SerbLink Spotlight: Meet Maja Neable!

You've worked in three different industries: online travel, telecommunications, and financial services. How did you navigate these transitions, and what key lessons did you take from each industry?

I enjoyed learning about each of these different business and industries. This is because I get energy from gaining new understandings of how to interact with customers, how to create long-term valuable relationships with your clients. Each of these industries is a service industry, which makes it easier to compare them to each other. It also made it somewhat easier to take the experiences from one industry and translate them into another. Every time I started in a new industry I created my learning agenda, wanting to make sure I had a good base in the business fundamentals. I found that the more I understood how my business makes money, the easier it was to add value in any role. I found it rejuvenating to switch industries, even though it was somewhat hard, as well.?

What were the key cultural differences you encountered when marketing in Serbia compared to Canada, and how did these influence your strategies?

I worked in different industries in Serbia and in Canada, so the biggest difference was between the industries rather than the countries. For example, financial services is a highly regulated industry. This makes it somewhat hard to do a marketing job because you have to be very careful to stay within that regulatory framework. The Telco industry is also a regulated industry, but less so. Also, I worked for a much smaller company in Serbia than I do in Canada, so like any smaller company, work moves faster, and it is?easier to get decisions made. Culturally, people in Serbia are more direct, so it's somewhat easier to understand what everyone means. Re-learning the way to communicate in Canada was a bit of an adjustment when I came back. For example, there are nuances in what people mean when they say "this is OK" or "this is a good start" or "that's interesting". It means "Great" in Serbia, and in Canada you have to ask probing questions to understand how "good", the good is. You have to find allies who can help you understand the hidden meanings and ensure you understand the cultural context.?

In your career, you have led some very innovative marketing campaigns. One of them won two Gold Cannes Lions. Can you tell me more about what you think were the key success factors that led to these wins?

My belief is that one of the most important jobs for a leader is to create an environment in which great work happens. This means having great talent, empowering your colleagues, and creating a psychologically safe environment to be able to innovate and have fun doing their daily work. For a senior leader it also often means being able to recognize a potential in an opportunity presented to you by a team, even if you don't understand the space this opportunity may be in. And of course, for a marketing leader, your ability to build trusting, productive, symbiotic relationships with your agencies is critical. I think we had all these factors come together which resulted in some great work coming from those joint teams, including the campaign that won the "Oscars of Marketing".?

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?

I can speak of two challenges. My biggest challenge has been lack of ability to separate myself from work. When I was younger I would sometimes allow the work to take most of my life. But my kids and my husband have helped me tremendously to improve in this space, and I think I have a much better balance now. My second challenge is that I am very uncomfortable when I don't have harmonious relationships with all colleagues at work. And in organizations we work with many people, some similar to us, some different. So it's only normal to have lack of alignment sometimes. I've learned to deal with this by not avoiding tough conversations. I have learned to face my fears, and address my colleagues with an open mind and open questions. I learned that most people respond well to a curious mindset, and an honest conversation.?

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to follow in your footsteps, especially in terms of building a versatile skill set across different industries?

I believe that a key to a successful career is that one does what one enjoys doing. Too much focus is put on managing one's career or focusing on the next steps. What matters the most, in my opinion, is that one enjoys every day in the job, gets fulfilled with what they do, gains new knowledge, feels like they are growing, and enjoys the people they work with. If all of these factors are there, you will feel motivated to work hard. If you enjoy something, and you work hard at it, you are likely good at it too. And when all of that combines together, you are bound to have a great and enjoyable career.?

How was your Balkan/Serbian heritage influenced your career?

I have learned to embrace both the Serbian Maja, and the Canadian Maja. My parents always taught me to "be a good person". This seems very basic, but this gives me a basic compass, and grounds me. I have my values which I trust and believe, and can always go back to. What's the right thing to do, I often ask myself? I bring my authentic self to work. This means that I likely show up as more passionate and leading with my heart, than perhaps someone with a different background. I have been very lucky to work in organizations here in Toronto, like TD and BMO where one can bring their full authentic self to work, and I think my colleagues respect my authenticity.?

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