5 questions for Maija Dobele

1. What are you?

A person who grows, develops and moves, meets and interacts. And this interaction with people specifically, is very important to me, as I believe that we ourselves, make certain meetings special and important.

2. A book that you would recommend others to read – why?

Factfulness (Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Roennlund). A book which inspired me greatly and gave me methods for looking at the world differently.  We consciously perceive the world in a much more dramatic way than it really is.

3.  TEDx talk, which one do you recommend watching – why?

How to Gain Control of Your Free Time | Laura Vanderkam

Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are | Amy Cuddy

These two talks are about themes on which I focus a lot of attention every day. One of them is planning time and the effective and meaningful use of the time that I allocate myself. I start every morning with the goal of finding out or learning something new and to do something important that makes me happy. The second theme which is very important in my everyday life, both personally and connected with work, is about reducing stress and about non-verbal communication. It is true that several ideas about how non-verbal communication can be used to change your self-evaluation are debatable, as they are not always confirmed by research, but in my opinion, it is worth keeping them in mind.

4. What inspires you and gives you energy?

Nature and home, without a doubt. The city of my birth is Jelgava, and I gain the greatest peace through visiting my parents’ home. I regain my strength and energy in nature, walking through the forest or by the sea.

I am greatly inspired by people who are enthusiastic and from whom one can learn something.

I tend to say that I am a person who read Truman Capote's book In Cold Blood and only then found out that he had also written Breakfast at Tiffany's. As a consequence of this, I am a complete criminal novel fan and reading on workday evenings is the way I regain my energy.

5. Why are you interested in the appraisal of competencies?

The process of appraisal of competencies is interesting for the fact that the programme and its methods are the same, but the person who is appraised is unique, every time. It is like one and the same methods, but they reveal the characteristic features of each particular person, specifically. You can't get bored with it, as each appraisal is completely different. In its own sense, the appraisal of competencies is like putting together a puzzle – the strategy and approach is known, but each method reveals the nuances of a person's personality or confirms the observations that have been obtained, and when it is all put together, a clear profile has taken shape in the report.

Read more about Maija Dobele’s professional experience HERE