At a time when traditional models of leadership and decision-making in the public sector are under pressure from change and increasingly complex challenges, there is a growing need for innovative approaches that foster authenticity, accountability, and efficiency among leaders.
Dr. Jelena Verner holds a PhD in Economics, is a former university professor, and an expert with over two decades of experience in education and scientific research. Today, she is one of the leading authorities on the application of the Human Design system in the Balkans—an innovative approach that combines ancient wisdom with modern science to develop authentic leadership, improve team dynamics, and transform organizations.
In an interview for Lobbyists in the Public Interest, Dr. Verner explains how this innovative tool can contribute to more transparent decision-making, the prevention of employee burnout, and the development of future leaders in public institutions.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: How would you briefly present the concept of Human Design to people encountering this topic for the first time, especially in the context of public administration and leadership?
Dr. Verner:
Human Design is a tool for self-awareness that integrates ancient knowledge—such as astrology and the I Ching—with modern science, including genetics and quantum physics. It provides precise insights into how an individual functions, makes decisions, communicates, leads a team in professional activities, collaborates with others on various projects, and realizes their potential. It also helps individuals recognize where they unconsciously lose energy and how to restore it.
In the context of public administration and leadership, Human Design helps leaders stop relying on patterns adopted through external influences and instead act in alignment with their true selves. This increases authenticity, resilience, and clarity in team leadership and decision-making.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: Can you give concrete examples where applying the Human Design methodology has contributed to more transparent and efficient decision-making in public institutions?
Dr. Verner:
In my work with public sector teams, Human Design has proven especially useful in identifying different decision-making styles. In one regional development agency, an analysis of team members using Human Design revealed who had the potential to make strategic decisions and which members were better suited for operational tasks. As a result of this analysis, a reorganization was carried out, which led to a reduction in conflicts and greater transparency in decision-making—since the potential of each team member was better utilized, without enforcing a rigid hierarchical structure.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: What are the greatest obstacles and the biggest advantages of introducing Human Design into institutional development, strategic planning, and political culture?
Dr. Verner:
The biggest obstacle is resistance to new methods that go beyond traditional understandings of management and HR. Many institutions still favor tools that produce measurable results, even though these often fail to offer deep analysis.
The greatest advantage of Human Design lies in its individualized approach—it doesn’t offer a general overview, but instead provides insight into each team member’s potential. When properly implemented, Human Design reduces manipulation, increases personal responsibility, and transforms political culture—because it enables individuals to better understand themselves, guiding them toward more responsible social engagement.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: How can Human Design contribute to the prevention of workplace burnout and the improvement of employees’ mental health in large systems, particularly in the public sector?
Dr. Verner:
One of the key reasons people experience burnout is because they live and work in ways that go against their nature. Human Design provides a precise model showing how someone uses energy and how it can be renewed.
This is especially important in the public sector, where people often have an exaggerated sense of responsibility while being frustrated by the lack of recognition for their efforts.
When individuals recognize their optimal ways of working, decision-making, and resting, they can set boundaries more easily, reduce stress, and establish inner balance—all crucial for maintaining mental health. Human Design thus serves a preventive function, rather than being merely a tool for solving existing problems or correcting harmful behavior patterns.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: Is there potential to apply Human Design in education and in developing future generations of leaders?
Dr. Verner:
Absolutely. It is very important for the process of self-awareness to begin at an early age. Applying Human Design in the educational system can help teachers tailor their approach to each student’s individual capacity, while enabling students to recognize their talents earlier and improve their decision-making skills.
This reduces the pressure to “fit in,” which is common in our society, and increases an individual’s capacity for responsible leadership based on personal values.
I believe that such an educational approach will, in the future, produce leaders whose governance stems not from ego, but from authenticity.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: What does your current professional practice look like? What projects are you currently working on, and who are your clients?
Dr. Verner:
My activities involving Human Design focus on education, strategic team analysis, and building authentic leadership. I work with company directors, various teams undergoing transformation, as well as public institutions that have shown interest in innovative work models.
I am currently developing a new project—an online academy focused on the application of Human Design for improving business capacities and internally analyzing the potential of each employee. I also mentor leaders who are ready to apply new knowledge and skills in order to better understand themselves and increase their effectiveness.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: What would you recommend to young professionals who want to apply Human Design in socially responsible work, activism, or public policy?
Dr. Verner:
Human Design is a tool that requires individuals to apply what they’ve learned to themselves first, in order to have a more effective social impact.
When young professionals base their activities on personal integrity, they can become true agents of social change.
My recommendation is to be courageous and create space for action within the existing system—because societal change does not arise from form, but from essence.
The value of Human Design is in its ability to guide individuals toward areas where they can have the greatest impact, in alignment with their own potential, making that change sustainable.
Lobbyists in the Public Interest: How do you see the development and role of Human Design in the next five years in our region? Can it become part of official strategies in the public sector?
Dr. Verner:
We are currently witnessing a transitional period in which traditional leadership models are crumbling under the weight of complexity and forthcoming change.
Human Design has all the prerequisites to become a key part of the new paradigm, as more and more organizations seek models for personal, team, and systemic alignment.
I believe that in the next five years, Human Design will be integrated into educational processes, advisory teams, and human resource development strategies—not as an alternative option, but as an innovative tool for genuine transformation.
We live in a time when people are searching for true values, not titles and formal structures. That’s why it is crucial for everyone to go through a process of self-discovery. Only a leader who is aware of their own capacities can make decisions that contribute to the common good and the development of society as a whole.
Autor : Emina Ferizović, director of Eminent Communication
