Leadership and EQ in the post Covid-19 era
The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected all sectors of society and radically changed people’s daily lives. Businesses and companies have been hit hard, with some closing or losing a significant portion of their revenue over time. Today we seem to be in the post Covid era, with cases having dropped significantly and the business world finding its balance. In this article we will try to examine the role of leadership and emotional intelligence in a period of crisis (Covid-19), but also in the period following the crisis, the period of adjustment (post Covid era).
So, as part of ADandPRLab’s Leadership and Emotional Intelligence workshop, we approached two leaders, visited them in the companies they run, and, through participatory observation and interviews, gathered information and drew some conclusions.
The first leader we visited is named Vassilis Sakkas and directs the “Exelissein” institute, with branches in Ilion and Peristeri. The institute was created as a place of education, learning, early and valid diagnosis and prevention of learning difficulties. In “Exelissein” every infant, child, teenager, and parent find documented answers and suggestions to the problems that concern them and can have the appropriate intervention and guidance.
Mr. Sakkas is a special education teacher with a postgraduate degree in education and special education, a sociologist and a doctor of psychology specializing in learning disabilities. He has worked in many public primary schools and special education units and has held many managerial positions. For his selfless scientific, literary, and social contribution, he has received many official thanks from organizations, such as the “Smile of the Child” and from the Panhellenic Federation of Associations of Parents and Guardians of People with Special Needs. Today, in addition to supervising and guiding the “Exelissein” team, he trains teachers and parents by teaching at the Municipal University of Peristeri and, at the same time, continues writing.
Mr. Sakkas welcomed us with great pleasure and hosted us at his institute. First of all, we started with a tour of the building, which consists of two floors with many rooms. During the tour, he was talking to us and explaining his responsibilities. The dominant element in all the spaces was the many colors, designs, and drawings of the children. We met the teachers working in the institute, we talked to them and we saw Mr. Sakkas interact with parents and children, as well as his employees.
Then, we proceeded to the interview, for which he welcomed us to his office. We started talking about his studies and his educational level, as well as his source of inspiration to deal with this field which, as he revealed to us, was a child who could not deal with studying at a school for “typical” children. From there on, he started dealing with special education.
Through the participatory observation and the interview that we did, we saw that Mr. Sakkas’ day starts around 10:00 in the morning, sometimes with meetings with parents who have an appointment. From 13:30, he starts meeting children or co-workers, which ends at about 21:30 in the evening. Then, after having his meal, he reviews the day, talks with partners, does checks, and prepares for the next day.
Then, our discussion shifted to the leadership part. Our first question was the pros and cons when someone is in a leadership position. Among the pros was the fact that he can make decisions voluntarily and among the cons was the fact that, if others do not share his visions and goals, he must find a way to overcome this obstacle. Of course, the communication factor, which is considered a key element, was discussed. He told us that all his associates are encouraged to speak their mind, accept criticism in good faith and come up with the best possible decision. He also stressed that there is a family atmosphere in the institute and, therefore, their communication is daily, spontaneous, and sincere.
In terms of the skills one must have to succeed in this job, in addition to the relevant studies, is the way each leader works. Specifically, Mr. Sakkas works consensually, with conviction and with an effort to mobilize towards a common goal and vision. The difficulties that Mr. Sakkas went through in his life are various, but the most recent ones were the pandemic and the political decisions that made work in the institute difficult. As for some of the sacrifices he has made, these are related to his free time and personal pursuit of things he enjoys. In addition, the sacrifices include unexpected events, even during the night, to which he must give solutions. We then asked him what it was like to lead a specific team to achieve a specific goal and he likened it to walking on a tightrope: he described it as difficult, enjoyable, satisfying when the wanted result is achieved, but sometimes also soul-crushing.
Then, in the field of emotional intelligence, he pointed out that without it, no one can function effectively. If a leader cannot take the place of someone else and, at the same time, control their own emotions in degenerate and difficult situations, then they cannot function effectively in such a position. Exploring the emotional part more deeply, we asked him what his inner battle is that he gives every day. He answered that he gives not just one, but many. First of all, to manage things that he considers irrational or unjust and secondly, to have the power to be positive, pleasant, and cheerful towards children and parents. In addition, we talked about anger and learned that what makes him very angry is expediency, that is, the intentional refusal of someone to do something that has been assigned to them. He stressed, however, that anger must be expressed in the right way, towards the right person, at the right time.
We also analyzed the issue of a leader’s internal balance and he revealed to us that, for him, there is a category of things that we neither like nor are obliged to do and suggested that we reduce or eliminate them as much as we can in order to achieve inner harmony. We also discussed what he focuses on most at the end of the day, people and emotions or results and duties. He told us that one should consider emotions and people, without forgetting that there are duties and responsibilities.
Then, we asked him if he is affected by the stress factor, which clearly lurks in many situations, and he answered that he often gets stressed, but he does not let it affect him. Another area we explored is the passion in the sections of his work. The first thing he is passionate about is the effectiveness of the intervention, that is, when he faces difficulties with children’s problems and manages to find solutions. The second thing he is passionate about is mobilizing people who are not in the mood to act with enthusiasm until he conveys his own feelings to them and, in the end, they work with even greater enthusiasm than him. Like we all have people to inspire us, so does Mr. Sakkas, who revealed to us that he is inspired by many people, each for different things and in a different way. Thus, he finds the best in the people he interacts with and takes advantage of that.
Then, after getting a complete picture of the leadership in general, but also of the leader we had in front of us and his emotional intelligence, we proceeded to ask questions about Covid-19 and the changes it brought to his work. At first, he informed us that he was in a very difficult position because the government had not given instructions on whether these institutes should be closed. Thus, Mr. Sakkas made the decision to close the institute, a decision that was made by the government twenty days later. The problem that arose was the communication with parents and children, which was quite difficult, as it was a condition they had never encountered before. However, they worked very fast in this area too, as he and his son set up an online platform for “Exelissein”, on which he started doing free sessions and communicating with parents. Then, they found their pace and what they keep to this day is the meticulous observance of security measures. The pandemic hinders communication and freedom of movement and, at the same time, leads to more restrictions and obligations. The first thing one needs to change as a leader, according to Mr. Sakkas, is stress but without leading to a sense that nothing is dangerous. With this in mind, the team continued to function satisfactorily, keeping a balance between fear and recklessness and exposure to danger, either theirs or of those who trust them and visit the institute.
As for the post Covid-19 era we are in now, he believes that they have never lost their balance as an institute, but there have been big changes, which they have to follow. One of these changes is the use of new technologies in their work. The measures they had to take to overcome the consequences of the pandemic were of two kinds, on a practical and on a psychosomatic level. The practical measures were related to the chemicals needed for sterilization, the masks, the hand washing and in general the instructions of the Nation Public Health Organization that were followed faithfully. Secondly, on a psychosomatic level, in addition to the problems of parents, he had to solve his own problems with his associates, to keep them in balance. This was achieved through frequent communication, exchange of views and support where needed. His advice to young people is to be themselves, to do things they want and believe in, but at the same time to appreciate the needs of others. First of all, they have to like the object of work, to be passionate about what they do, to not take into account the passing of time, effort, and deprivation. Also, their plans need to be redefined according to the situations. He even explained to us that he has often advised young children to change workplace, if he deems that it is not in line with the mental resilience required by the profession.
In conclusion, we asked him how he sees himself in ten years and he replied that he would like to be in a physical and mental state that allows him to continue working, because he enjoys his job and is not in a hurry to retire. As far as his company is concerned, his predictions were not positive, as he believes that in ten years our society will be more materialistic and autistic; that is, everyone will consider themselves important, unaware of the wider environment around them. At the same time, due to the development of new technologies, communication will change, as will the interactions of individuals. He believes that the space will continue to exist, but it will have differentiated, it will have become more automated. Finally, due to all the above, he believes that there will be more mental problems and difficulties for people.
The second leader we approached is named Giorgos Farlekas and he is the general manager of Manifest. It is a company that deals with facility management and provides a complete system of services. More specifically, it offers inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of buildings, but also energy services, aiming at successful energy management, which reduces operating costs, saves energy and contributes to sustainable development and environmental protection. It also offers security systems and catering services. From 2015 until today it has been distinguished with 28 awards for the quality of its services, for the management of its Human Resources, as well as for the service of its customers. In 2020 it was honored with the FM Service Provider of the Year 2020 award, as the best facility management provider. Now, Manifest has started its first steps of activity abroad, with some first exploratory moves in the Middle East. It continues to form its leading position and course in the Greek market, but is also expanding abroad.
Founder and CEO of the company is Dionysis Ammolochitis. We spoke with the General Manager of Manifest and President of the Hellenic Facilities Management Association (HFMA), Giorgos Farlekas. His role within the company is to oversee all its operations, coordinate its various departments, such as marketing, human resources, sales, service delivery, and finance. Mr. Farlekas studied mechanical engineering, with an emphasis on production management in England, and did a postgraduate degree in information management at the University of Sheffield. After completing his master’s degree, his goal was to become a business analyst. Thus, he found his first job in a computer department. He then worked as a project manager in CRM IT projects and later engaged in sales. In 2011, he joined Manifest as Business Development Manager and was promoted two years later to Commercial Director. Since 2017, he has been performing general manager duties.
So, we talked to him, we observed him, we learned about his daily schedule, and we interviewed him. Initially, we asked him to tell us a few things about himself, such as his studies, in order to have a complete picture of the person we were talking to. We asked him about his progress until he became the director of Manifest, but also the difficulties and sacrifices he may have made to gain this leadership position. As he informed us, he made all the sacrifices he had to make with a lot of love, like when his friends went out on the weekends, and he stayed at home to study and become even better in the field he wanted to work in. He had to work very hard, but he was never afraid of difficulties.
Regarding his position in the company and his duties, he told us that it is very interesting to lead a specific team with a specific goal, especially when he has a very capable team. In fact, as he told us, the members of his team are the ones who give him inspiration together with the partner and founder of the company. He identified as very important the acquisition of knowledge and experience, so that you choose your partners and your team correctly and you can rely on them in difficult times and thus the work is done through collective effort. He went on to say that it is very interesting to lead a team, to train them, to develop them so that they become independent people who are not afraid to take initiatives. In addition, when asked what it is like as a general manager to lead a team from different disciplines, he replied that it is very important to have knowledge of everything, but there’s no need for deep knowledge. In addition, he referred again to the members of his team, who are specialized in their field and give him the appropriate information each time. According to Mr. Farlekas, it is not possible to know everything in depth, but when you have the right partners who know and you trust them, they give you the knowledge they have in every subject, you discuss it and you can proceed with common sense. We have noticed that he develops a very strong bond with his colleagues, as he highly prioritizes the human factor and human emotions, but, when the job requires it, he is a very typical professional, in order to achieve the respective goal.
Then, we talked about leadership in general in times of crisis, but also leadership after times of turmoil. According to him, the basic characteristics that a leader must have are to inspire and influence, to be characterized by integrity and justice and to have high values. Anyone can become a leader, as long as they want to and are not afraid of responsibilities. The rewards of the job are plenty. Through challenges and trials, you become better and derive great satisfaction when you overcome them. This is the side of the job that he is passionate about. When faced with a danger or a difficult project, through dealing with it, he derives great satisfaction. In addition, in difficult and demanding times, he tries as a leader to become more resilient to overcome the biggest obstacles, but also strict when necessary to adapt to new requirements. He also tries every day to offer his team the best so that they feel good, evolve and stay in the company. Although he is generally a very patient person, what makes him very angry is inconsistency. However, even in cases that make him angry, he never loses his temper and, when he needs to scold someone, he always does it in private. For Mr. Farlekas, communication is very important, especially in times of turmoil and adjustment. Communication needs to be above all honest. He also recognizes the importance of two-way communication and is not afraid of criticism. He considers that he has the emotional tolerance and endurance to listen to criticism and tries to correct himself if he makes a mistake or if he wrongs someone unknowingly.
Regarding the Covid era, he informed us that they needed to take some action. As far as health is concerned, they have developed protocols so that anyone who needs to come to the office can feel safe, always following the law. Psychologically, they never stopped doing things they did before the health crisis. For example, every Thursday the company’s management team holds a staff meeting, where the good news is shared. They never stopped doing it, but instead of gathering in the conference room, they started gathering on the Microsoft Teams platform, to keep the morale of the employees high. This way, nothing changed in the employees’ relations with each other. Leadership through the computer screen did not affect the team; on the contrary, numbers increased during Covid. However, it affected the psychological part, as a lively office was deserted. What seems to have helped him is the fact that he deals with difficult situations without stress and treats his employees with respect and understanding, while giving great importance to their emotions, but also the reason for the existence of specific emotions, whether it is joy, sadness, anger or the feeling of injustice. He is always there to listen to them and guide them.
Being in the post Covid era, he believes that they have found their balance as a team and as a business, keeping, of course, a hybrid working model, respecting the wishes of employees and their need to be safe. Only when the team is satisfied and happy can the goals be achieved effectively. In reviewing the crisis, what he has learned as a leader is that he must in no way allow effective practices within the company to be stopped under the pretext of the crisis, so that the employees’ morale remains high, and to continue working together and effectively as before.
It was a very interesting interview that made us understand a lot about his character and the way he acts in his daily life. His schedule includes many meetings and conferences. These include scheduled internal meetings for coordination issues in the company, as well as coaching programs for young people he guides. Within these obligations, there are also some unexpected meetings on issues that may arise in the company or meetings with partners and customers. Through talking to him and observing the way he communicates with his employees, he seems to be a man of integrity and justice, with great understanding and respect for his associates. As we were guided in the area and passing by all the departments that he coordinates, we saw busy but cheerful people who were doing their work with great satisfaction. In general, the period of crisis did not seem to affect them much, as the characteristics and values of their leader did not allow anything to change at all.
Our experience through this whole process was very educational, as we saw up close how the leadership of a company works, what characteristics a leader should have, how to communicate properly with the people around them, how to manage a period of crisis, but also how to adapt effectively after the crisis period. The impression left by our visit to Manifest is that the atmosphere in the company is very friendly and pleasant and that Mr. Farlekas is an excellent person, but above all an excellent leader no matter what the difficulties may be.
Having completed our visits to the leaders and having analyzed their interviews, we found some similarities and differences. Although they come from different backgrounds, they have both sacrificed time of their lives and worked hard to win the title of leader. Mr. Farlekas believes that the right leader must inspire, influence, be fair and whole, while he can only view leadership positively. He has developed a relationship with his employees that is characterized by emotion but also by a high sense of duty. On the other hand, Mr. Sakkas considers that important qualities of a leader are persuasion and the ability to mobilize, while, in addition to the pros, he also distinguishes some cons in leadership. Due to the nature of his profession, the relationship he develops with his employees and clients is primarily emotional. Regarding the Covid era as well as the post Covid era, both consider that proper communication and empathy play a very important role in maintaining balance. Both have adapted to the new order, although Mr. Sakkas encountered greater difficulties compared to Mr. Farlekas and his team, who in the period of crisis maintained an upward trend.
In conclusion, the experience we gained from the visits and the conversation with the leaders was very enlightening in terms of the elements and talents that a leader should have, especially in a period of crisis but also of adjustment. Communication, emotional intelligence, meaningful interaction with others and the ability to discern their emotions contribute to the successful achievement of goals and maintaining a safe environment where people have confidence in their leader and feel safe to perform their duties under a common purpose. The pandemic period helped realize the importance of these characteristics and, therefore, being in the post Covid era, the leaders followed the same behavior with respect for the people and a will to adapt effectively to the new situation.
by Euphoria Team
Euphoria’s members: Eirini Antoniadi, Emilevassiliou, Artemis Logkaki, Theodora Matsaka, Alexia Moschouti, Iwanna Tsane
Course’s Professor: Dimitra Iordanoglou
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