Covid -19 and the struggle of businesses
~The documentary
As part of the «Leadership and Emotional Intelligence» workshop, we were asked to carry out a group projects aimed in supporting, encouraging and empowering citizens during the Covid-19 crisis.
In particular, our purpose was to create and then disseminate content related to leadership and emotional intelligence skills. After discussing and exchanging views with the members of our team, we decided to focus on businesses’ leaders and on how to manage the crisis.
The temporary cessation of operations of many companies in combination with the traffic ban, dramatically affected the economy and therefore the psychology of citizens. This fact has been a strong motivator for the investigation of this case. Wanting to highlight the value of emotional intelligence, we chose to exploit four of the most important skills, according to our opinion, that a leader must have in order to deal with times of crisis. Specifically, it is about self-control, optimism, empathy and adaptability.
Based on the above, we decided to approach the issue through the creation of a documentary, which would include personal testimonies of leaders, regarding the way of managing their business, in reference to covid 19.
We believe that by transmitting important messages creatively, would attract the interest of the citizens, with the ultimate goal of supporting and mobilizing the development of the respective abilities of emotional intelligence.
In order to achieve an effective project primarily, research and collection of useful information was carried out to better understand the situation. Specifically, we studied the timeline of the spread of the virus both abroad and in Greece, the consequences of the virus in businesses as well as the measures to strengthen them. Thereafter, based on the above data, werecorded multiple questions that will be used in the next stage of the interview.
As interviewees, eight leaders of different types of businesses (furniture, wirework,telecommunications, tourist accommodation, clothing trade, social events center) were selected to deliver multiple messages, responding to a wide range of work.
Through this amateur documentary approach, we present the effort and many of the moves made and that will continue to be made by business owners as they pursue their sustainability having across them an invisible enemy…. the pandemic. Emotions, first thoughts and concerns about the sudden onset of Covid-19 are described by them.
Through the eyes of the interviewers-leaders, we can see how important is for each leader to feature the following characteristics: optimism, self-control, adaptability and empathy.
Thereby, by focusing on these virtues, the message we wish to spread is that is not enough for someone to run or own a business and eventually call himself a leader. So, getting the title of leader, presupposes that someone has certain characteristics that will allow him to be adapted to even the most difficult conditions, to believe and fight for the best, to own his emotions, to understand, to empathize. Because, that is the only way he could be an example for the rest employees and save the business even in adverse circumstances, as we saw and keep seeing.
With the creation of the documentary, COVID-19 and the business race, we aimed to come across an optimistic message and stand with our own way alongside all these entrepreneurs, who are struggling in order to put a propitious end to this crisis. We felt right to make a research through which not only some of the virtues of the right leader would show up, but it would also give an incentive to all those business owners to continue!
An optimistic message through the owners’ lips in a pessimistic period…In a period which wherever you look, you will read negative predictions and watch hard news which all they do is to bring disaster, there are people who in order to bring the best, they hope, adapt and move forward… And we are sure they will be victorious in this race!
-COVID-19 and the struggle of businesses-
#StandforBusiness
Kelly Vlachou Eua Tsimpouka Erieta Basdeki Katerina Apostolaki Mirella Sifri
