Leadership Lessons from a Slovenian Coach Behind Olympic Gold
MAY 26, 2026
10 am Washington D.C. / 4 pm Ljubljana
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Online - register here
The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are on the horizon — and we're starting our journey toward them with one of Slovenia's finest. How about some leadership lessons from a leader who led the U.S. Women's team to win Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021?
This is a rare chance to learn from a Slovenian who has proven these principles at the highest level of international competition — and to hear how those same principles apply directly to your organization, your team, and your culture.
The American-Slovenian Club in cooperation with the Slovenian-American Business Council of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, invites you to a one-hour conversation with Luka Slabe, a Slovenian who has reached the very top of U.S. Olympic sport.
Luka Slabe is the assistant coach of the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, currently ranked world No. 3. Under his guidance, the U.S. Women's team won Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021, World Cup Silver in Japan 2019, and three gold medals in the Volleyball Nations League (2018, 2019, 2021). While working with the U.S. Women, Luka was also the head coach of the North Carolina State women’s team (2020-2025). With Luka, we will explore what it truly takes to build teams that perform when it matters most.
What you'll take away:
Leading people, not just performance — why Olympic coaches develop the human first, the athlete second, and how this builds teams that last
Preparation systems that hold under pressure — the rituals and simulations that turn years of work into unbeatable execution
Building trust in high-stakes environments — how to motivate, give feedback, and keep focus when the pressure is highest
Real-time decision-making — the mental frameworks elite coaches use on the court, and how they translate directly to negotiations, crises, and growth moments
Whether you lead a company, a team, or a business unit, you'll leave with tools you can apply immediately.
