Humans among humans: People skills at the forefront of leadership
After a semester of weekly lectures on “Leadership and Emotional Intelligence”, as part of the namesake course of the Advertising and Public Relations Lab of Panteion University, it was about time to move from the theoretical to the experiential part of learning. As part of the Final Project, each team was asked to observe and talk to experienced business leaders — primarily from the field of Communication. The ultimate goal of participatory observation and Job Shadowing was to draw conclusions about the new (?) requirements of a modern leadership model in a post-pandemic environment and the link between leadership and emotional intelligence.
As a team (Meta-4), we had the good fortune to visit the offices of MAGIQ DOORZ, an “independent provider of integrated communication services” (as they introduce themselves on their social media), to observe their workflow and the interactions between executives and staff on a daily basis. On top of that, the CEO of the company, Argyro Korialou, gave us her own perspective on the topic “Leadership and Emotional Intelligence” in a long and fruitful discussion, the conclusions of which we are about to share with the world.
The line “no one is born a manager” summarizes the complexity of the making-of a modern leadership model in the field of communication, as analyzed by the CEO of MAGIQ DOORZ, Argyro Korialou. And we are talking about leadership models and not leaders because “the word leader refers to a politician, the one who leads the masses”. And although the post-COVID environment has significantly reduced the human touch in daily interactions in the corporate environment, the anthropocentric nature of communication companies remains at the forefront.
Speaking specifically about the role of CEO in the field of communication, before referring to the characteristics that make it effective in the way it manages a group of people, it is important to emphasize the necessary “competence” that brings you to the point of managing. And because “no one is born a manager”, first and foremost, adequate knowledge of the various needs of every department and awareness of how they are properly organized to produce the required results, is essential. “But at the same time you have to have an entrepreneurial spirit — especially in medium-sized companies.” Strategic vision is non-negotiable in the modern environment, combined with adaptability. Especially considering what’s happened during the last three years, when companies had to ensure their operation in three different economic and social environments: pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic.
LEADERSHIP PREREQUISITES PRE & POST COVID
“The only thing that COVID changed was the physical presence”. In the purely functional part, the pandemic gave the opportunity to both companies and customers to see that the work can be done just as efficiently with the help of technology. And for companies that are more active in the Greek ecosystem, this greater familiarity with modern tools was a non-refundable game-changer.
However, in the human part of running and leading groups of people, the natural bonding possibilities created by daily in-person interactions have now vanished. Even if there are procedures that can reduce this damage and efforts are made with part of meetings being done in-person, the framework of cooperation and coexistence in the corporate environment is now completely different. And the effects of this vary from generation to generation: “The more recent and younger employees, who haven’t experienced all this contact and connection that we have between us, have higher mobility than others, who feel that they are working in a very specific ecosystem, that have created deeper relationships.”
Then again, the basic emotional demands on the part of the employees remain the same whether they work in offices, remotely, or operating on hybrid models. And emotional intelligence should be a hallmark not only for leaders, but for every company’s core values: “If people are not happy, they can not perform.” That’s why just as strategic vision and the ability to identify market needs are key to the effectiveness of a leadership model, so is identifying what your employees need to be happy. “It is very important for the employee to feel safe and not scared in an environment. The system can not work with fear.”
And while the term “emotional intelligence” has become more popular in recent decades, as a skill it has always been a catalyst in shaping successful leadership models, especially in the service sector — compared to the industry section. “For example, Aristides Daskalopoulos, the founder of Delta, had tremendous emotional intelligence. We are still talking about him. Emotional intelligence has always been there, we just ignored the term.”
In addition to the day to day, in the corporate environment the emotional intelligence of a decision-maker can also play a determining factor in recruitment. The ability to choose the right people in the right places was emphasized several times during our discussion. And it’s a leader’s job not only to recruit the right people, but to also integrate them into their ecosystem.”It is my responsibility to integrate new people, guide them, but also to inspire the rest of the group to adapt.”
LAYERED INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE COMPANY
“I work with an open door, always. I am part of the group”. And as part of the ecosystem, a leader and manager must ensure that the environment is able to manage itself and not be dependent on units — even the leader itself. “It’s a job that does not have space for a strong ‘I’. You have to have your ears open to listen. This is a skill that is acquired more with years, with different and accumulated experiences, but adaptability remains the key: “You become more open to listening to the younger generations and meeting their needs. You have to have fresh ideas, fresh minds and not get stuck in the traditional model and this applies to most industries”.
“I work with an open door, always. I am part of the group”
In a communication company, which mainly produces ideas, it makes sense for the tone of voice and the vocabulary in the daily processes to be more informal and relaxed. “I become more relaxed as the years pass by. And I want people to be relaxed too. We shouldn’t be all nervy and uptight. In this job we have to wake up in the morning, go to work and like it. It is not just about making a living, it has to bring you pleasure, satisfaction. But your job must also be efficient and you need to have a vision of the future. In communications, there’s creativity but for business purposes, not just for the sake of it. It’s the fine line between ‘working’ and ‘being relaxed’. “ Different situations might require a slightly different tone of voice and wording: “there must be a perception of what we are talking about (i.e. the importance of it)”.
CONCLUSIONS
“It is very important to know who you are — your strong and weak points”. This kind of emotional intelligence, empathy and perception of reality is what makes a leadership model viable. This self-awareness of the pluses and minuses of a person is what can make it adaptable to different situations and people and lead their process on recruiting the right people and making their integration into a team smoother.
At the end of the day, the “leaders” who are often treated in social and professional environments as distinct (or even superior) entities, are just “humans among humans.” And despite the recent ever-changing environment, as the global human needs for respect, security, inspiration and motivation remain constant on a social and personal level, so they do at the workplace.
