Behind the scenes series – Tereza Kocovska-Elkovski

Tereza Kocovska-Elkovski is the Operations Lead for Civitta’s Private stream, where she ensures smooth collaboration, drives process improvements, and supports efficient team operations. Her role keeps her energized through its constant variety, ongoing learning opportunities, and the chance to stay closely connected with people across the organization.

This transition is both exciting, meaningful and challenging for me. Professionally, it’s a step up that challenges me to grow beyond my comfort zone, especially in becoming more extroverted and actively leading diverse teams of people. Personally, I love the dynamics of the work, every day brings new topics, new people, and new types of collaboration. It energizes me to be in a role where no two days are the same and where I can keep learning while connecting with others. I have the opportunity to learn from different departments at the same time, giving me the chance to get to know Civitta from different perspectives.

My time in the Public stream really set the foundation for this new role. I worked across various teams and projects as a senior consultant, each with different focus areas and topics — which taught me how to adapt quickly and manage complexity. Also, the added responsibility I had as a stream coordinator gave me hands-on experience in operations and team management, and set the foundation for this role, which now naturally evolves into this upgraded role. I have to mention that above all this comes the trust from my superiors that gave me the chance to enrol to this endeavor that gives me even more motivation.

I’m really looking forward to bringing more structure and clarity into our ways of working. I thrive on organization — I have that classic Virgo attention to detail — and I believe a few neat systems and processes can go a long way in making the team’s life easier and more efficient. I hope to be a steady hand behind the scenes that helps everything run more smoothly. Also I’m happy to introduce the practices gained from the Public stream so that bridge will make an effective mix and match strategy.

What really stands out to me is the team spirit. The way people from so many countries come together, collaborate seamlessly, and work toward a shared vision is genuinely inspiring. It feels like being part of something bigger, where everyone contributes and supports one another — that sense of unity is something I deeply value.

When it gets too intense, I zoom out. I try to totally detach from the situation, clear my mind, and start fresh. Even 10 minutes of good music, a sweet treat, or a random chat with a colleague can do wonders. Taking a break and defocusing often helps me solve problems faster than just staying locked in stress.

My biggest source of energy is my baby Alek and my small family: they keep me centered and bring so much joy into my life. Recently becoming a mom made me a different person, hopefully a better one, for sure stronger. I also treasure time with friends and, equally, I need my 30 minutes of alone time every day. That solo moment helps me ground myself and reconnect with my thoughts.

I’m most excited about the opportunity to lead: to shape and support a strong team, to take on the responsibilities of an independent leader, and to create a space where people feel both challenged and supported. It’s a new chapter that I welcome with open arms and a lot of motivation. I’m so happy that I meet and work with so many people that I can look up to, learn from and extract my inspiration and motivation.