The Leadership Talks with Young Professionals 1 — Alexandra Kakolyri

I am hosting a young professional, Alexandra Kakolyri, who is our newest and precious team member at Cosmoleadership. She is one of those people you feel connected to, at first sight, thanks to her sincerity. The way she handles her duties at Cosmoleadership, her self-dicipline, as well as her hardworking and creative personality are reflected in her work.

I believe that to be able to lead the younger employees and the instantly changing (technologicaly or by pandemic, etc.) work conditions more effectively, all leaders and managers should pay attention what young professionals and future professionals say.

Thank you Alexandra, it is a pleasure to be a teammate with you!

I am a Digital Marketing Creator, and I volunteer as a Digital Marketing Specialist at the non-profit organization Cosmoleadership. I am passionate about communication and digital marketing. My studies were focused on communication. I love attending seminars on digital marketing and working as part of a team. My motto is “Be patient and work on your goals”.

· What does the concept of leadership mean to you?

The concept of leadership is a process by which an individual influences other individuals to achieve a goal.

· How would you compare a leader and a manager? Should a manager always be a “leader”?

A leader is someone who takes the risk in order to accomplish a mission. A manager is the person who controls the risk. I think that management and leadership are two different roles within an organization. By the way, managers should have some leadership skills, because their role demands planning, coordinating, and organizing tasks and activities.

· Which one would be more effective for a successful business and talent management, a dictating leadership or empathetic leadership? How?

An empathetic leadership would be more effective for a successful business. Empathy contributes to building and maintaining relationships in an organization.

· What kind of workplace would you like to work regarding the management approach?

I have worked in many types of environments and enjoyed learning new things from each one. I would say that while I do not prefer a particular environment, I really like working with people who are good listeners and ask for feedback.

· How important is mental health in a workplace?

There is a strong connection between a mentally healthy workplace and the achievement of business objectives. Employees are more productive in mentally healthy workplaces.

· How would you react if you were bullied, overstressed by your colleagues and/or superiors, or when your knowledge, abilities and work were not acknowledged?

I have worked in an environment where I was bullied by my superiors. At first, I tried to talk to them in order to solve the problem. When I understood that they did not change their attitude, I quit my job. I think that mental health is very important in a workplace in order to be productive.

· What should a leader’s approach be about mental health at work?

Leaders should ensure good mental health in the work environment. It is the key to achieve successful leadership.

· How do you think the education system and the business world should evolve, especially considering the Covid-19 era?

Coronavirus pandemic has shined a harsh light of challenges on the education system and the business world. The increase in the use of technology is the most significant impact of pandemic. Both the education system and the business world are now in the digital era. It is important that governments invest in digital skills so that students and employees can be more qualified and cope with challenges.