Josip Mlakar: The INSiDE chat

You may hear people calling him Joža - a sign of belonging to Zagorje, which he now calls his home. At 19, Josip Mlakar left his hometown in Moslavina to study at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics. In Varazdin he met his future wife, and set out on a journey in IT.

He joined Emil Frey Digital in the second half of 2022, but his impact is already talked about. Josip is a problem-solving enthusiast, occupied with finding the best solution to a challenge. He has skills in team leadership, programming, and technical architecture. For the last six months, he has worked diligently as the Head of Team Development.

As you get to know him, you will find his calm painted with a touch of sarcasm, and wonder at the workings behind his sense of humour. For the past two years he’s been occupied with building a vacation house. He enjoys his PlayStation, too.

If HR is about human potential, my role is about team potential

- What is it like to be a software architect?, we ask. 

- I started off as a developer and eventually became a technical architect. I enjoy exploring all sorts of areas and taking up different roles. For example, as a lead developer, I helped scrum masters (particularly those who were new to the role) and product owners. Sometimes I even took on the product owner role myself. Also, I was active in defining processes with clients and worked to modernize these processes, he says.

As a technical architect, he was responsible for defining the architecture of new features that were being developed. - As a development team lead, I worked closely with other organizational functions, such as scrum masters and product owners. I provided substantial assistance and even led colleagues in those positions.

“I love to involve myself in a wide range of activities and challenges."

Interviewing at EFD, he spoke about processes in dev organizations and how they can be improved. - This probably helped me stand out as a candidate for my current role, which is to support the SM and PO in adopting agile development and establishing processes that lead to it. The ultimate goal is to help teams and managers to be more self-organizing and autonomous, he explains.

Although not a part of the HR department, he participates in some of the HR and organization-related work. - If HR is about developing human potential, my role is about developing team potential. How to enable teams to grow and evolve, while ensuring that their processes are optimized for success, he explains.

"I firmly believe that team problems should be solved within the team and that the team has the power to solve them."

Recently, teams have decided to shift from monthly sprints to biweekly ones. Team retrospectives were implemented in a more structured way. In those sessions, the team analyzes what was done well and what went wrong. Solutions are sought, and team members work together to find a path to an even better performance.

- The biggest challenge for me was to be accepted – to not be perceived as an authoritative figure, but someone who can bring new knowledge and experience. I aim to collaborate and demonstrate the value of ideas. It is important to have open discussions and acknowledge that each member's perspective could be right or wrong. I like my colleagues and I am really happy to be here. They like me back quite a bit if I may say so (laughs).

A company that develops its own product

A former colleague, a long-time employee at EFD, recommended Josip to the HR department. He also made sure Josip would respond to the call. - You know how it is with developers, they get many calls and do not respond to any (laughs). At first they saw me as a senior developer or a technology architect. However, in interviews with Marina and Danijel we did not touch on technical questions all that much. We discussed process improvements, what works and what does not. I guess that led them to conclude that a position in team development would be a good fit for me. I must say I was immediately drawn to the job description. It aligned with almost everything we discussed in the interview and with what I was looking for in a job. I thought to myself - a new opportunity, why not!

"You know how it is with developers, they get many calls and do not respond to any (laughs)."

Around that time, Josip was thinking whether to continue as a technical consultant/expert, or become someone who manages and develops people. He was interested in both paths. The more he worked with people, the more he realized how fascinating and challenging it can be. -Programming tasks are usually solvable. Even if I make a mistake, I am not harming anyone directly. Mistakes made in managing people impact others very directly. It is much more delicate, more interesting, and constantly throws surprises at you.

But, the appeal of Emil Frey Digital was about more than that. - What intrigued me was the possibility of working for a company that developed its own product. Also, they had just moved into the brand new office building, which was undoubtedly a huge plus. All in all, the company appeared to be exciting, open, progressive, and relatively young. It is already a stable and sizable organization, but there is still opportunity and flexibility for initiatives and developments.

“One thing that interested me a lot was what it is like to work for a company that develops its own product."

Josip says that after working remotely for the past three years, it is refreshing to be back in the office and have live interactions with colleagues. - They are approachable, open to discussion, and always willing to lend a helping hand. I quickly noticed that they are very honest, direct, and not afraid to speak their minds, which I really like. They will give feedback right away, which helps me see if something is good or not. Despite their straightforwardness, they are considerate and respectful.

He admires his colleagues' eagerness to challenge each other, leaving no stone unturned. They question everything, which is good, especially given the number of young people working here. - It is remarkable how the company places trust in young talent and creates opportunities for them. We have people in their twenties in positions where one would typically expect experienced folks in their 40s or 50s. I am grateful to be part of a culture that values honesty, directness, and opportunity, he said.  

“A lot of trust is given to young people. To me, this shows that the company knows how to recognize talent and then help them grow."

Jokes are a way to get closer to people

Inhis free time, Josip enjoys video games, although he doesn’t consider himself a hardcore gamer. -Games are a substitute for TV shows and a way to relax my mind. I am also a fan of Legos. I have several sets and I still get them as gifts for my birthday and Christmas, which always makes me happy.

- My wife and I were avid travelers until the pandemic hit. But we had to put our travel plans on hold. We adopted two rabbits and got ourselves some construction work. This probably helped me figure out a thing or two about the different perspectives of those who assign tasks and those who complete them. In fact, now I can see many things through the lens of a relationship with workers who come in, misunderstand everything and do everything wrong. I once returned from a trip to discover that the shower was installed at 1,8 meters. I am 2 meters tall. They told me I would simply have to bend down a bit, he reveals.

If you can approach things and people with a good dose of spontaneous humour, your life and relationships will be easier, Josip believes. - To me, jokes are a way to get closer to people. I think it is easier to interact with people if there is a certain level of humor involved. It can be a good way to say what would otherwise be hard to say. In a sense, we can acknowledge that certain things are not okay, but we laugh, learn from it, and move on.

"I feel uncomfortable when things are too comfortable. It is probably that itch in my mind that constantly urges me to shake things up."

- I can say that I am very happy with where I am now and I believe the growth potential is huge. As a relatively young company, Emil Frey Digital is open to new ideas and encourages creativity. If you are passionate about personal and professional growth, this is an exceptional environment.

The conversation takes a turn to the career choice he made. Here, Josip reflects on those turning points in life that we know would determine our journey for years to come. Sometimes, the step is into the less familiar territory. Every now and then, it can shake up our sense of security, but Josip says that’s the way to do it.

- Sometimes, when I think about how I moved away from programming, I get this feeling of losing ground. As if someone had pulled the rug out from under me. Programming was something tangible, something I knew I was good at. However, I am becoming more at ease with this change. I still dabble in programming when time permits, although it is no longer my primary focus. On the other hand, I must admit I feel uncomfortable when things are too comfortable. It is probably that itch in my mind that constantly urges me to shake things up, he concluded.