“When you hear about your Mom doing amazing things at work, like jumping out of helicopters into freezing lakes, it sets a high benchmark and it gives you strength to reach up,” says Martina Jovanovska, North Macedonia’s Business Developer of the Year.

Looking carefully at a tough challenge, breaking it down, seeing where the shadows are, comparing possible solutions… Find out how Area Sales Manager Zsuzsanna Baumann used skills she learned as a child to inspire her team and hit double-digit growth in sales this year.

“When you’ve got reliable data, good teammates and big smiles, you can get through the storms,” says Sales Capability Lead Andriana Janićijević. “You get wet and blown around, but it gives you lots of new energy, new perspectives and stronger relationships. That’s a lot of power!”

“Some people start out on a moped. Not me!” says Rūta Jakubelskaite, On Trade Account Leader in Lithuania. “My first bike was a big powerful machine. I like to learn fast. I chose CCH for the same reason.”

“International goes local, local goes international…as we grow, adding amazing new drinks to our portfolio,” says Business Developer Lucia Faccini, “So do the opportunities to stretch your thinking, build your network and come up with new ideas, wherever you’re from.”

Moving cross-functionally offers a wider business perspective and is a crucial enabler for growth. Watch the video with Olga Brankovic, Key Account Manager, to learn why changing functions can be a good move in your career.

“What’s the most important thing to take on holiday?” says Key Account Manager, Anna Mitsikuleva. “Trust in your team! That way you can relax and recharge, knowing they’ll take care of business. My team got proactive too, solving problems on their own and coming up with new ideas"

How do you build relationships and teams with those who are different to you? Originally from Syria, Sales Team Leader Rasha Alzrir’s love of new experiences led her to study and work in many places, teaching her to listen along the way. Now in Rome, she’s learning how to lead.

“Some people are brilliant, and they tell you all about it!” smiles On Trade Channel Leader, Ololade Babalola. “Others shine brighter because they achieve AND stay humble. My grandma was like that, and I try to be too. I want to pass this gift on to my daughter.”

Looking after a baby brother fed Aleksandra Tolic’s curiosity about human nature and taught her how to lead by helping others grow. Years later, those same skills helped her move from Marketing to Sales, as a Team Leader. After just a year, she got promoted to Regional Manager.

How do we take what we learn from others and make it our own? For Natalia Kissonergi, Business Developer Coca- Cola HBC in Greece, it all started with reflecting on her mom’s leadership style, then doing something different. It’s working: last year she built stronger relationships with her team and customers to boost sales revenue.

“Most people in Commercial stick to a single function: Sales, Marketing or Commercial Excellence,” says Silvia Molinaro, Out of Home Sales Director, Italy. “But move between them, early in your career, or as a leader, and you can add so much more value. That’s why even after nearly 20 years, I’m STILL moving around. More experience, more skills, more fun!”

How does travel change the way you think and feel? After two years at The Coca-Cola Company, Nathalie Jintranun wanted a change. She set off to Asia to travel. “The world is round” she smiles, “But if you keep going, you’ll find yourself in the same place sometime.” 13 years after setting out, Nathalie came back to Business Development role at Coca-Cola HBC.

“As the first woman on the team, I was nervous,” says Alexa Iacob, Business Developer at Coca-Cola HBC. “But previously, I was a manager in a restaurant for years so I have valuable customer insights. And as a digital native, I can coach my teammates on unfamiliar applications and tools. And I have a lot of positive energy. When I saw how much I can contribute, I broke through the limits I set myself and found my confidence."

“We’re a sales driven business. I wanted to see if I could succeed in sales and have fun too,” says Business Developer Anja Balac, who joined us as an intern, got a role in HR and then moved to Sales function. “At first, I thought I had to play it hard. But thanks to the team and my friends, I’m learning how to trust more. You can be soft and win too.”

‘When you have a big why, you can always find a better how!!,’ says Quality, Safety and Environment Manager, Anna Gronostajska, ‘I love my son and I love nature. Together they give me the inspiration and purpose I need to do my best work. As I grow as a leader, I find that the more personal you make your purpose, the more powerful your secret ingredient becomes.’

“As a child, I competed for my country in rhythmic gymnastics,” says Head of eRetail Eva Chocholouskova. “Back then, it was all about perfection. Now my kids are teaching me how to jump into uncertainty and complexity – at home and at work."

Work vs family? Women vs Men? We win, you lose? “That’s no way to think,” says Mariam Oginni. In her view, if we think creatively, we’ll always find that when two sides work together, there is plenty for everybody to enjoy.

‘It’s a surprisingly human issue’, says Ruchika Sachdeva, who leads Big Data, Analytics and AI at Coca-Cola HBC. ‘Perfectionism is our enemy. It’s born out of fear and it stops us making the mistakes we need to succeed.’

"My second dog arrived in time to remind me that showing vulnerability gains trust," says Julia Zagumennova looking back at a challenging move from a regional role at Coca-Cola HBC to become Global Revenue Growth Director at The Coca-Cola Company. "It’s been a great development opportunity all round”.

Louise Sullivan, Group World Without Waste Director, shares how she challenged herself to develop new skills, such as influencing without authority and adapting to a completely new way of working. Watch her top tips for evolving your leadership style.

“Tune into your team’s heart, mind and body. Find the flexibility and insight you need to turn tough situations into opportunities” says Natascha Mauthner , our Field Sales Director in Austria, in this new episode of Women of CCHBC.

“I can’t say I was born with confidence, yet I managed to obtain it by embracing new challenges and getting into the unknown” says Amela Cengic, Commercial Excellence Manager in Adria. Dive into the unknown and find treasures you didn’t know you had.