The day begins with a pleasant morning coffee and the opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with familiar faces even before the official start. At the same time, a live podcast recording will take place in the expo area — everyone is welcome to listen in and be part of the experience.

Slacklining has become my way of exploring limits – both physical and mental. Through my personal records and projects, I’ll share how boundaries can be pushed in a world where focus lasts from seconds to hours, fear is universal, and balance is always elusive. Step by step – from idea to execution.

Leadership is merited as the cause of practically all variance in organizations, earning credit as the mediator, catalyst, and predictor of employee, team and organizational outcomes – or then as the root cause to blame. Today this role is experienced as overwhelmingly exhaustive, owing to external and internal factors complicating daily leadership with contradictory demands. At the same time, such benevolent ideologies as servant or coaching leadership are receiving connotations and misinterpretations that ignore the fundamental responsibility of managers to supervise, control and monitor.

This presentation faces the brutal facts by portraying the wider leader landscape through its most relevant requirements. More importantly, it offers priorities and makes recommendations that help preserve leader well-being while promoting employee, team and organizational productivity.

Today’s leaders face competing demands that pull them in opposite directions – speed and stability, innovation and efficiency, empathy and accountability. Our instinct is to choose one side. Yet this either/or mindset is limited at best and detrimental at works. In this keynote, Wendy introduces both/and thinking, the critical leadership skill for navigating complexity. Drawing on decades of research and work with global companies, Wendy shows how leaders can embrace paradoxes as sources of strength. Audiences will leave with practical frameworks to rethink tradeoffs, make better decisions, and unlock more innovative, sustainable solutions. Just as emotional intelligence redefined leadership a generation ago, both/and thinking defines what it means to lead today.

Take a moment to enjoy lunch, connect with other participants, and visit the expo area. During the break, another live podcast recording will take place – a great opportunity to gather your thoughts and find new inspiration.

Reetta Rajala explores how the collaboration between generations creates real strength in today’s working life and how age diversity helps organizations become more innovative, fair, and resilient. As the founder and driving force behind the 55 Rise and Shine movement, she shares her insights on generational differences and how to make age equality a conscious and value-creating part of leadership culture.
Known for her direct and inspiring speaking style, Rajala was recognized as Finland’s Work Life Changer and Thought Leader of the Year 2024.

Today’s workplace brings together five generations – each with its own values, expectations, and ways of making sense of the world. On stage, representatives of all five generations meet to discuss how we can truly understand one another: what connects us, what sets us apart, and which myths should have been debunked long ago.
This isn’t just a generational debate – it’s an honest and lively conversation about building a work culture where both a 20-year-old and a 70-year-old feel equally valued.

Boundaries are the visible and invisible lines of our world – meant to separate, and often even to protect. But are boundaries always a bad thing? When does a boundary turn into a wall, and how do our own “red lines” relate to that? Estonia has to think about these questions more than most other countries. Our borders are not only geographical but also historical and moral – just compare our boundaries with Latvia and Russia, where on one side of a line begins a world much like ours, but on the other, one that is completely different. Should we build one boundary higher and break another lower? And which one?

Veiko-Vello Palm has served in the Defence Forces for over thirty years, leading units and headquarters at various levels, dealing with both physical and mental boundaries – maintaining them, but also shifting them. This experience has taught him that sometimes a wall is inevitable, but only if you know how to see beyond it.

Finalists of the Most Influential HR Leader competition share their insights.
Does impact begin with values? Three finalists of the Most Influential HR Leader competition will explore this question, sharing the values and principles that shape their leadership and influence in Estonia’s world of work.

The energy break offers a moment to pause, reflect on the presentations with other participants, and recharge. It’s the last chance to play the expo game, visit the expo area, and listen to the live podcast recording.

In this engaging and practical keynote, Carole Spiers explores the critical difference between pressure and stress – and why understanding that distinction matters. Discover the main causes and effects of stress, and learn how to build greater resilience to help protect and strengthen your mental health and wellbeing.
Carole shares proven, easy-to-use tips and techniques that you can apply immediately after the session – empowering you to take control, reduce stress, and enhance both your personal and professional performance.

This is a conversation that usually happens behind closed doors.
Mental health experts engage in an open dialogue, seeking answers to questions with no simple solutions – why we can’t always heal people, what it means to live truthfully, and how to maintain both critical thinking and empathy at the same time. The audience will have a rare opportunity to listen in on their exchange – like a fly on the wall.

We announce the winners of the Most Influential HR Leader competition – recognizing those whose actions, values, and impact have significantly contributed to the development of Estonia’s working life and leadership culture.

The day concludes with a special performance – an inspiring speaker from abroad whose energy and presence will make you think, feel, and smile. Who it is will be revealed very soon!

After an inspiring day, don’t rush off just yet. Take a moment to stay, chat with colleagues, share impressions, make new connections, and let the day’s experiences settle in.