Last week, the #Innoliders Event organized by Innobaix took place at the Citilab space in Cornellà.
Close to eighty people attended the inaugural edition of the InnoLíders event. This is the third event in this format organized by Innobaix. The first two editions were named InnoDona, emphasizing the presence of women in the business sphere. However, in this edition, they decided not to focus solely on women but on a leadership style that is not exclusive to any gender.
The panel discussion was moderated by Ariadna Belver, Communications Director of Closa, and host of the Lideratges program on Onda Cero Catalunya, which was recorded during the event. The participants included Ágata Gelaberto, Innovation and Business Development leader at Idilia Foods, co-director of the Consejer@s Program, and vice president of the Spanish Association of Executives and Board Members; Ernest Quingles, Senior Partner at Closa, president of the European Union Commission of Fomento del Trabajo, and member of the boards of several technology companies and the Executive Committee of ACC10; Joana Barbany-Freixa, mentor, consultant, and advisor, member of the European Women on Boards association, and responsible for Talent Digital at Michael Page; Vicenç Alujas, sociologist, speaker, and writer, trainer in companies and institutions in areas such as ethics, motivation, and determination. In addition to being the general director of Innobaix, she is an expert in emotional intelligence and well-being in organizations.
The debate revolved around the characteristics a good leader should have and how gender influences leadership. According to Àgata Gelabertó, innovation requires specific leadership, and women have characteristics that contribute positively, “but it is not necessary for women to lead innovation, as anyone can have these skills.” According to Natalia Mir, talent and leadership do not necessarily go hand in hand: “Talent is innate, leadership is learned, and it can be done by anyone.”
Ernest Quingles mentioned that the leadership style changes over time: “When you are younger, it’s about ‘pushing and pulling,’ then you realize that if you push too hard, the team cannot follow, and you end up alone. Also, you can create distrust among your superiors, who think you want their position.” Vicenç Alujas defined what, for him, a good leader should have: “purpose, focus, humility, commitment, trust, and teamwork.” Joana Barbany-Freixa believes that innovation is gender-neutral, “but sometimes you have to force situations to change dynamics and avoid inequalities.” In this regard, she advocated for the role of education, which is already allowing many girls to excel in schools above their male peers.
Innobaix” You can listen to the podcast of the “Lideratges” program with Ariadna Belver on the Onda Cero website and app.
Link to the podcast: Programa especial Jornada Innoliders
