| What I know now....Leadership is about the Leader's | | | | approachable they are. This is exactly who Cora is: |
| Character | | | | approachable. |
| | | | |
| | | | | Cora's advice to business owners is “You don't |
| Leaders are more powerful role models when they | | | | always have to be intelligent, you just have to let you |
| learn than when they teach. -Rosabeth Kantor | | | | be you. Come back to your human quality. Let yourself |
| | | | | be loving, let yourself teach and learn. Just let yourself |
| | | | | be.” |
| We have all come across various definitions and | | | | |
| examples of leaders. Recently I had the opportunity to | | | | It was evident from my interview with Cora that this |
| meet with a leader who pleasantly surprised me with | | | | was not rhetoric, this advice was a passionate |
| her example. | | | | message that she lived and wanted entrepreneurs |
| | | | | and employers to live. It is true that great leaders have |
| Last month, I had a chance to meet with and interview | | | | many virtues worth imitating, but what makes them |
| Cora Tsouflidou. In May 1987, Cora purchased a tiny | | | | great, is their ability to inspire the minds and the hearts |
| neighborhood canteen and turn the canteen into a | | | | of those who work with them. |
| restaurant that served innovative breakfasts, | | | | |
| specializing in omelettes and crepes. Cora is the genius | | | | Regardless of your industry, here are some virtues |
| behind Chez Cora and Cora’s Breakfast & | | | | that you want your employees to be able to imitate in |
| Lunch restaurants and the founder of the 100-location | | | | you: |
| chain franchise. | | | | |
| | | | | Respectfully listen without judgment |
| In my research of Cora prior to our interview, I found | | | | Have a sense of humour: being funny is not the same |
| out that Cora has no debt and that while she started | | | | as sarcasm |
| Chez Cora; she was also a hostess at famous | | | | Be assertive not aggressive |
| Montreal restaurant, where she started as a day | | | | Treat everyone like people: remember the first to |
| manager was then promoted to general manager. Her | | | | present his/her case; always seems right. |
| goal in simultaneously starting Chez Cora and working | | | | |
| as a hostess, was to showcase and perfect her | | | | The ultimate way of learning what virtues describe |
| expertise. 100-chair restaurants later, it is clear that | | | | you as a leader, is to learn from your team, what |
| Cora has mastered her trade and has a great | | | | qualities they'd sincerely use to describe your |
| business model worthy of imitation. | | | | leadership style. It might be a courageous task but it |
| | | | | helps in establishing an atmosphere where creativity is |
| We all know that the sign of a great leader is not how | | | | promoted. And as any leader knows, creativity and |
| much money they have. For most of us, what makes | | | | atmosphere affect your bottom line and your |
| a leader memorable is their example and how | | | | employees desire to go the extra mile. |