JoAnn Gregoli: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
A leader should be decisive in order to achieve the goals and to execute the company’s plans. It is critical that a decisive leader trusts their instincts. It is rare for a decisive leader to change course, after they have been well informed of the particular goal they have to achieve.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing JoAnn Gregoli.
As owner of Elegant Occasions, JoAnn Gregoli began her career as a corporate event planner 30 years ago. The business has afforded her the opportunity to raise her six children and set her hours, so she can live up to the term “super mom.”Her company expanded into the destination field about 20 years ago, specializing in Europe and the Caribbean.
She loves the logistical challenges of destination weddings, paired with creating weddings that are memorable. She loves taking the empty canvas of a space and painting the vision of the client’s dreams with lighting, flowers, decor, and more,” she says. She enjoys taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary.
She is an accredited travel advisor and expert and has a pulse on what is trending and where weddings will happen around the world. She has travel the world extensively and produces events that are indigenous to the region where the wedding or event is being held.
Her passion finds herself spearheading many philanthropic endeavors. On 9/11 she was able to reproduce over 200 weddings who were affected by the loss of the World Trade Center.. Most recently she has been producing masks for Front Line Heroes in the United States and founded the Front Line Sewing Angels, who produced over 65,000 masks nationwide for those in need.
She is the co — author of the Knots Guide to Destination Weddings. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Today Show, CBS Morning Show and TLC Whose Wedding is it Anyway!
She has worked on many celebrity and high-profile weddings around the world.
Thank you so much for your time! Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
One of my first mistakes that I made was at a wedding in Italy. A client retained us to plan this wedding and commission the services of a jazz trio. In the United States, we think more of the blues jazz which includes piano, bass and drums and saxophone, but in Italy they interpreted jazz as New Orleans Dixieland jazz which uses different instruments with more trombones , banjo and drums. We had to locate and hire backup musicians while the event was underway. Translation and interpretation are issues to consider when you are dealing with other countries you can never assume they understand what you are actually referencing. You must educate yourself in the culture in which you plan on working. Problems occur all the time in the event industry and the key to a good leader is to anticipate the problem before it arises and have a back-up plan in place. Always ask for samples of things so you can avoid these mistakes, never assume they simply understand your concept or vision.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
There are two people in my career who were my mentors and they guided me every step of the way. One person was the late Cele Lalli, Editor in Chief of Modern Bride magazine. She was a friend who would literally guide me as I was working out my strategies for advertising and exposure. But another person who was my mentor is Carly Roney founder of The Knot, the famous online wedding platform. She has been a true visionary who had a pulse on what is trending and what the event world was going to evolve into. I so appreciate her foresight and determination in making a change in the way weddings are planned. I owe my career in Destination weddings to this woman who was a good friend. She was the one responsible for asking me to co- write a book for the the Knots Guide to Destination Weddings.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
When I started my business over 30 years ago, it was born out of necessity to help colleagues at work with planning their own weddings, while I was working for a Public Relations Marketing agency. My vision at the time was to create a company where couples could receive assistance in planning their weddings locally. However, it quickly morphed into planning destination weddings and I found that my knowledge of the world of destinations was profoundly helpful for my couples. It was also very helpful that my mom was a travel agent.. I wanted it to be a personal concierge to these couples providing valuable guidance and assistance in planning their destination weddings.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
During the pandemic we had to shift our focus quickly and start to replan and postpone most of our events, however, we found a need that was not met in the world of providing PPE for clinics, hospitals and shelters. I knew that my leadership qualities would allow me to help as many people as I could. I was able to mobilize a small army of sewers to help make as many masks and caps as they could for as many people in need. We created the Sewing Angels, a non profit organization that assisted with supplying PPE for those who were in desperate need.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
My drive comes from my mantra that failure is not an option. I never ever consider giving up. I always try to just find another option. As a planner we always have to have an A-plan, a B-plan, and C-Plan. We find a way to get the job by being creative in our thinking. A good leader anticipates the problem before it arises and finds the solution. My motivation was to protect my children at the time. My son was in law enforcement and my daughter was in the medical field and both had informed me of their own PPE shortages. That need to protect them as a mother drove my desire to keep moving forward and help others. I knew that I had to remain busy during the pandemic but more importantly I knew I had to help those who needed protection. My drive is sustained by the love of my career. I have always found that if you find your passion in life you will never fail and that drive will sustain you through the difficult times
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
The most critical role of a leader during challenging times is to be bold in your choices and make tough decisions but keep moving forward. Getting into the trenches and working alongside your team is what a good leader should do. Fear is a normal response to the unknown. If you are afraid your employees and customers will sense your fear. The secret is to take time and address your employees fears and concerns and move forward together. The role of a leader is to be that problem solver for your employees and customers. As FDR stated “there is nothing to fear but fear itself”. It is important to move through the fear and face the challenges head on.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
The best way to motivate your team is to inspire them and encourage them. Showing gratitude for their efforts and work is key to good morale. If you have to stay positive and continue to show them you are with them during difficult times they will stand by your side during tough times. It is important to lift each up and support each other during good times and more importantly during difficult times.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
Communicating early and often to your team is the key to delivering difficult news and it should be done in person (if possible) and not via a text message or email. You should respect your customers and employees. Let them know that they are a priority and are kept in mind with every decision you make as a leader. This means much more than a check-in email once a week. It means keeping everyone in the conversation, it means maintaining trust, and it means showing your appreciation by taking them out to lunch and acknowledging their efforts for a job well done.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
During uncertain times, it is critical to remember why you do what you do. Turn to your company’s foundation and its mission statement. No matter what service you provide, a good leader keeps their employees focused on the mission and how it serves others. A leader should create a sense of unity that makes it easier to push through the uncertain times. Staying focused on the overall goal is what defines the final outcome.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
During difficult times companies should focus on their employees and customers.
Relationships should always come first and people come first. If companies do not show commitment to their employees, partners, and customers when things are tough, how can you expect those same people will believe that the company will be there for them when things are going well if you are not there for them during hard times. During difficult and turbulent times you must show dedication to your entire team and continue to build trust amongst your customers and employees.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
Common mistakes made by other businesses are they do not adapt to changing times and stay with the same program. Business needs to change with the times and adapt and know what the new customers need and want. Also, avoiding new social media platforms. I have met many business owners who tell me that Instagram is irrelevant, you have to know what the current client base is using to select their vendors.
Not asking for referrals or asking for reviews. This is a world driven by social media and group acceptance. You need to have current reviews and current referrals out front at all times and they should be current.
Not being honest to yourself or the situation. Be honest with your team and make them aware of what is happening. It is better to let the team know from you personally the situation at hand so they feel like you care about their feelings and them personally.
Not learning and staying relevant. It is important to attend conferences and classes that can enhance your business. Knowledge is power and the more knowledge you have the more power you have over acquiring new business.
Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
It is important to continue to grow and foster relationships with past clients and forge new connections during turbulent times. Networking with innovators and collaborators during the turbulent times is paramount in surviving during these tough times.
Consider pulling back on certain aspects of the business, but do not panic. You should pause certain spending obligations but do not pull the plug completely.
Out of sight out of mind, you must remain in the public eye and not pushing your social media content or staying quiet is not a good idea at all. Invest in content marketing across all your social media platforms. Hire a professional content strategist who will be able to plan your social media content calendar.
Take this time to polish your company image and get back to what your original vision was when starting the company. Take inventory of your company and get a reality check. Work on getting back your passion, passion is what drives a successful company.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
A business leader should be grateful and should express their gratitude for those who work with them. They should acknowledge a job well done and send out a small letter of appreciation. Showing gratitude goes a long way with an employee.
A leader should be decisive in order to achieve the goals and to execute the company’s plans. It is critical that a decisive leader trusts their instincts. It is rare for a decisive leader to change course, after they have been well informed of the particular goal they have to achieve.
A leader should be ethical.. A good leader adheres to a certain set of core values and principles. These principles are made up of the following trust, respect, integrity, fairness, honesty and transparency. An ethical leader is aware of not wanting to hurt another person by either their words or actions.
A leader should be flexible and have the ability to adapt and change as the needs arise. They can revise their plans and overcome challenges all the while maintaining their composure. They know how to manage a crisis without losing their control of their emotions.
A leader should be confident in their decisions. People who are confident have better working relationships and are more motivated. These people are open to risks and think for themselves, they do not doubt their decisions but stand firm in their final determination.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Life isn’t about the number of ups and downs you experience but how you deal with them”
Life is full of challenges and difficulties and we have to have the strength to endure those times. My Dad would always remind me that lIfe is a series of ups and downs and none of them are permanent. My life has not been easy, it has been a constant struggle, from my relationships to my finances and my health. I had to endure the highest of highs and lowest of lows but keeping my faith and praying for strength if what got me through those darkest hours. Learning to overcome challenges is difficult but it made me a much stronger person in the end. I found that challenges and difficulties that I have faced have made me a stronger person and more compassionate for others.
How can our readers further follow your work? They can follow me on
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joanngregoli/?hl=en
Facebook: Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli : https://www.facebook.com/Elegantoccasionsinc/
twitter https://twitter.com/joann_gregoli
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
