A caterpillar projecting the shadow of a butterflyA caterpillar projecting the shadow of a butterfly

Our team has been working with:

Sharpist logoHarvard UniversityGeorgetown UniversityEuropean ParliamentObama FoundationCitiesrise logThe world bankEuropean University InstituteSciencexpoUNICEFGovernment of the United States

A Global Movement for Democratic Leadership

We are a world-wide movement for teaching people & organizations how to reach their full potential through practicing Democratic Leadership Framework.

Invest in Yourself & Your People

To face the rising uncertainty and fast-paced change, every individual must learn how to be more adaptive, how to lead, but also how to create more leaders. Organizations must learn how to use power & authority in a new way to generate leadership potential at every level, because that is what you need to meet the challenges of the fast-paced 21st century.
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Action-Packed, Practical Learning
Our workshops & programs are based on tacit teaching pedagogy. We use action learning, interactive exercises, simulations and real-world assignments to enable you to learn and apply right away.
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Learn from Experts
Our trainers come from practice! It's a very different experience when you are learning from someone who already practiced what they are teaching you.
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Comprehensive Leadership Framework
Democratic Leadership Framework is based on science, research and practice. It's focused on immediate practicability of everything we teach.
Nikola Ilic

We are a world-wide movement for democratizing leadership, bringing innovative approaches in leadership development

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Pulse of Change

Free Leadership Insights on a weekly basis!

Join the community of 10k change-makers for free weekly newsletter -  5 minute practical insights on how to become an empowering, inspiring, adaptive Democratic Leader. No BS, just action-oriented stuff.
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LeadUp

enabling millions to practice democracy daily
LeadUp will be a self-paced learning platform focused on developing democratic leaders across all sectors at scale. Action learning, community learning to enable individuals & organizations reach their full potential.
Website coming soon

Three Pillars of our Work

In the face of rising uncerntanty, we need a different aproach. Our leadership development programs and workshops are built on the innovative and effective Democratic Leadership framework, enabling your organization to elevate the talent of every individual and team.

Deep Democracy (Democracy 2.0)

We need to teach people to practice democracy and democratic habits daily. Only them we will have truly free & democratic society; innovative and inspiring work environments.

Building Individual Agency (Empowerment)

In the face of rising uncertainty, the only way to move forward is with new, creative solutions which require new individual & collective capacities. The new capacities are built only through activating individual & collective agency to trigger innovation in the face of uncertainty.

Redefining Power and Authority

Changing the paradigm of how power is seen & used. Moving away from strictly top-down, zero-sum mindset to power-sharing, accountability & interdependance. Power as a tool, not as a goal.

Deep Democracy (Democracy 2.0)

Going beyond traditional democratic practices to inspire and create meaningful participation, trust and co-creation at every level.
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Programs Overview

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Leadership Programs

Cohort-based, long-term learning experiences to build skills, leadership habits, adaptive mindsets, and collaborative practices. Action learning and simulations.

Duration: 3–9 months
Structure: 6–12 workshops (2h/session)
Format: Online, in-person, or hybrid
Cohort Size: 10–100
Book orientation call
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Stand-Alone Workshops

Targeted, high-impact sessions to address specific challenges. Our workshops are interactive and actionable with real-world applications.

Duration: 2 hours to multi-day
Format: Online or in-person
Audience Size: 10–200 participants
Book orientation call
Invest in your personal growth! Take advantage of personalized 1 on 1 leadership coaching to develop new leadership skills and mindsets.

Leadership Coaching

Invest in your personal growth! Take advantage of individual, personalized 1 on 1 coaching sessions to accelerate your leadership potentual.

Key offerings:
1 on 1 coaching, coaching packages, personal evaluations
check out coaching packages

Some of the topics we cover in our workshops & programs

Adaptive leadership

difficult conversations

power & authority

Ethical Leadership

Systems Thinking

Emotional Intelligence

Coaching Mindset

identity & purpose

Tacit Teaching: Learning by Taking Action & Going Through Experiences Together

Our approach is focused on immediate application of what you have learned, and then debriefing the action for additional deeper learning.

Experiential Learning

We focus on Tacit Learning, which emphasizes hands-on, practical experiences. Our interactive workshops and real-world applications ensure that participants develop and apply their skills effectively.

Customized and Practical Solutions

Our programs are designed to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual or organization. We integrate proven leadership frameworks and adapt our offer to ensure maximum relevance and impact.

Empowerment and Inclusivity

Our approach prioritizes the empowerment of others and inclusive environments. We aim to develop leaders who inspire those around them, enabling everyone to contribute to and benefit from collective growth.

Immediate Impact

Each workshop is designed so that participants plan and commit to implementing the new tool or framework in the real world immediately after or even during the session.

Our Framework: Democratic Leadership

Democratic Leadership is about creating opportunities for everyone to reach their full potential & excercise leadership.

This is achieved by fostering a structure & culture that enables power to be shared, voices to be heard, ideas to be explored, and differences to be expressed. The framework covers four main areas and sixteen sub-areas (see the picture).
Emotional maturity diagram
Collaborative capacity diagram
Ethical leadership diagramNavigating Uncertainty diagram

A Community of Experts, Educators, Activists and Practitioners

What our partners say about us

Saranya Misra

5 stars
Nikola has been an incredible teacher during my journey with the YAL program. Not only has he been inspiring in group discussions, he also has an insightful way to subtly pivot one-on-one conversations to help you get to the solution to your problem by yourself! I like to call them his jedi mind tricks.

Through simply asking probing questions, he gently guides you till you realize you had the answer all along. It's really exciting to witness. He has taught me not only to be a better leader, but also a better colleague and person.

Through him, I have learned how to phrase confrontation as conversation, how to effectively manage upwards, how to not take anything personally, and just generally embrace a more productive and holistic mindset not just in my job, but in my daily life. I cannot recommend him as a teacher highly enough!

Diego Morales

5 stars
Being a part of the YAL program with Nikola as my mentor has truly transformed my leadership skills and perspective. Through his guidance and mentorship, I have learned the importance of collaboration, empathy, and adaptability in driving meaningful change. Nikola's ability to empower and inspire me has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, take risks, and embrace innovative approaches to addressing challenges.

The most valuable aspect of the YAL program for me has been the emphasis on fostering a global mindset and understanding the diverse needs and perspectives of communities around the world, not only in Mexico or in Latin America.

I strongly encourage others to embark on this transformative journey of becoming future young leaders in UNICEF, as it not only equips you with the necessary skills but also instills a sense of purpose and passion for creating a better world for children and their families, we daily work for.

Madeleine Wollin

5 stars
The YAL program, with Nikola serving as a prominent facilitator and teacher during various deep dives into challenging subjects, has been transformative for me. It's the first time in a long while that I've experienced such significant personal development in my understanding and practice of leadership values.Being surrounded by a handpicked group of enthusiastic participants, all eager to engage and grow, has been truly inspiring. Moreover, being assigned Nikola as my coach has been exciting.

His approach, which I've witnessed in our cohort sessions, has been invaluable in scrutinizing and exploring aspects of my professional journey. I'm immensely grateful for this opportunity.
Through simply asking probing questions, he gently guides you till you realize you had the answer all along. It's really exciting to witness. He has taught me not only to be a better leader, but also a better colleague and person.

Through him, I have learned how to phrase confrontation as conversation, how to effectively manage upwards, how to not take anything personally, and just generally embrace a more productive and holistic mindset not just in my job, but in my daily life. I cannot recommend him as a teacher highly enough!
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Saranya Misra

5 stars
Nikola has been an incredible teacher during my journey with the YAL program. Not only has he been inspiring in group discussions, he also has an insightful way to subtly pivot one-on-one conversations to help you get to the solution to your problem by yourself! I like to call them his jedi mind tricks.

Through simply asking probing questions, he gently guides you till you realize you had the answer all along. It's really exciting to witness. He has taught me not only to be a better leader, but also a better colleague and person.

Through him, I have learned how to phrase confrontation as conversation, how to effectively manage upwards, how to not take anything personally, and just generally embrace a more productive and holistic mindset not just in my job, but in my daily life. I cannot recommend him as a teacher highly enough!
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