12.04.2021
Michalis Vasileiou made a remarkable speech to the Master students studying Leadership in Multicultural Environment at the Sofia University Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in the beginning of April.
Mr. Vasileiou presented the new millennium leaders’ rules of engagement: Enhance inclusiveness (create a space where everyone can equally be heard); Request evidence (power of voice is defined by power of evidence, not position); Support experimentation (evidence is build based on experiments); Embrace failure (failing in experiment is indeed evidence).
Highlighting the importance of context when transforming the organization towards a New Leadership Culture the lecturer unfolded the ultimate leadership qualities when leading a team during times of massive change. Applying empathy and ensuring transparency with a genuine interest and authenticity will gain trust in the leader. Creating meaning will help individuals to unfold their own purpose and build trust to the vision. Building attitude and committing a team growth will construct the third level of trust where the followers are confident, self-motivated and inspired by self-leadership. The successful leader is one who helps the others to reach a state of inspiration where the leaders could not deliver any more.
Mr. Vasileiou concluded the lecture with an inspiring message that reveals the most progressive approach to leadership: During a leadership journey treat people with empathy and they will follow you because you respect them; Be transparent and they will follow you because they feel safe; Be a role model and they will follow you because they can project themselves in the future; Help them build a strong attitude and a strong core and they will follow you because they feel more confident. Leadership has nothing to do with how individuals feel about the leader; it is all about how they feel about themselves.
Michalis Vasileiou has a strong international experience, attending different managerial positions and leading various teams worldwide. He is a certified Business coach. Presently Mr. Vasileiou is the Head Of Commercial Operations at Philip Morris International.