Showing a lead
Żaneta Berus examines the changing role and style of leadership brought by the pandemic and , together with a selection of industry leaders , points to new opportunities for the events industry
he pandemic has
T turned the entire business events industry upside-down . Many companies have been lost and many people have changed jobs , some migrating to industries that are more predictable and not closed down every time a new wave of the virus arrives .
Now , countries are reopening their businesses , including hotels , events and trade fairs , but will we be the same as before the pandemic ? I don ’ t think so .
Role of the leader Let us examine the role of the leader during and after the pandemic . What has changed and what demands are being placed on managers now ?
In many trade fair organisations , posts have been cut , and managers have lost their jobs . Many have had to deal with completely changed relationships and conditions .
I asked a selection of colleagueleaders how their roles and philosophy have changed , and what new opportunities they now see .
I spoke to Berislav Čižmek , CEO CBBS - Management Consulting and EU Lobbying Company ( Croatia ), Mary Larkin , president Diversified Communication US Division , and to Edward Liu , managing director CEMS in Singapore .
From my conversations , it struck
me that the most important traits of a leader in a pandemic is an ability to exude calmness , composure and to be able to reassure your team that the pandemic will end . It is tough , and there are many moments of doubt , but our people expect strong leadership .
Berislav Čižmek believes the key role of leaders is to maintain communication both inside the company and with customers , “ Leaders need to show empathy with the people around as well as confidence combined with realism ”.
Edward Liu adds that “ to stay afloat , it is important to keep the focus on our core business and preserve the integrity of events and their stakeholders ”.
Mary Larkin adds : “ It was very important [ during the pandemic ] to take each day in one ’ s stride so you could navigate the unknown and the ever changing landscape that our businesses faced .” She also highlighted the need for empathy with one ’ s staff who may not only be fearful , but weary from cancelling and postponing shows , only then to start all over again . “ Clear and honest communication meant that staff and customers trusted what you had to say , were patient and stuck with you ,” she says .
What then has changed in terms of leadership qualities required post pandemic ?
Certainly there is a need to
Above left-right : Berislav Čižmek , Zaneta Berus , Eduard Liu and Mary Larkin
think strategically and to be able to normalise hybrid work after the pandemic . A strong leader with a vision for the company ’ s development and a clear message to the workforce is what many companies need today .
Larkin , points out : “ Managing and moving with the ever changing environment is a test of patience and resilience . During the pandemic , successful leaders were those who stayed in front of their staff and customers , understood the impact of the unknown , sought realistic opportunities and now , as we move towards the new normal , are making the most of what they can improve on and learn from this past 18 months .”
Liu believes a leader must have a vision . “ Our leaders must always be strategic in vision and outlook . We must now look beyond the horizon and envision the future in a New Normal .”
Čižmek stresses it is important to be able to mobilise teams to be proactive and adopt to ‘ new normal ’ as quickly as possible .”
“ We need to remember that the measure of our success as leaders of event companies is our customers and their willingness to trust us after a pandemic and their willingness to attend events in the ‘ new opening ’,” he adds .
Most clients want a quick return to face-to-face meetings , but with all safety rules implemented . And Čižmek points out that this is especially important for small and medium sized companies .
Larkin agrees customers definitely want to return to live events . “ For those events we have run , attendees have been effusive about how happy they are to be back in person … We need to remember that small businesses rely on events to fuel their growth . They are the most eager to return and to get in front of new buyers and new opportunities .”
This is all linked to the issue of risk management , yet not all
38 Issue 6 2021 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk