Rustam Gilfanov, an IT businessman and international investor, shares his opinion on how the life energy of a leader influences the development and efficiency of the company.
Many traditionally believe that high IQ is what makes a successful leader. However, in reality, it is far away to be true. People of keen intellect are not always brilliant leaders because they are usually not endued with good abilities for empathy. Indeed, such people are, by and large, snobs; they do not seek communication and have difficulty interacting with people who are not equal to them in terms of intellectual endowments.
In this vein, VQ, the vital energy coefficient, is coming into play. In simple terms, VQ is the ability of leaders to energize themselves, share their energy with those around them, and promote changes within both the team and the whole company. On the one hand, life energy is, an inborn quality, but on the other, it can be acquired and developed. Experts believe that VQ becomes equivalent to IQ and EQ.
“The main thing here is to have a pretty clear sense of your interests, to learn to understand what gives you energy and what takes it away. If you feel that your energy level does not meet your expectations, it is time to review your work and hobbies. When we do what we love, we feel a surge of energy and inspiration. Think about what you can eliminate in your life to restore the balance,” advises Gilfanov.
Similar to people, companies may also have high or low VQs. If a leader is passive, the employees become passive too.
“What every leader must do is, in particular, helping employees to reveal their hidden talents, unlock their potential and release energy,” says Rustam Gilfanov.
Besides that, a talented leader must understand how to motivate employees. Some are motivated by a perspective to get a higher salary, others would like to win recognition, and the thirds are driven by the opportunity to expand their sphere of influence. According to Gilfanov, usually, leaders stimulate their employees through the fear paradigm, while it is much more effective to incentivize the staff through the assurance of a better, more attractive future.
As noted by Rustam Gilfanov, the higher the level of freedom and trust within the team the more opportunities to unleash internal energy. In a successful, dynamically developing company, people are very active, initiative, and persistent in achieving common goals. But if the leader is emotionally weak and not interested in the results, VQ of the team and the whole company decreases dramatically.
Here are the signs indicating that the team has problems with VQ: toxic environment, reduced interest in the business, lack of feedback, difficult communication, burnout. In this case, experts advise setting clear motivating goals, helping the team to overcome the fear of failure, and turning challenges into opportunities.
Summing up, it should be noted that the leader introduces changes in the company, but without energy, significant changes are impossible.
Short background information
Rustam Gilfanov is known as a co-founder of an outsourcing IT company, an IT businessman, and a major international investor.
The birthplace of Rustam Gilfanov is Basim, a small township in the Perm Territory where he was born on January 6, 1983. His father is a military officer and his mother is a primary school teacher.
In 2006, Gilfanov Rustam, supported and encouraged by his partners, founded an international outsourcing IT company in Kyiv. Today, it is a large company and a top-tier developer of advanced software products for a variety of businesses, including gaming, marketing, and finance.
Not so long ago, Gilfanov quitted his direct responsibilities in the IT company and devoted himself to international investment in perspective IT startups. It is also important for Rustam Gilfanov to strongly support goodwill projects throughout Ukraine.
Rustam Gilfanov is married and parents one daughter.