Margarita Gladkova, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Operational Management and Academic Director of the Master's Program in Business Analytics and Big Data (MiBA), talks about books, modern education, GSOM SPbU and free time.

 - What is GSOM SPbU for you?

This is a motivator for moving forward — talented, erudite, interesting colleagues, and beautiful, ambitious students.

- What is the most important thing in modern education and why?
In the old model of classical education, we often came across the fact that there is only one way or model of behavior that is the only gives the right solution. And this could make our view of the world short-sighted.
Now, and especially in the future, the first positions will be taken by creative thinking and innovative ways of solving traditional problems. Therefore, in my opinion, the main task of modern education is to demonstrate the diversity of solutions to those problems that students may encounter in their chosen specialty.

- How do modern students differ from 2009 students?
The students of GSOM SPbU, as far as I know them, have always been different from students from most other universities of St. Petersburg. It was important for them to understand how the knowledge that they receive can be useful and applicable in the future. I don’t feel any significant differences between generations.

- Do you learn something from students?
Of course, constantly, for example, I learn how to be courage.

- Which book has made a big impression on you lately?
I would point out two books that I am reading right now. Firstly, this is the new book from the author of the “Write, Cut” — “New Business Correspondence Rules”. It seems to me that it will be useful for all students to read it and learn how to write letters that will make the recipient respond, help and just do exactly what is written in the original letter.
Secondly, this is a book by the American psychologist Andrew Solomon "Far From The Tree". The book is based on interviews with parents of special children. Key thought: when raising children with special needs, it’s worth thinking more about how to make a person happier, and not “more normal”, that is, not trying to somehow correct his or her peculiarity. In my opinion, this idea should be extended to communication with any people.
If everyone had read this book, the world would have become a little better and more tolerant.

- Tell us about the biggest failure in life and how did you deal with it?
I can’t remember some big failure, I must admit that I generally quickly forget all sorts of unpleasant moments, but there were many small ones! And the main thing that I always do is try to understand what I did wrong, whether I could do something better or somehow influence this situation, and if so, then I try again and again.

- What do you do in your free time?
I try to spend it with relatives, who, fortunately, share my interest in outdoor activities, theater and cinema. For example, in winter we go skiing together, and in April we traditionally go to the Dance Open festival of modern ballet.

- What do you think about new media: Telegram and YouTube channels, podcasts? Do you use them? Can you advise some of them to students?
Last year I discovered podcasts. And now on the road almost all the time I listen to some of them. For example, I like the Medusa podcasts, they are very different, and you can choose something for the current mood. I also like the podcast and Telegram channel of Andrei Sebrant, Director of Marketing at Yandex. He discusses hot topics, mainly about new technologies, and invites interesting guests.