An interview with Maria Angelova
Make the decision, own it, and take responsibility for whatever happens — good or bad. I think it’s possible to say: That is a smart leader, even though they occasionally get things wrong. I do not think you can assert: That is a trustworthy leader, even though they periodically blame everyone else for their mistakes and hang the people around them out to dry.
As a leader, some things are just unavoidable. Being faced with hard choices is one of them. Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. What’s the best way to go about this? Is there a “toolkit” or a skill set to help leaders sort out their feelings and make the best possible decisions? As part of our series about “How Leaders Make Difficult Decisions,” we had the pleasure of interviewing Slav Kulik.
Slav Kulik is the CEO/co-founder of software engineering and digital transformation company Plan A Technologies. This is the third software company he’s co-founded. He was previously Chief Technology Officer at OfferCraft and Chief Software Architect at MacroView Labs, both of which were acquired in 8-figure deals.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
You bet. I came to the US from Ukraine when I was a teenager, and realized early in life how much I loved the world of software. I started at the very bottom and worked my way up through multiple different companies and jobs until I eventually was able to start my own company. It’s been a fun, challenging, and incredibly rewarding journey so far.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
There’s a lot more than one! I am grateful to so many family members and friends — the people around me who encouraged me when I wasn’t sure if I could do something, who taught me countless lessons, and helped make sure that I stayed focused.
I am grateful to everyone who supported me in taking on additional responsibilities so that I could grow as a person, as a professional, as a leader. I pride myself today on recognizing the potential in others and helping develop it, because other people were generous enough to do that for me.
And finally, I’m grateful to my partner, Aron. We have now created three companies together. Initially, I think our partnership worked because one brought strength to the areas where one was a little weaker… but as the years have passed, we’ve learned from each so much that the weak spots aren’t so weak anymore!
There’s a lot more than one! I am grateful to so many family members and friends — the people around me who encouraged me when I wasn’t sure if I could do something, who taught me countless lessons, and helped make sure that I stayed focused.
I am grateful to everyone who supported me in taking on additional responsibilities so that I could grow as a person, as a professional, as a leader. I pride myself today on recognizing the potential in others and helping develop it, because other people were generous enough to do that for me.
And finally, I’m grateful to my partner, Aron. We have now created three companies together. Initially, I think our partnership worked because one brought strength to the areas where one was a little weaker… but as the years have passed, we’ve learned from each so much that the weak spots aren’t so weak anymore!
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
If any business is around long enough, you’re going to hit some rough patches. I’ve heard they’re calling this the “dangerous decade” since we have experienced a pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, inflation, and more…so it seems like the whole world has been having a rough time lately. In tough times, I’ve seen so many companies over the last couple decades keep plowing forward with what they’ve always done, hoping that things would get better.
In times of uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to keep listening to your staff and your customers to stay nimble, stay relevant and stay top of mind. Uncertain and difficult times aren’t fun, but there are always some businesses that manage to thrive, if you know how to continue delivering something that people want and/or need.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through challenges? What sustains your drive?
I love fixing and building cool things. The people we hire love fixing and building too. The intellectual and emotional reward I get from creating new technology or solving some challenging issue is itself the reward. If what you do is financially successful, that’s even better, but that’s not the main motivation. It’s easy to keep walking the path if you genuinely enjoy the journey.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?
Look, no one can see the future. Even if you picked the perfect path at that moment, something unexpected could happen that changes everything. It is rare when you have a choice where one option is correct and all the others are glaringly wrong. But a leader has the confidence to say: “I have looked at all the options… and based on what I know now, this is the best one.” Then, by having confidence in your decision, you inspire others to believe in it as well.
I will say this: I find the best decisions tend to be ambitious, even optimistic in nature. By which I mean, when we decided to create the software development company we always dreamed of, we had a goal we could feel good about, that everybody on the team could feel good about. It’s easier to work hard when you know you’re building something you believe in, that you feel good about, that will make your clients feel good too! It would be harder to put in long days and suffer sleepless nights if the plan was, “Hey, let’s start a company that cuts corners and does everything on the cheap so we can slightly undercut a competitor’s prices.”
What process or toolset can a leader use to make a choice between two difficult paths?
A leader needs to be able to look beyond the moment. My business partner and I usually try to make decisions by imagining what our future selves would tell us to do — it’s a great guide.
Take this situation: Say that a person on your team is very skilled and has talents that will be hard to replace… but is difficult to work with. Despite your efforts to address it, there’s no improvement. Then things start getting worse. In the short term, it’s easy to stick with that person. If you think of the big picture, however, you know what you need to do, difficult though it may be. Ultimately, no project is worth sacrificing your culture, and you need to let that person go as fast as possible.
Do you have a mentor or someone you can turn to for support and advice? How does this help? When can a mentor be helpful? When is this not helpful?
Early in your career, a mentor can be invaluable. After all, they’ve reached the places you want to go and can give you insights about the journey. At a certain point, however, I think you need to trust your own judgment. You still seek advice, of course, but you recognize that, ultimately, the decision is yours. It’s possible to be so close to a mentor that you don’t ever achieve that proper independence, that true faith in yourself.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader when faced with a difficult decision?
A leader needs to make a decision that stays true to the values and goals of the company and himself or herself. That can be hard to do. I also believe a leader needs to do the tough work to make an informed decision rather than just shoot from the hip… and then own that decision.
Do you ever look back at your decisions and wish you had done things differently? How can a leader remain positive and motivated despite past mistakes?
Anyone who claims they built their first startup without making any mistakes is a liar or delusional. Here’s how you stay positive: You learn from that mistake. That way, you can honestly say, “This isn’t what we intended, but we’re still making progress.” (Obviously, if you repeat a mistake over and over, you need to work on your learning.)
What is the best way to boost morale when the future seems uncertain? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team during uncertaiun times?
The most important thing you can do is make it clear that, while the future seems uncertain, you have a plan. And you communicate that plan to everyone and explain how, by working together, all of you will make that plan a reality. Then, if necessary, you modify the plan and explain the medications and how they impact everyone. Just because the times are uncertain, it doesn’t give a leader permission to be that way. A team needs to know what the goal is and what the plan is to get there so that they stay focused and hopeful, not lost.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses or leaders make when faced with a hard decision? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
First, endlessly delaying a decision and, in the process, not doing anything. A choice made slowly can still be wrong. And frankly, it frustrates your team when they feel like they’re about to get approval to act and then it doesn’t come. A relief pitcher who’s just been told to warm up is excited, because he knows he could soon be in the game. A relief pitcher who’s been throwing in the bullpen for an hour because he was never actually put in is tired and confused.
Second, making totally uninformed decisions too quickly. This is kind of the opposite problem. Businesses that not only last, but consistently grow, have some real thinking behind them. The plan may evolve, but it definitely exists. Good luck getting everyone to follow the plan if your leader regularly makes snap decisions that undermine it. For that matter, good luck getting team members to give their all to that great new initiative you announce on Monday if you’ve made a habit of announcing even better initiatives that suck up all the resources each Tuesday.
Third, delegating a decision, but not supporting it. You give someone the authority to make the call… then immediately begin questioning their reasoning and, at the first sign of trouble, throw them under the bus. Instead of telling people, “Here’s a chance to apply your expertise,” you announce, “Here’s your opportunity to be a human shield, protecting me if this decision goes awry!”
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a leader should do when making difficult decisions? Please share a story or an example for each.
1 . First, you need to listen to others to really understand the situation. Hopefully you’re always involved and learning, so when the difficult decisions do come along, you’re prepared for them. Ideally, you anticipate them. You also need to be certain that people are comfortable coming to you — if you’re worried they aren’t, you need to make sure you reach out to them to ensure the channels of communication are open. Because if there’s a tough decision to make, you need to make sure you’re fully educated about what the true situation is.
2 . Second, think about your ultimate objective. What do you want to happen? Then brainstorm through possible solutions to reach that outcome. This should ideally be done with at least one or two other people. Figure out all the possible paths. (If you aren’t finding any ways to reach it, time for a rethink.)
3 . Third, go through all the options and pick your favorites. Then model out all the implications. This should be done first in a more clinical, dispassionate way and then with empathy to think about everyone’s perspective. You should also think about what matters most to you as you select the approach. For instance, one approach may be costly but certain to result in success, while another is more affordable but there’s a greater chance of failure. Or maybe speed matters above all. Whichever your priorities, your path should reflect this.
4 . Fourth, make the decision, own it, and take responsibility for whatever happens — good or bad. I think it’s possible to say: That is a smart leader, even though they occasionally get things wrong. I do not think you can assert: That is a trustworthy leader, even though they periodically blame everyone else for their mistakes and hang the people around them out to dry.
5 . Fifth, especially for big decisions, do a retrospective analysis — what did you do right? What went wrong? What can you learn from the experience? Particularly if you’re launching your first startup, you’re bound to make mistakes. But you should be learning and improving. To quote the writer Samuel Beckett: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
The Beckett one is pretty good, but I’ll add in another. President Harry S. Truman had a famous sign on his desk: “The Buck Stops Here.” Those four words tell you a lot about leadership.
How can our readers further follow your work?
Please join Plan A Technologies over at LinkedIn.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
Thank you for the amazing opportunity!
About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
Slav Kulik Of Plan A Technologies On How Leaders Make Difficult Decisions was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.