In this interview, Emi Olausson Fourounjieva, the author of her unique “Adapt & Thrive” framework, shares the golden nuggets on how to succeed in the new era of AI. Renowned for her work as a transformational coach, soft skills trainer and digital transformation leader, she offers her insights on merging mindset, emotional intelligence and soft skills with technological innovation and advancement in leadership.
Emi Olausson Fourounjieva, Transformational Coach & Digital Transformation Leader
Emi, your professional journey with over 20 years in IT and digital, which resulted in several success stories on the global arena, emphasizes the winning mindset, innovative thinking and human-centricity from different perspectives. Could you explain what you see as crucial factors in today’s rapidly changing business environment?
In my life I’ve been working with a wide range of businesses, people and technologies across different countries. I've seen how a winning mindset is critical to thrive in the dynamic business world. Of course, it needs to be matched with powerful strategies and solutions, including innovative technologies, visionary thinking, emotional intelligence and soft skills. Humans need to be placed front and center.
It is about being agile and resilient, foreseeing trends, and adapting strategies. Leaders must not only embrace technological development but also understand the human elements that drive themselves and their teams, as well as the impact and consequences of their work. Balancing these aspects is key to thriving in an environment where change is the only constant.
How do you integrate the concept of continuous learning and skill development in your coaching and training?
I focus on nurturing the winning mindset that values creativity, growth and adaptability. It's about empowering leaders to sustainably operate outside of their comfort zone, see challenges as opportunities, find new impactful solutions and strategies, to be brave and enjoy the journey of professional and personal improvement.
In your approach, how do you balance different aspects of technology advancement with the human elements, particularly empathy?
Empathy is crucial in a technology-driven world. It’s about understanding and connecting with the team's and customer's needs, ensuring technology enhances, rather than replaces, the human touch. Leaders must wisely balance tech-savviness with emotional intelligence and soft skills. Many amazing digital transformation initiatives fail because of lack of this balance! Creating this synergy effect is a must for the leadership of the future.
What strategies do you recommend for leaders to take the leap and stay innovative and competitive?
In addition to embracing innovation, it is vital for leaders to maintain work-life balance to lead a more harmonious life. This equilibrium is essential as it helps to tap into one's inner power, fostering not just professional growth, but also personal growth and well-being at the same time. By nurturing this balance, leaders can achieve break-throughs on different levels, as it allows them to have more clarity, be more creative, focused, effective and energized. It is about having a clear vision, sustaining energy and motivation, being resilient - which is important for long-term success and adaptability.
It is crucial to have clarity around the intentions and goals, be a good communicator - listen to hear - not just to react, and communicate one’s own ideas and thoughts in an impactful way.
Now is a great time to release the old habits and bring in new habits and needed skills!
Looking ahead, what emerging trends do you believe will shape the future of leadership and digital business success?
The last few years have been incredibly disruptive, fundamentally altering our way of living life and running business. As we enter this new era, we're seeing shifts in human behavior, expectations, and new advanced technologies. Emerging trends include the integration of AI and machine learning into daily operations, a focus on sustainability, and an increased reliance on digital platforms for remote and hybrid work. The topic of cybersecurity and data protection has become increasingly critical. Leaders must prioritize cybersecurity in their strategies, integrating robust security measures and fostering a culture of data protection awareness within their organizations.
At the same time, this new landscape also demands leaders to be adaptable, empathetic, and tech-savvy, capable of leading diverse teams in a more connected, yet virtual world. After all, digital transformation is meant to be for humans, led by humans. The future of leadership and digital business will revolve around the paradigms emphasizing the need for visionary, innovative, transformative, empathetic, and ethical aspects applied both to humans and technologies, bridging them for the brighter present and future.
At the end of the day, all the efforts should result in happier people, successful businesses and a more exciting world to live in.
Emi's insights provide a roadmap for modern leaders seeking to cultivate a winning mindset and acquire impactful skills in a world marked by continuous change and technological advancements.
As our reader, you can book a complimentary 35 min strategy session with Emi HERE – she is happy to support leaders, business owners and digital businesses as a transformational coach; mindset, emotional intelligence & soft skills trainer; digital transformation advisor and global speaker.
