As General Manager, Business Operations for Allens, Toula Panopoulos is involved in every aspect of the business, including ensuring the office is a place for people to connect and do their best work. During the pandemic, Toula has been fundamental to helping Allens adapt to and implement change, guiding people into the new normal. Toula credits her success to strong leaders and mentors, both male and female, who have shared their knowledge and given her the confidence to get to where she is today. 

Everything we do comes down to relationships. You must build relationships and trust which, for me, is a key requirement for any job. Working with people and understanding what motivates them and what inspires them to do what they do is key to every interaction. Personally, I need sound communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills. We can’t always give people what they want, so we need to navigate that. Having an analytical mind helps – the ability to think beyond a problem at its face value and understand how the problem came to be, is key to a successful outcome. It’s about being able to implement change and guide people through that. When I think about the business world we started in and the hybrid business world we’re in now, there’s been incredible change. Being able to adapt to and implement change is critical. 

I’ve been lucky to have had strong leaders, both female and male, who have led me to where I am today. They have shared their knowledge and have given me the confidence to keep moving forward when I’ve felt unsure or didn’t think I had the skills. I’ll always be grateful for that. Do you need to be tenacious? Yes, you do. As women, we need to be better at believing in ourselves, challenging our own limits and pushing ourselves forward. We need to acknowledge that we may not have 100 percent of the skills required in a job description, but we should apply anyway. It’s about having the courage to push forward and say, “I can do that”. 

Being a good leader is setting a direction and allowing people to come on that journey. It’s listening to people, to new ideas and putting yourself in their position. It’s about allowing people to thrive and yourself to fail. Sometimes, the decisions we make won’t be popular, but having the courage to make them and move forward is critical.