There are people who make things seem simple even in the midst of chaos. In the Connections team, Amalia Angheluță-Râciu is that calm teammate you can rely on like a compass, a Project Manager who guides her team with clarity, intuition, and courage, the same qualities she passionately cultivates through kitesurfing in her free time.
Project Management: A balance between mind and heart
For many, Project Management is reduced to charts, reports, deadlines, and meetings. While all of these are real, for Amalia, PM is a living experience, much like the flow she finds in her passion for kitesurfing. Every time she’s on the water, she learns essential lessons that she applies daily at Connections: to stay present, feel the direction, embrace flexibility, and not force control. She knows all too well that you can’t control every variable in a project, but you can build trust and guide the team toward the right destination.
“Project Management, to me, is like a kite on water: you don’t control the wind, you learn to feel it and adapt,” she tells us. And about progress, she adds: “I believe each of us has a breeze guiding us, mine reminds me every day that, both on the water and in life, progress begins when you choose to let courage carry you.”
This perspective makes her a quiet yet determined leader: she observes, analyzes, processes, and acts with a rare blend of calm and precision. Amalia places full trust in her “gear” that helps her navigate all the challenges of a Project Manager, a toolkit she describes as her team, the processes, and the communication that function in perfect harmony.
In her role as a Project Manager and her passion for water sports, she has learned that true success means balance. Just as the wind is never constant, neither are projects, but it’s precisely in the unpredictable that progress is born. Adaptability, flexibility, and the courage to embrace uncertainty are her superpowers. At the same time, more important than control is collaboration, and intuition remains the internal compass she relies on during uncertain moments.
Beyond methods and plans, she strongly believes in one simple but essential principle: “I believe less is more: more space to think, more trust in the team, more energy for what truly matters.”
Calm amid chaos, the courage to navigate uncertainty, and inner discipline honed over the years make Amalia a steadfast support, no matter how turbulent the waves become.
An adventure just beginning
A year ago, Amalia began her journey at Connections and now looks ahead eagerly toward the horizon, ready for projects that will challenge and grow her professionally. Just as every kitesurfing session brings new lessons, each project offers opportunities to learn and evolve.
In her view, the path of digitalization closely resembles a kitesurfing expedition full of the unknown and untapped potential. She imagines digitalization as an explorer much like the character Moana — brave, agile, equipped with a digital compass instead of a map, guiding her through oceans of information, surrounded by data that becomes a resource. It’s an inner force that dares to push innovation to the furthest corners.
Technology is ever-present in Amalia’s life, like a constant tailwind that makes the journey smoother and more efficient: the power of Ctrl+Z whenever needed, quickly fixing any mistake; her phone as a trusted co-pilot for all things organizational; and the near-infinite digital memory where 7,532 photos capture meaningful moments and tell stories of the places, people, and experiences that have shaped her.
Like the first ride on the water: Her start in IT
Amalia offers valuable advice for those taking their first steps into IT, advice she shares with confidence:
“At the start of your IT journey, the most valuable asset isn’t what you know, but how you choose to learn. Be curious, stay present, ask questions, be consistent, make mistakes, and enjoy the process. And don’t forget to have fun, IT is constantly changing, just like you.”
She believes that the willingness to try and explore is more important than the comfort of always having the answers. It’s the ability to navigate uncertainty that builds both competence and confidence.
In a dynamic field like IT, adaptability becomes essential. It’s no longer just an advantage, it’s a superpower, even for a modern Project Manager. The ability to adjust direction with calm and clarity can make the difference between success and failure.
But beyond processes and methods, it all comes down to people and their well-being. If the IT industry held a referendum, Amalia would confidently vote for emotional balance.
“Are we ready to put our well-being on the same priority list as our deliverables? I believe it’s time we talk openly about adding balance and healthy pauses to our backlog. A relaxed mind always delivers the best code.”
Through each project and challenge, Amalia shows us that true mastery lies in navigating with confidence and passion, transforming uncertainty into opportunity, and inspiring her team to move forward no matter the waves they encounter.