Kristina Luburic’s extraordinary “mama” never set foot in a corporate boardroom, and yet the lessons and wisdom she carried were vast.
“Her lessons have been invaluable to me, not just as a daughter, a woman, a partner, a friend, but also as a leader,” says Luburic, the Managing Director of VML Health, Australia & New Zealand.
“She’s been my greatest teacher”,” she says of her mama, who was born in a small Croatian village in the 1940s, and was one of five children. Luburic’s mama only went to school for four years, before working on the family farm.
Then, at 29-years-old, her mama immigrated to Australia on her own, married and had three children. However, Luburic says the journey was far from easy.
“She spent two decades in a difficult marriage,” says Luburic, adding that “she survived horrific domestic violence before she was able to finally break free and start a new life for herself and her children.”
“With limited English skills, no professional qualifications, and no work experience in Australia, she began her career search, and she found her place in a nursing home where she was responsible for cooking and cleaning for the residents.”
Luburic describes her Mama’s level of compassion as “Mother Theresa scale” and that she gave this care and kindness “to every person she came across”.
During Luburic’s keynote session for Women’s Agenda’s new video app series, The Keynotes, she shared three enduring lessons she gained from her Mama.
‘Without health, you have nothing’– “This is a saying I have probably heard my mama say every single day of my life,” says Luburic.
“As someone who has worked in healthcare communication for over 20 years, I find it ironic that, for so many years, I neglected my own health and wellbeing while chasing professional goals.”
It’s only been in the last few years, that she’s taken her mama’s saying to heart and truly “grasped the value of taking time out” and focusing on her own wellbeing and health.
“Good health isn’t just about physical wellbeing. It encompasses mental, social, and spiritual health too,” she says, adding that even when you feel you don’t have time to take care of your health, “it’s important to create time”.
Along with health, Luburic’s mama pushed the value of asking for help, even when fearing that it might make us look lost or incompetent.
“As humans, our innate human instinct is to help. Most people, even strangers, are willing to help when they know you need it. So, next time you find yourself struggling, in life or in leadership, remember that there’s no shame in asking for help or admitting you don’t have all the answers,” says Luburic.
And finally, at the heart of life and leadership, Luburic’s mama taught her that cultivating kindness is fundamental.
“When extended to leadership, traditionally the words ‘kindness and leadership’ may not have gone hand in hand. Yet if I think back over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with and knowing remarkable leaders, and what sets them apart is being a truly kind human being,” says Luburic.
“Kindness is a powerful tool, creating trust among team members, promoting collaboration, and nurturing a supportive work environment which instils a sense of purpose and engagement. Kindness, for me, is the cornerstone of effective modern leadership.”
The Keynotes app shares “Mini Keynote” sessions and insights on leadership, equity, current affairs, climate and so much more. To watch Katie Rigg-Smith’s keynote as well as other sessions, sign up to the app here.