Pragmatic leader: About the author and website

About me

Hey! My name is Ścibór Sobieski. I am a doctor of mathematics. I’m working for many years as a lecturer and research worker. Also, I’m realizing myself in the so-called business. I have many years of experience in ​​IT, science, and as a leader.

I am using my experiences and its unique combination and helping others. Now, I work as a consultant, mentor, and coach. There is quite a lot. I invite everyone interested in cooperation to my website.

One thread of my experience is leadership. The Pragmatic Leader site you are on results from many years of experience. I created this page to share it because:

If you are interested in a fragment of my story that led me to the place where I am now, I invite you to the Leader – my short story. If you would like to go straight to familiarize yourself with the detailed information about this site, please visit the About section.

Leader – my short story

From childhood, it pushed me out to be a leader (or pragmatic leader). The first such events took place around the age of 10. The groups I belonged to quickly appointed me as a leader and expected me to command them. (At the beginning I had the nickname “little engineer” and the children ran to my Mother and asked “Mrs. Sobieska, will the little engineer come out …?”).

I didn’t understand it or even noticed it. Similarly, as I was growing up, I saw it, but I still didn’t understand. Then I noticed and denied, i.e., I said for a while – what you want from me, someone else wants to be a “boss,” so let her/him be, I don’t want to.

I honestly admit that it took me many years to understand that I am like that. It also required acceptance that it is not worth fighting something that comes naturally. From that moment, I studied in ​​leadership. Interestingly, this caused further misunderstandings in my life, because some people confuse the leader, e.g., with the project manager (see: Pragmatic leader – who is she/he?).

I have met and talked to many wonderful people you can read and hear about in the materials on this site. Thanks to these contacts and conversations, I understood that I was born a so-called Servant leader (see. Servant Leadership). Understanding myself allowed me to look differently at the jobs I undertake and in which organizations or companies I will find myself or not.

I am discussing these experiences and reflections arising from them on this page. I am convinced that I would avoid many mistakes if I could read or view these materials earlier. Also, I would be less tired of myself and my surrounding. And how hardly anyone knows that you become toxic to yourself and the surroundings if you do not follow your path.

About the Pragmatic Leader website

What is this site about?

Here you will find my thoughts, podcasts, guest materials. Also, a reference to books or scientific and popular science articles related to “being a leader”. To avoid a misunderstanding of what I mean by “being a leader”, I post a separate entry on this topic. Pragmatic leader – who is he? I also posted a video material. I talk to my guests about leadership issues and who the leader is (see: Who is the leader, who is the virtual leader?).

Page structure

On this page, you will find two sections of that group knowledge and materials that I would like to share with you. I have grouped them so it is easier to navigate the page and its content. Below I explain the sections that are not obvious:

•  Start – here you will find grouped typical blog entries related to this site.
• Tools – a list and a brief description of the tools I use in business and in everyday life to make my work easier and more enjoyable.
• Reading room – contains a regularly updated list of materials I use. I consider it valuable in relation to the issues I deal with. If an item can be a book or a scientific article, I find it worth the discussion; I put in such an entry.
• Virtual leader – contains a transcript or summary of published video or podcasts. You can read the series intro in the Virtual Leader entry – let’s get started!
• Contact – a place where you can send a contact request.

This site is for you

For as long as I can remember, I needed to share my knowledge. Therefore, I create the content of this site with passion and commitment. I created it based on my experience and many questions that hundreds, and probably thousands of people asked me. The content of this page is the result set of these questions and problems I faced. If something is not there, it is probably because:

1. I haven’t talked about it yet.
2. I forgot to say that.
3. No one put this problem before me.
4. I know nothing about it.

Hence, please ask questions, challenge, and submit needs! Write whenever you want and what you want, even if it seems loosely related to the issues raised on the Pragmatic Leader page. I cannot promise that I will answer immediately or find a solution to every problem. However, I will make sure that no question or suggestion goes without my reaction. If what you write about will qualify for point 3 of the list above, I will try to guide you to the solution. If it is valuable for the community, I will describe it myself or with you on this site.

I cordially greet you and invite you to contact me,
Pragmatic Leader