Jiří Koleňák: My name is Jiří Koleňák and welcome to another episode of the Úspěšní (Successful) podcast, where my guests and I uncover the principles and habits that drive their success. Today, my guest is someone who has been tied to the Czech MedTech champion, Linet, for over two decades. She worked her way up through Quality and Regulatory to Project Management, and today leads the Project & Regulatory division. Her experience ranges from directing product registrations for the Chinese market to co-creating the company’s project culture and managing clinical research. She is also the winner of the Manager of the Year 2024 award in the Sustainable Development category and guarantor of the MBA program in MedTech Innovation and Strategy—Lucie Landová. Lucie, welcome to the podcast! To kick things off, tell us what brought you the greatest joy recently.
Lucie Landová: Winning the Manager of the Year 2024 award in the Sustainable Development category! I have to say, I am still soaking it all in—it happened just 10 days ago.
Jiří Koleňák: It’s very fresh! It’s wonderful to see how precisely you track that timeline. Lucie, why did you decide to jump into medical technology and the MedTech sector?
Lucie Landová: I don't know if I deliberately chose it, but my childhood dream was to become a nurse. I used to pretend to be one as a little girl. At 15, when choosing a high school, I made my first major mistake by picking a commercial academy instead of a nursing school. Luckily, while studying at university, a new Czech healthcare company was being built from scratch. I joined as a part-time intern at 21 and have stayed there ever since. My dream of working in healthcare found its way back to me unexpectedly.
Jiří Koleňák: You describe yourself as a "child of Linet." What does that mean to you?
Lucie Landová: It means I’ve never worked anywhere else. I started there during my university studies—I originally studied tourism because I loved to travel, which I certainly got to do with Linet! Being a "child of Linet" means I grew up there, developed professionally, and moved through all my key career roles within the same organization.
Jiří Koleňák: In your Manager of the Year profile, you mentioned your motto: "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room." Where did that realization come from?
Lucie Landová: Initially, it came from feeling underqualified in every room I entered. Everyone always seemed smarter and more experienced than me. That became a major driving force: I would seek out people I admired and learn as much as possible from them. Later, when I began building my own teams, I realized that having smart, experienced people around you is your greatest asset. When I join a discussion and find people far smarter than myself, I feel great because I know it will push my own growth forward.
Jiří Koleňák: Do you recall your first big lesson in MedTech that shaped you?
Lucie Landová: There were many, but the first major one was in 2010 when Linet entered the US market. I was working in Quality and setting up our internal Regulatory division—a critical function since healthcare is heavily regulated. Linet established its US subsidiary, and I was tasked with leading a small team to meet all FDA regulatory requirements. With Pippi Longstocking-style enthusiasm—"I've never done that before, so I'm sure I can do it!"—we dove in.
It was a massive wake-up call regarding how much we had left to learn. Language was the first barrier; the sheer complexity and effort required was the second. We hired an American consultant who came to Linet, and five of us spent six straight weeks with him—working mornings, evenings, and weekends. It taught me that before embarking on any major venture, you must thoroughly understand the scope and surrounding realities.
Jiří Koleňák: Was there a specific project that made you realize, "This is the field where I want to build my career and make a real impact"?
Lucie Landová: I enjoyed Linet from the very start. I love its innovative spirit and the opportunity to create value for others. Rather than a single project, my passion lies in healthcare itself. It’s a deeply personal matter for me, so every project tied to advancing patient care fulfills me.
Jiří Koleňák: Your passion is obvious. Yet, was there ever a moment when you felt overwhelmed and wanted to leave the industry?
Lucie Landová: It was never about leaving the industry. Healthcare is where I want to stay, as I have many plans for how to contribute to it. However, after completing major multi-year phases, I sometimes struggled to pause and catch my breath before looking for the next mountain to climb.
There were a couple of moments when I considered whether it was time to change companies, given that all my experience was tied exclusively to Linet. I can confess that I went on job interviews elsewhere twice. But both times, I felt a deep sense of guilt, as if I were betraying Linet. During one interview, I literally turned around in the hallway and left. During the other, I reached the second round before pulling out, deciding my place was at Linet.
Jiří Koleňák: You acted as an architect of Linet's project culture. What concrete steps does it take to shift organizational mindsets toward a structured project management approach?
Lucie Landová: Over the past nine years, we revamped our project culture twice. The first attempt involved an external consulting firm, which failed completely because the organization never genuinely adopted the proposed changes. The second attempt was built internally alongside the Linet team.
The key was securing authentic team alignment. In MedTech, project frameworks are heavily dictated by strict regulatory requirements. We had to define internally what we wanted to improve, ensuring we lived those standards daily rather than just presenting paper workflows to external auditors. We built it from middle management up, but realized early on that top management backing was essential. Securing leadership support and convincing the teams executing the work was critical to driving real organizational change.
Jiří Koleňák: What communication approach works best when you need to win people over?
Lucie Landová: Over-hyped enthusiasm and high intensity don't work—it can overwhelm people! I learned to take a breath, structure clear arguments, and present logical reasoning without pushing too hard. Calm, evidence-based communication wins people over far more effectively than loud cheerleading.
Jiří Koleňák: Project culture relies heavily on cross-functional collaboration. How do you encourage teams to collaborate effectively?
Lucie Landová: By fostering informal interpersonal connections. When a major project phase succeeds, we host celebratory team lunches to share appreciation and recognize individual contributions. A fortnight later, we might hold a retrospective on what didn't go smoothly—served with simple coffee and pastries—to review lessons learned constructively. Breaking massive goals down into incremental milestones and celebrating progress step-by-step keeps team morale high.
Jiří Koleňák: Your recent strategic initiative focused on clinical research. What drove the decision to integrate clinical research directly into the company?
Lucie Landová: Two key factors. First, our project framework lacked systematic inputs for new product development—what we call "user needs." We needed a structured process to capture what healthcare professionals and patients actually require.
Second, I genuinely enjoy hospital environments. Visiting clinical settings and speaking directly with nurses and doctors—our end users—helps us identify frontline operational challenges. Bringing those real-world insights back to Linet allows us to translate clinical pain points into innovative product features.
Jiří Koleňák: What is the biggest risk when translating an identified clinical need into a commercial product?
Lucie Landová: Getting lost in the noise. You must evaluate whether an idea is practically achievable and commercially scalable, navigating patent landscapes and regulatory frameworks to turn clinical feedback into viable products.
Jiří Koleňák: You spent part of your career in China managing product registrations. What were the toughest moments there, and how did you overcome them?
Lucie Landová: China holds a special place in my heart. In January 2013, I landed at a smog-covered Beijing airport straight from a US business trip. I arrived as an over-confident Western executive, assuming I could easily show them how things were done. That was a major misconception! I arrived without adequate cultural awareness or an understanding of local business etiquette.
Jiří Koleňák: What was the biggest culture shock?
Lucie Landová: The resistance I encountered from our local business partners. I am naturally loud, direct, and fast-paced, which created immediate friction and uncertainty. For the first six months, we would map out product registration steps on flipcharts all week, agree on actions by Friday, and return on Monday to find the whiteboards wiped clean and the plan reset back to zero.
It caused severe misunderstandings with headquarters, as leadership questioned why progress had stalled. It took six months of conscious listening, humility, and adapting my communication style to bridge the gap. Once we established authentic mutual trust, product registrations accelerated rapidly.
Jiří Koleňák: Over the next three years, your team expanded product approvals across 34 global markets. How do you keep pace with constantly shifting international regulatory frameworks?
Lucie Landová: By surrounding yourself with exceptional talent. My Regulatory team is led by Jan Štěrba, a passionate expert recognized across Europe. Managing regulatory compliance requires people who genuinely enjoy the field and building clear systems to monitor international market shifts.
We also had to reframe how the rest of the company views Regulatory. Historically, teams viewed compliance as a bureaucratic hurdle hindering sales. We worked hard to demonstrate that Regulatory is a strategic business partner that opens global commercial doors.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you identify the right candidate when hiring?
Lucie Landová: Technical competence is required for specialized roles, but personal energy and cultural fit matter most. There must be natural interpersonal chemistry. Having grown up within Linet, I can quickly sense whether an individual aligns with our organizational culture and work ethic.
Jiří Koleňák: Has a project ever tested your team to its absolute limit?
Lucie Landová: The registration push in China pushed me to my personal limits and revealed a lot about myself and my team. Overhauling our internal project management culture was another major test—it forced us to evaluate our adaptability, communication clarity, and alignment with executive leadership.
Jiří Koleňák: You mentioned never embarking on an innovation journey alone. What does that look like within your team?
Lucie Landová: If an innovation originates from me, I focus on building team enthusiasm and ensuring alignment. If an idea comes from team members or external partners, I listen carefully and help build organizational support behind it.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you manage situations where team members resist proposed changes?
Lucie Landová: I grant people time to process changes independently. If resistance persists, I engage in open dialogue to understand their concerns and alternative ideas. If an individual remains hesitant while the broader team aligns, I encourage them to jump on board, contribute as a team player, and evaluate the results along the way.
Jiří Koleňák: Are there moments where values must take priority over performance metrics?
Lucie Landová: Absolutely—both for my team and for myself personally. We are human beings with lives outside of work. When a team member goes through personal hardship, support and core human values must take precedence over short-term KPIs to keep the team healthy and resilient.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you communicate challenging operational changes to your team?
Lucie Landová: Authenticity is crucial because my team instantly senses if I lack conviction. If a necessary corporate change aligns poorly with my personal preference, I state that candidly while explaining the strategic rationale behind it. We discuss the necessity openly and execute it together as a unit.
Jiří Koleňák: Given Linet's global footprint, working with external consultants is common. How do you manage conflicts in those relationships?
Lucie Landová: Selecting the right consultants is challenging. Friction arises when external consultants attempt to lecture us on topics where our internal expertise is superior, wasting time and capital. We set strict expectations and engage in rigorous discussions to ensure external advisors add genuine value.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you arrive at truth when opinions diverge?
Lucie Landová: Through structured, open dialogue. Neither side holds absolute truth, so finding common ground through debate is essential to move forward effectively.
Jiří Koleňák: You are passionate about mentoring young talent. How do you develop emerging leaders?
Lucie Landová: Bringing young talent onto the team injects incredible energy. I view it as my duty to pass on my best experience and cultivate their natural strengths.
We build customized career development plans. For instance, our current Head of Regulatory and our Head of Usability & Clinical Research both started as young talent from non-traditional backgrounds. Identifying their passion early and providing structured mentorship allowed them to grow into key leadership roles.
Jiří Koleňák: What is your approach to Artificial Intelligence?
Lucie Landová: I use AI daily across administrative planning, team development frameworks, and academic research. Initially, I was skeptical, but learning proper prompting and personification transformed AI into an invaluable daily assistant that saves significant operational time.
Jiří Koleňák: What does a typical day look like for the Head of Project & Regulatory?
Lucie Landová: My routine starts with morning sports every day. When working at headquarters, mornings are dedicated to team alignment and executive check-ins, while afternoons are reserved for deep, creative strategic work.
I maintain structured weekly rituals: Mondays are for setting weekly priorities across professional and personal goals, while Fridays are for reviewing progress. Every December 31st since age 15, I write down my explicit goals for the upcoming year and review the previous year's performance—a habit I’ve maintained consistently throughout my life.
Jiří Koleňák: What skill investment delivered the highest personal return for you?
Lucie Landová: Investing in people skills and executive coaching. Working consistently with personal and professional coaches helped me refine my priorities, manage anxieties, and maximize my leadership strengths.
Jiří Koleňák: What was the Manager of the Year evaluation process like for you?
Lucie Landová: The multi-stage evaluation required deep career retrospective. Reaching the top 25 finalists and presenting before the executive jury forced me to articulate my core achievements, leadership values, and future vision clearly.
Winning the Sustainable Development category was a deeply moving moment that filled me with pride. In healthcare, sustainability means advancing patient care, supporting clinical staff, and helping healthcare systems manage aging demographics effectively.
Jiří Koleňák: What is your vision for the future of Czech MedTech?
Lucie Landová: Czechia has incredible innovative talent and promising startups across medical technology. My vision is building a supportive ecosystem that helps domestic MedTech innovations scale globally from Czechia, rather than forcing entrepreneurs to relocate abroad.
Jiří Koleňák: What final message would you share with our listeners and students?
Lucie Landová: Nothing is impossible. If you possess genuine passion and a clear dream, stay resilient and pursue it relentlessly.
Jiří Koleňák: Lucie, thank you very much for joining us, sharing your joy, and providing such rich, inspiring insights.
Lucie Landová: Thank you, Jiří, for having me!
Jiří Koleňák: To our viewers, thank you for watching, and see you next time with more inspiring guests!
