Ida Protuger - life & business coach

19/05/2025

📍The day I had to lead without a manual

Years ago, I was the editor of the evening TV news in a country facing growing unrest. It was June 2001, armed conflict erupted in one of the largest villages. The emotional climate in the country was volatile. Fear, but also anger were spreading fast.

📺 I was a newly appointed editor and among the youngest.
A colleague shared news that the highest state officials and the NATO Secretary General were in a closed meeting near Skopje, and we decided to go live from the location. After our live coverage, we received a call from the top military commander. Furious, he accused us of exposing a sensitive site and endangering lives.
▪️Was it professional reporting? Yes, because we were guided by public interest.
▪️ Was it ethical? Yes, because martial law had not been imposed.
▪️ Did I feel okay? No because I was afraid we might have truly endangered lives.

🧯That evening, riots began in the capital. Cars were flipped in front of Parliament. I remained in the studio, leading the news, trying to stay calm with no formal training in crisis leadership. Only instinct, values, and a deep sense of responsibility.
I was measuring the weight of every word, knowing that language itself could spark a fire.
Around midnight, the situation calmed down.

🩵Being able to regulate emotions under pressure doesn’t mean ignoring or supress them. According to the pillars of emotional intelligence, it means recognizing, naming, regulating, and managing emotions so you can lead with clarity and integrity.

✨In leadership, we often seek the “right” decision. But in reality, it’s about making the best possible decision with what you know, feel, and sense in the moment.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence and doing.

15/05/2025

Emotional Intelligence and Decision-Making

💡Or, why your "gut feeling" might be smarter than you think

I often hear from clients that they "leave their emotions behind" when they sit at their desk in the morning.
But neuroscience says the opposite and emphasizes the crucial role emotions play in our professional lives, particularly in decision-making. Emotional awareness, the first component of EQ is the foundation.

📖In his groundbreaking book Descartes' Error, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio shows how emotions and decision-making are deeply intertwined.
He introduced the Somatic Marker Hypothesis, a theory that our body and emotions help us navigate complex choices.

To put it simply:
When you're facing a decision, your brain recalls past emotional experiences and generates a "gut feeling" to guide you.
These somatic (bodily) signals help you narrow down options and detect risks or benefits often faster than logic can.
For example, if you’re scheduling an important meeting and choosing between Monday or Wednesday, and your emotional memory remembers that Mondays are always overloaded with emails from the weekend, you might instinctively pick Wednesday without overthinking it.

🧠That’s your brain using emotional context to support a smarter decision.
This happens thanks to the hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores emotions connected to specific contexts especially episodic memory (the “what, where, and when” of past experiences). It helps us recall meaningful details and link emotions to decisions.
In Damasio’s research, people with damage in emotion-processing areas of the brain could still think logically, but they struggled with even the simplest life choices.

Sometimes, your body knows before your mind catches up.
🩵Emotional intelligence isn’t just a soft skill. It’s a decision-making superpower. A balance between emotional and rational brain systems.

In coaching, I often guide clients through a simple exercise when they’re facing a big decision:
🔸 To touch their head and hear what does the reason say
🔸To touch their heart and hear what emotions say
🔸To touch their stomach and hear what the gut say
Then to integrate all three perspectives and choose from that whole inner compass.

01/05/2025

The recent tragedy in the Kočani discotheque that took 62 lives has shaken us all. As we mourn, we are also left with painful questions about responsibility, systemic failure, and our collective future.
In the interview, I speak about learned helplessness, how political systems have conditioned citizens to believe they are powerless to influence change. Over time, this mindset erodes public accountability and normalizes inefficiency and corruption, regardless of which party is in power.
But awareness is the first step toward transformation. When people recognize their personal and collective resources, they can redirect their energy toward change, especially when the current reality offers no well-being or security.
We are losing lives not only in tragic events like this one but also in hospitals without medicine, in polluted air, in traffic accidents on unsafe roads. These are all symptoms of a system that is failing us.
The Chinese word for crisis contains two characters: danger and turning point.�The question we face is: will we remain in danger, or will we turn this into a moment of awakening?
Let us not only grieve but also channel our grief and anger into a strong public demand for transparency, accountability, and justice.

https://youtu.be/REUHcDlBTAE?si=MxJ0mGegZv6OWTyq

Psihologinja Ida Protuger radi s ljudima koji imaju problema s rješavanjem stresnih situacija i životnih promjena.Nakon 20-godišnje novinarske karijere u Sko...

07/04/2025

A Graceful Liver

Once, my sister and I went together for a routine ultrasound of our internal organs. Our doctor told us that we both have beautiful, graceful livers.

We laughed about it for days because, honestly, when do you ever get a compliment on an internal organ? We’re so used to being “evaluated” based on what’s visible that we invest most of our energy in improving just that.
But this was the first moment I became truly aware of how essential the invisible parts of us are the ones we rarely think about but are vital to our life. It was a moment of awareness about the importance of caring for the whole self.

The second such moment came thanks to my respected yoga teacher who reminded us during a class that just as we take care of our face, we need to care for our mind, our organs, and our entire being.

In a similar conversation about self-care, a friend once said something that stuck with me: “There are so many hospitals for when we get sick, but so few places for staying healthy—places that help us prevent, educate, and support wellbeing.”

We usually go to the doctor when something already feels wrong. And most of the time, caring for our health is our own responsibility. And that’s how it should be. But… how much responsibility do we really take for ourselves?

Normally, I don’t quote billionaire capitalists because they’re not really aligned with my values. But on this occasion, for World Health Day, I’ll make an exception and share a story Warren Buffett once told to a group of young people.

He asked them to imagine they could pick one car, any car they dreamed of, completely free but with one catch: that car would be the only one they’d have for the rest of their lives. Everyone agreed they’d take exceptional care of regular check-ups, careful driving, the best fuel.

The metaphor is obvious, that we each get one body and one mind for life. The real question is how do we take care of them? What do we feed ourselves, mentally and physically? Are we keeping our muscles strong and active? How do we deal with thoughts that cause us stress?
If we care for our “parts,” they’ll serve us well and for a long time.

The key to it all is awareness and with it, care for ourselves. Awareness of our existence, our needs, what fulfills us, the people who support and matter to us, in other words, awareness of our wellbeing.

10/03/2025

🌟Leaders make decisions on different levels every day—many within their area of expertise and many more within the realm of human skills.
This is where the difference between complicated and complex lies. Issues related to expertise can be complicated, but there is often a clear path from point A to point B. People, however, are complex, and their reactions and relationships don’t always follow predictable logic. In such cases, emotional intelligence and human skills are essential.

✒️This is a brief excerpt from my recent interview for the renowned magazine Економија и Бизнис. I am thankful to its leader, Zoran Jovanovski, for the interview and future collaboration.
Talking about personal growth, leadership, and systemic organizational development is always a challenge due to the complexity of meanings and the changing context.
🪴My work as a coach for personal and organizational development—or simply as a people skills consultant—focuses on three pillars:
🔹 Autonomy – Being the author of your own life and decisions.
🔹 Effective Communication – The foundation of meaningful relationships.
🔹 Resilience – The key to thriving in an unpredictable world.
We also discussed decision-making in organizations, the importance of human skills for leaders, and how companies can promote a productive and engaged working environment.

The full interview is available in the print or online edition of Економија и Бизнис (Economy and Business):
🔗 https://ekonomijaibiznis.mk/Default.aspx

17/02/2025

In an era of rapid AI development, the need to strengthen emotional intelligence (EI) is just as urgent.
🎯Emotions have been at the core of every major civilizational advancement in history. They are the driving force behind motivation, meaning, purpose, and the very heart of creativity.
Machines and AI can replace many operations within an organization, but what they cannot replace are emotions and creativity.
Leaders are often assigned to their positions based on competence and technical expertise. However, they need Emotional Intelligence most, often described as the ability to “work with people.”
I always emphasize that an inspirational leader is someone who can align the personal needs and interests of employees with organizational goals. While each individual has unique needs and interests, there are fundamental human needs that unite us all. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs illustrates this well, even today.

💡In line with this, I recommend the latest Gallup "Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want”, launched two weeks ago at the World Governments Summit.
Based on years of surveys across 52 countries, the report highlights that while leadership is complex, its foundation lies in meeting the core needs of those who follow.
The report is extensive, but I will share one key insight:
The most common needs of employees working with leaders are hope, trust, compassion, and stability.

I often use the mathematical term: ”intersection of sets" in my Inspirational Leadership Training to illustrate searching for common ground - focusing on the shared needs that bring people together.
This insight also aligns with the findings from Paul J. Zak’s "Neuroscience of Trust" article I shared recently, which shows that motivation, creativity, and growth cannot thrive without addressing safety and recognition needs.

⚖️Trust and stability are closely linked to psychological safety and belonging.
🧡Compassion aligns with our need for connection and acceptance.
🪴Hope is tied to self-actualization and personal growth.

So, what is the connection between Emotional Intelligence and inspirational leadership?
💪Both use emotions as a strength.
Emotional Intelligence involves:
🔸Recognizing one’s own emotions
🔸Regulating one’s emotions
🔸Recognizing emotions in others (empathy)
🔸Managing social interactions effectively

Leaders who work on their Emotional Intelligence and focus on the "intersection of sets” - shared needs, have the potential to become truly inspirational leaders.

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21/01/2025

I’m reading Oliver Burkeman’s book Four Thousand Weeks and came across a quote that made me laugh: "Productivity is a trap. Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed, and trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster.”

I laughed because I have an ongoing debate at home, almost a criticism about my perpetually cluttered desk, which is always filled with notebooks and papers. On my computer, I even have two “temporary” folders where I put things to sort out later.
I want to change this habit and become more organized. My memory serves me well for now, and I know where every paper is and what’s on it. In the long run, better organization would definitely make life easier.

However, the essence of the book is valuable and I recommend it because it raises awareness about time as a resource and how we use it. It offers an important perspective on the pressures of modern life, where society values efficiency and productivity. Yet, as soon as one task is done, another appears, leaving us in an endless race against time.

The author suggests that instead of running this race, we should accept that not everything will get done. By seeing time as a limited resource, we can prioritize and use it for what is meaningful to us, rather than devoting time to meaningful things only when we finish our tasks.

My work as a life coach has a similar goal in terms of self-awareness around enjoyment. We often postpone enjoyment, leaving it for “when there’s time” after finishing tasks and obligations, instead of intentionally creating time for it. I share the same fact with them as the book’s title: if we live 80 years, we have about four thousand weeks. It’s up to us to decide how we’ll use them.

Do we use them for living or surviving?

I’m the type of person who, in January and February, goes into “hibernation mode.” I try to survive the time until spring as quickly as possible. I feel cold, I don’t want to go out, I dislike the gray skies, I don’t want to meet new people, and I have less desire to socialize. I’m simply waiting for warmer weather and life to return with it.

From the perspective of this book, it seems that I want to survive and not enjoy, about 300 weeks of the rest of my life, assuming I live around 80 years. So this year, I decided to live those weeks, not just survive them, but with a different rhythm than in warmer months.

I’ve started focusing less on what I don’t have like warm weather, sunshine, and blue sky, and more on small things that bring me joy, even if they’re simple, like a hot shower after being out in the cold. Since there’s less socializing, I’ve decided to enjoy the relationship I have with myself and the time I spend in self-reflection. Of course, I also cherish interactions with the people I’m close to and whose company I truly value. I am simply more aware of "what makes me feel good."

One important aspect of spending time in self-reflection is our relationship with ourselves.
Are we focused on what we don’t have or can’t do, or on what we do have and can do? Do we criticize ourselves, or do we nurture a positive relationship with ourselves?

Being kind to yourself doesn’t mean avoiding responsibility for tasks and obligations. When we realize we have the freedom to make decisions that shape our lives, including how we manage our time, it becomes easier to accept responsibility for our choices, rather than feeling burdened by them.

Much like nurturing a relationship with ourselves, positive relationships with people who support our growth also play a significant role in prioritizing our time.


This brings us closer to truly living our lives, rather than just surviving them.
Early in my life coaching training, one of my most important reflections was realizing how many decisions I’ve made in life purely to survive, not to live. I had a traumatic childhood that taught me to make survival-driven choices when I felt powerless to change anything. But as an adult, I have the power of choice and the right to decide.

The sooner we recognize these powers, the more every second of our finite lives takes on a new kind of value.

26/12/2024

🌟 This holiday season, take a moment to reflect, reset, and step into the role of author in your life. May your days be filled with joy, purpose, and the courage to write your next chapter! ✨

19/12/2024

🚩A toxic environment has the most significant impact on negative outcomes in the workplace.

📊According to data from McKinsey & Company, as quoted in the World Economic Forum’s article “Addressing Employee Burnout: Are You Solving the Right Problem?” efforts to improve employee well-being often fall short because they fail to address systemic issues.

🤔The article highlights that while wellness programs are undoubtedly beneficial for overall health, they do not tackle deeper concerns affecting employee mental health.

🧑‍💻Research shows that employees frequently report challenges such as being "always on call," experiencing unfair treatment, handling unreasonable workloads, facing low autonomy, and lacking social support. These issues cannot be resolved through wellness programs alone; they require systemic solutions to create a productive and inspirational environment.

🎯As a systemic business coach, my experience underscores the importance of strengthening three key pillars to build a productive and engaging work environment: Autonomy, Relationships, and Resilience.

🔹Autonomy empowers employees to utilize their resources effectively while holding them accountable for outcomes and results.
🔹Relationships, built through effective communication and emotional intelligence, encourage collaboration and mutual support within teams.
🔹Resilience bolsters self-confidence and solution-oriented thinking, enabling individuals to adapt to changes and overcome challenges.

Training programs designed to enhance these pillars must be led by inspirational leaders who possess strong human-centric skills. For leaders to foster these qualities in their teams, they too must embody autonomy, emotional intelligence, effective communication, and resilience. 👩‍💼👨‍💼 Such leaders are better equipped to adapt positively to change, navigate challenges, and create a thriving workplace environment. 🌞

17/12/2024

Despite organizations investing in employee wellbeing through yoga classes, exercise programs, and health-related initiatives, they still struggle to boost engagement and creativity to drive organizational growth.

💪The challenge lies in the fact that wellbeing is deeply personal; everyone has their own unique understanding of it.

📌However, what we all share are fundamental human needs and emotions that truly make a difference. By focusing on psychological wellbeing 🪴 and addressing employees' core needs - helping them find meaning in their work, feel safe, valued, and fulfilled, organizations can achieve greater results and foster growth.

In my work on organizational wellbeing, especially during times of intense change, I focus on strengthening three key pillars to utilize human potential for sustainable growth:

🔸Autonomy
🔸Relationship Building
🔸Resilience

You can read my recent blog here 👇

The quest for happiness, inner satisfaction, and fulfillment, what we call well-being, is the main positive driver of human action.

25/11/2024

It was a pleasure to participate in the M6 Educational Centre Skopje last week event "Happy Team, Successful Business: The Power of a Healthy Work Environment."

📌I highlighted the role of leadership in shaping a work environment that fosters creativity, engagement, and growth. Managing stress effectively is a key skill in achieving this.
⏳Stress is a common challenge for leaders and employees alike. While some stress can fuel enthusiasm, negative stress, often triggered by dissatisfaction and fear, leads to cortisol release, draining both individuals and organizations. 🧘🏿‍♂️To thrive, we need to activate the parasympathetic nervous system for recovery and balance, achieved through personal growth, happiness hormones, and self-care.
According to my experience, there are three important conditions for workplace well-being:
∙Safety: Leaders play a crucial role in creating a safe environment where employees feel secure engaging and contributing. Trust is essential here, and it triggers oxytocin, a "bonding hormone,” which contributes significantly to transforming the working environment into a safe place for productivity and growth. A study published in Harvard Business Review highlights eight managerial behaviors that foster trust, from recognizing excellence to building relationships and sharing information. Cultures of trust can reduce stress by 74%, increase productivity by 50%, and cut burnout by 40%.💪
∙Meaning and purpose: Employees who find meaning in their work are more engaged and motivated. Leadership that aligns team efforts with a shared purpose strengthens this connection.🌱
∙ Results-driven management: Focus on outcomes rather than micromanagement. Agile organizations focused on outcomes enable more freedom in using personal resources and increase intrinsic motivation. 🎯Strengthening solution-oriented mindset and accountability make this concept successful.

Happiness at work isn't just about individual well-being - it’s a cornerstone of organizational growth. Organizational growth will be ensured by building workplaces where people thrive and achieve their best.

14/11/2024

👏Looking forward to being part of this event and would like to congratulate the M6 Educational Centre Skopje, under the leadership of Elena Mladenovska Jelenkovik, for their invaluable contribution to organizational growth. It’s an honour to share the panel with such distinguished CEOs and thought leaders as we discuss innovative practices for well-being in the workplace.