of the insights and tools could also be applied in their personal lives.
The Belbin workshops were also rated as excellent, even when some participants found their results unexpected. Those very insights opened the door to new conversations about how each of us contributes to a team, where we perform best, and how we can better understand different working styles.
What made this programme different from your previous development programmes?
What we particularly appreciated about Belbin was its focus on understanding yourself and others as the foundation for strengthening teamwork.
Future Resilience, on the other hand, focused on developing resilience, adaptability, and greater confidence in navigating change. The same approach was also offered to all employees through a webinar.
Participants also received a personalised Belbin report, providing valuable insights into their team role. The report serves as a practical development tool they can use beyond the workshop to better understand their contribution to the team, their collaboration style, and opportunities for further growth.
Have you noticed any tangible changes among participants following the programme?
The best feedback we received was that participants saw this as something they could use immediately. They did not experience it as just another interesting workshop, but as a practical tool for everyday collaboration - from gaining a better understanding of their own role within the team to more easily recognising how to approach colleagues with different working styles.
We will continue to build on this approach. Personal skills development, including self-awareness, self-management, and effective collaboration with others, remains a key focus across our development programmes.
We believe that this is where the greatest long-term value is created, because participants gain not only new knowledge but also a better understanding of how to apply it in their relationships, within their teams, and in everyday business situations.
Belbin Team Roles: What Lies Behind a Team’s Success (or Failure)?
