Helga Ellul, the former CEO of Playmobil Malta, stands as a beacon of leadership, embodying the delicate balance between a thriving career and a fulfilling family life. In this in-depth interview, Ellul shares her journey, offering invaluable insights into leadership, work-life balance, and cultural adaptation that have shaped her remarkable career and personal life.
Helga Ellul shared these insights with IGNITE, an IDEA Group initiative featuring interviews with Malta's leading entrepreneurs
For Ellul, a mother of two and grandmother of five, her greatest achievements lie in successfully managing both a high-powered professional career and a nurturing family life. When asked about her secret to this impressive balancing act, Ellul credits her German background and the discipline it instilled in her.
"It's not easy," Ellul admits, "but being originally German, I'm used to being very disciplined." This discipline manifests in a strict separation of work and family time. "During the week, it was work, trying to always be home in the evening. But the weekend was family time," she explains. This separation is so ingrained that even now, years after stepping down as CEO, her phone remains off from Friday to Monday morning, creating an impenetrable barrier for family time.
When discussing essential leadership skills, Ellul presents a nuanced view that balances the human element with business necessities. "Leadership is very much based on human values," she states, emphasizing the importance of people skills in effective management.
Ellul's leadership philosophy centers around talent acquisition and empowerment. "You need to try and source the right talent with the right attitudes, motivate them, and create empowerment in people," she explains. This approach fosters a work environment where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute their best.
However, Ellul is quick to point out that soft skills alone are not enough. "Obviously, you have to be business-minded and strategic," she adds. "You have to know where you want to go, focus, and put your goals in front." This combination of people-centric leadership and strategic thinking has been a hallmark of Ellul's successful career.
For aspiring leaders, Ellul's approach offers a valuable lesson: while business acumen is crucial, never underestimate the power of strong interpersonal skills and employee empowerment in driving organizational success.
Ellul's approach to keeping projects on schedule is a masterclass in effective project management. She emphasizes the importance of meticulous planning, clear task assignment, and consistent progress measurement.
"You have to have a proper project plan and your time frame. You know exactly what you want to achieve, so you measure it," Ellul explains. This systematic approach ensures that everyone involved in a project understands their responsibilities and deadlines.
But planning is just the beginning. Ellul stresses the importance of discipline in executing the plan. "That's where discipline comes in," she says, "and where everybody in the team will know and make sure as well that you assign properly." This clear assignment of tasks prevents confusion and ensures accountability.
Ellul's journey from Germany to Malta presented her with significant cultural challenges, which she navigated with remarkable adaptability and insight. Her experience offers valuable lessons for anyone working in a foreign culture or managing diverse teams.
"I had to adapt," Ellul admits. "It is a different culture, and you have to try and get the best of this culture." This openness to learning and adapting is crucial for success in a globalized business world.
Ellul's career is marked by her ability to take on new challenges and rapidly adapt to unfamiliar roles. She recounts two significant challenges that shaped her as a leader: her transition from an administrative role to CEO at Playmobil Malta, and her later appointment as president of the Chamber of Commerce.
When Ellul took over as CEO of Playmobil Malta in 1982, she faced a steep learning curve. "Originally when I came to Malta, I was more coming to do the administration side," she explains. "Then obviously I took over in '82 to be the CEO, which was much more on the technical side, which for me wasn't that easy."
Rather than being daunted by her lack of technical expertise, Ellul approached this challenge with a leadership mindset. "Where leadership comes in, you don't have to be an expert," she says, "but listen to your experts, find the right ones, and then lead them together." This approach – leveraging the expertise of her team while providing overall direction – allowed Ellul to successfully navigate her new role.
Later in her career, Ellul faced another significant challenge when she became president of the Chamber of Commerce. "I was very much based on manufacturing. All of a sudden, I had to look at the whole economy," she recalls. This broadening of perspective required Ellul to quickly learn about diverse sectors of the Maltese economy.
Rather than seeing this as a burden, Ellul embraced the opportunity for growth. "I learned a lot, looking at the different aspects which was the whole economy in Malta," she says. "It was quite a challenge, but a nice one, and I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it."
Another key aspect of Ellul's conflict resolution strategy is teaching the art of compromise. "You have to tell people as well to learn how to compromise. We can't have it always all our way," she says. This approach not only resolves immediate conflicts but also builds a more collaborative and harmonious work environment.
Helga Ellul's legacy, defined by her commitment to empowering others and balancing professional success with personal fulfillment, provides an inspiring model for current and future leaders across all industries.
More IGNITE interviews will follow.