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In April 2026, the “Anti-Manager” book series by Olesia Ulianova was presented at Knyzhkova Kraina — one of the largest literary festivals in Ukraine, traditionally bringing together authors, publishers, business audiences, and readers around contemporary Ukrainian literature.

The books were presented in collaboration with Verba Publishing, which publishes the “Anti-Manager” series and supports the development of modern Ukrainian non-fiction literature in management, soft skills, and leadership.

During the festival, visitors had the opportunity to explore the concept behind the trilogy, dedicated to modern management, leadership thinking, communication psychology, and the internal transformation of leaders.

The “Anti-Manager” series offers a practical and reflective perspective on real-world management without illusions: difficult decisions, emotional pressure, conflicts, responsibility, team dynamics, and the development of managerial maturity.

At the core of the trilogy is the idea that modern managers can no longer rely solely on control, processes, or formal authority. A new type of leadership is built through mindset, communication, psychological resilience, and the ability to work with complexity.

Particular attention during the festival was drawn to topics such as:

🔹 soft skills as the new managerial currency;
🔹 emotional maturity in leadership;
🔹 building trust inside teams;
🔹 leadership under uncertainty;
🔹 the leader’s internal transformation from “I” to “WE” and “THEY”.

Visitors also showed strong interest in the trilogy’s structure:

📘 “Anti-Manager. Level 1. I and Only I” — focused on the internal architecture of a manager, personal soft skills, and self-management.

📘 “Anti-Manager. Level 2. I and WE” — dedicated to communication, team dynamics, trust, and collaboration.

📘 “Anti-Manager. Level 3. I and THEY” — focused on leadership, systems thinking, and working within complex organizational structures.

For the author, participation in Knyzhkova Kraina became not only a presentation of the books, but also part of a broader discussion about how the role of managers is changing in the modern world — especially in IT, business, and high-uncertainty environments.

“Anti-Manager” is a series about people, systems, and decisions. About management without illusions. And about leadership that starts not with a title, but with a mindset.

As part of a series of professional talks on modern leadership and soft skills, Telesens CEO, IT Grow Center founder, and author of the “Anti-Manager” trilogy, Olesia Ulianova, presented her session “When Silence Costs More Than Mistakes: The Strategic Role of Difficult Conversations.”

The presentation focused on mediation, hidden conflicts, and the role difficult conversations play in building mature management systems. The central message was that most teams and organizations collapse not because of individual mistakes, but because of accumulated unspoken tension.

During the session, Olesia Ulianova explained why silence itself is also a management decision, and how avoiding difficult conversations gradually transforms into loss of trust, formation of internal coalitions, and declining quality of collaboration inside teams.

A separate part of the presentation explored what “silent conflicts” look like inside organizations:

🔹 people stop speaking directly to each other;
🔹 formal decisions are no longer truly supported;
🔹 tension turns into informal alliances and group dynamics;
🔹 the quality of cooperation and interaction declines.

The session also addressed the manager’s role during difficult conversations. The key idea was that leadership is not about finding someone to blame, but about reducing emotional escalation, restoring dialogue, and working with interests rather than positions.

Special attention was given to the concept of early intervention. The presentation emphasized that preventive mediation is always less expensive than crisis intervention, and that difficult conversations must happen before conflict becomes part of the organizational culture.

The practical part of the session included a case study involving a conflict between a Product Manager and a Tech Lead. Through mediation techniques, the discussion shifted from confrontation to a collaborative search for balanced risk management. The example clearly demonstrated the difference between positions and the real interests behind them.

The presentation concluded with a key leadership insight:

“Mistakes cost budgets. Silence costs trust. And trust is the main currency of any system.”

The session became part of a broader conversation about a new level of managerial maturity — one where strong leadership is built not on avoiding conflict, but on the ability to lead difficult conversations at the right moment, strategically, and with emotional intelligence.

At the Women in Tech 2026 conference, Telesens CEO, IT Grow Center founder, and author of the “Anti-Manager” trilogy, Olesia Ulianova, delivered a talk about career turning points, leadership transformation, and the real cost of professional growth.

The core idea of the speech was simple yet powerful: a career is never a straight line. It is a series of fractures, difficult decisions, identity shifts, and transitions into new ways of thinking. These moments are what truly shape leaders.

During the presentation, Olesia shared her professional journey — from being an expert contributor to leading teams and systems, and driving organizational transformation. A special focus was placed on the fact that moving into management is often perceived as “career growth,” but in practice, it can feel like losing your foundation and rebuilding your entire mindset from scratch.

Among the key ideas highlighted during the session:

🔹 Managing strong people is not about control — it is about creating an environment where they can thrive.
🔹 The hardest decisions often create resistance, but they are also the ones that change the trajectory of teams and businesses.
🔹 Leadership is not a position in an organizational chart. It is a mindset and the ability to move forward through uncertainty.

The speech also explored the internal transformation every manager eventually faces:

— how to let go of an old professional identity;
— how to make decisions without complete clarity;
— how not to lose yourself during periods of change;
— how to build stability within yourself instead of relying on a title or role.

The talk concluded with a reflection that leadership is defined not by success stories, but by how people navigate moments when they no longer know what to do next.

The session became part of a broader conversation about a new generation of leadership — less about control and status and more about mindset, resilience, and the ability to navigate the complexity of the modern world.

💡 How can you get everything done without losing yourself along the way?
That was the key question discussed during the session with Olesia Ulianova, Ph.D., MBA, CEO of Telesens and founder of IT Grow Center, held as part of the student community of Kharkiv IT Cluster.

The topic — “Time Management: How to Get Everything Done Without Burning Out” — brought together active students from Kharkiv’s technical universities who want not only to develop professional skills but also to learn how to manage their energy, focus, and productivity effectively.

What We Discussed

🔹 Why planning doesn’t work if you ignore your personal energy rhythms;
🔹 Why a “to-do list” doesn’t equal productivity;
🔹 How the Parkinson’s Law and Zeigarnik Effect influence motivation;
🔹 And most importantly — how not to burn out when deadlines never end.

Practical Tools Students Took Away

💭 ABC Model and Eisenhower Matrix — for prioritizing tasks effectively;
🧠 “Good Enough” Method — to stop perfectionism from draining energy;
📆 Microfocus System — short, 90-minute cycles for deep work;
🧩 Daily 3-Question Reflection:
What gave me energy? What drained it? What will I do differently tomorrow?

“Time management is not about controlling time — it’s about taking responsibility for your attention,”
— emphasized Olesia Ulianova.

Why It Matters for IT Students

Modern technical careers demand not only hard skills, but also self-management.
In a world where workloads grow faster than experience, those who can recover, adapt, and manage their focus will go further.

“Your first career resource isn’t your diploma — it’s your energy.
It determines how far you’ll go,” — concluded Ulianova.

On October 31, 2025, as part of the 3rd International Scientific and Practical Conference “Challenges and Prospects for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development of Territories,” the Karazin Business School hosted a special session titled “Human Potential in the Modern World: Digital Transformation, Emotional Resilience, and the Challenges of the Silver Economy.”

Among the invited speakers was Olesia Ulianova, Ph.D., MBA — founder of IT Grow Center and CEO of Telesens, a recognized expert in team development and soft skills.
Her presentation, “From Digital Change to Emotional Resilience: How to Manage People Effectively in a Post-Crisis World,” sparked active discussion among the forum participants.

The New Reality of Management: From VUCA to BANI

“We no longer live in a VUCA world — we live in a BANI world. And that means old management methods simply don’t work anymore,” — emphasized Olesia Ulianova.

She explained that digital transformation has become a source of constant emotional strain — the speed of technological change now exceeds the speed of human adaptation.

“Many managers today lead not people, but digital shadows — statuses, tasks, and metrics.
But teams aren’t Jira boards or KPIs. They’re living people — with emotions, fears, and ambitions.”

Three Levels of Resilience for the Modern Manager

Olesia Ulianova highlighted three interrelated levels of resilience:

💪 Personal — self-regulation, energy boundaries, and healthy rhythms;
🤝 Team — psychological safety, trust, and a culture of feedback;
🏢 Organizational — rituals of support, transparent communication, and balance-oriented policies.

“A team mirrors the emotional state of its leader.
When the leader burns out, the system begins to crack,” — she stressed.

How to Support Emotional Resilience in Teams

Olesia shared several practical tools for managers and teams:
🔹 Emotional check-ins — simple questions like “How are you today?”
🔹 Normalizing pauses and time-outs — as a form of burnout prevention.
🔹 Support anchors — short, grounding phrases that create safety.
🔹 Micro-rituals — morning syncs without tasks, gratitude rounds, Slack channels for “Small Wins.”

“Emotional resilience isn’t about ‘never burning out.’
It’s about the ability to recover,” — summarized the speaker.

From Control to Evolution

Olesia presented a new management model — Recognize – Grow – Adapt, centered on development, not control:

• Recognize: See strengths even in times of crisis.

• Grow: Create growth opportunities through projects.

• Adapt: Allow people to evolve, change roles, and redefine trajectories.

“The meaning of the new era isn’t control — it’s evolution,” — emphasized Ulianova.

The Portrait of a Future Manager

According to Olesia, an effective manager in a post-crisis world is someone who is:

🧭 Psychologically mature — understands themselves and their emotions;
💻 Digitally literate — aware of how technology affects people;
💡 An empathetic strategist — combines systems thinking with emotional intelligence;
🤲 A facilitator, not a controller — creates the right environment instead of pushing processes.

“Check your team’s condition not through KPIs, but through dialogue.
Review your rituals — see what gives energy and what drains it.
And most importantly, adapt your system to people, not people to the system,” — concluded Olesia Ulianova.

The People Management School has officially launched at Telesens — an educational program designed to develop modern managers and team leaders.
I had the honor of creating this school as a space for practical learning, deep reflection, and the growth of key soft skills — the foundation of effective management today.

A Learning Experience That Shapes the Leaders of Tomorrow

People Management School consists of 12 workshops built around real management cases, team psychology, and practices that work in dynamic IT environments.
The program’s goal is to help managers:

• better understand themselves and their teams,

• strengthen communication,

• manage change and stress, and

• sustain initiative and growth among their people.
  

Core Topics of the School

The curriculum covers the most essential aspects of people management, including:

💬 Constructive Feedback — how to give feedback that truly helps others grow.
🧭 Handling Criticism — receiving it calmly and using it for self-improvement.
⚙️ Teamwork Under Stress — maintaining stability and efficiency in turbulent times.
🔥 Initiative — how to prevent burnout and keep your team’s inner fire alive.
📚 Adult Learning Principles — how to build a culture of continuous learning.
💡 Creativity and Innovation — practical tools for developing creative thinking.
🧠 Critical Thinking — making sound, unbiased decisions.
🤝 Conflict Management — turning conflicts into growth opportunities.
🔄 Psychology of Change — adapting to new technologies and realities.
🌿 Mindfulness and Focus — preserving energy and inner balance.
✏️ Feynman Technique — explaining complex things simply and inspiringly.

The Philosophy Behind the School

This program isn’t just a series of workshops — it’s a leadership lab,
where we explore human behavior, analyze real situations, and find working solutions together with participants.

Each module combines theory, practice, and reflection, ensuring that knowledge doesn’t stay in notebooks but turns into daily actions.

We talk not only about how to lead others, but first and foremost — how to lead yourself: your emotions, attention, decisions, and reactions.

Who the People Management School Is For

This program is designed for:

• team and project managers;

• leaders who want to strengthen trust and engagement within their teams;

• specialists preparing for their first managerial role;

• HR professionals working on talent development.
  

Telesens: A Culture of Continuous Growth

For me, People Management School is yet another confirmation that Telesens is a company that develops not only products but also people.
It’s a place where learning is part of daily work, and growth is not optional — it’s the standard.

I’m deeply grateful to the first cohort of participants for their openness, deep discussions, and genuine desire to become better leaders every day.

📍 People Management School at Telesens is about leadership without pretension, development without lectures, and change that begins with yourself.

At the Grow Factory community event, Olesia Ulianova, founder of IT Grow Center, Ph.D., MBA, and expert in leadership and team dynamics, delivered a thought-provoking session titled “Dream Team: How to Build Strong People, Not Comfortable Ones.”

The topic sparked vivid discussion among participants, as it revealed the realities of modern management without illusions or clichés.

A Real Team Is About Growth, Not Comfort

During her talk, Olesia Ulianova addressed one of the core paradoxes of people management:

“We often want ‘comfortable’ people — those who agree, don’t argue, don’t question decisions.
But a true dream team isn’t made of comfortable people — it’s made of strong ones.
Those who debate, think critically, take responsibility, and care about outcomes.”

She emphasized that a mature manager doesn’t fear resistance, because it’s through debate, honesty, and mutual feedback that a team’s true strength emerges.

Five Components of a Dream Team

According to Olesia Ulianova, every high-performing team has five essential characteristics:

💬 Trust — without it, collaboration quickly falls apart.
⚙️ Responsibility — not delegation by avoidance, but conscious ownership of decisions.
🔁 Feedback — honest, regular, and focused on growth.
🤝 Shared Game Principle — when one person’s success equals the team’s success.
🎯 Meaning — understanding why we work together in the first place.

“A dream team isn’t about comfort. It’s about people who make you better — even when it’s uncomfortable,” — highlighted Olesia.

Modern Management: The Balance Between Strength and Humanity

Olesia also shared insights from her work with IT teams and managers at different levels.
She emphasized that the manager’s role today is not to control, but to create an environment where everyone can realize their potential.

“The leader of the future is not a hero who carries everything alone.
They are an architect who builds the kind of space where others can grow,” — she said.

Grow Factory: A Community Where Leaders Emerge

The Grow Factory event was part of a series of open sessions dedicated to leadership development, communication, and management skills.
Participants discussed real cases, shared challenges, and explored how to balance high standards with trust and empathy in teams.

A Final Takeaway from Olesia Ulianova:

“A dream team doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s the result of systematic growth, brave decisions, and the courage to have honest conversations.”

A Workshop by Olesia Ulianova for the UKAD Team

The modern IT world demands speed, efficiency, and constant adaptation.
But along with these come the main professional risk — emotional burnout.

That’s exactly what the workshop “Ctrl+Alt+Del: How Not to Burn Out in IT and Reset Yourself”, conducted by Olesia Ulianova, founder of IT Grow Center, focused on for the UKAD team.

Understanding Burnout Before It Starts

During the session, participants explored how to distinguish regular fatigue from real burnout, its various forms — emotional, cognitive, professional, and value-based — and what actually “burns out” in each case: energy, meaning, or human connection.

Olesia shared practical recovery tools — from micro-actions that don’t rely on willpower to team-based resilience strategies.

🧩 Participants learned to identify their personal warning signals, build an individual safe mode, and develop a burnout prevention system — one where self-care is not a weakness, but a sign of professional maturity.

“Burnout isn’t about weakness. It’s a response to expectations that exceed your available resources.
To stay in shape, you need to know when to slow down — not wait until you crash,”
— emphasized Olesia Ulianova.

Team Burnout: When the Whole Crew Runs Out of Energy

Special attention was given to team burnout — when fatigue spreads across the group, not just one person.
Olesia discussed how to recognize the early signs — silent stand-ups, loss of humor, indifference to results — and how leaders can act to prevent collective “meltdown.”

📍By the end of the workshop, the UKAD team created their own “Anti-Burnout Map” — a set of personal and team practices designed to preserve energy, engagement, and balance even during peak workloads.

Want to Bring This Workshop to Your Company?

📩 Contact IT Grow Center to learn more about programs for teams and managers that help strengthen resilience, leadership, and emotional balance in the IT environment.