In a world full of poseurs, one seeks to have basic psychological demands for personal growth and development throughout their lives as human beings. One can discover meaning and purpose in life by achieving self-actualization and can honestly say that they ‘lived.’ The drive to become the best version of oneself is known as self-actualization. It entails pushing ourselves to reach our maximum potential and fulfilling our artistic objectives. People with self-actualization have a more efficient perception of reality and are better prepared to withstand uncertainty. They appreciate putting their problem-solving talents to use in real-life circumstances and assisting others in improving their lives. Abraham Maslow, a humanistic psychologist, provided the known definition. Self-actualization, he explained, is the process of becoming “everything you are capable of becoming.”
Chief executives and entrepreneurs that outperform their peers in the long-term tend to be self-actualizing. That means they are concerned not just with the progress of their company but also with their own personal development. People are observing their leaders continuously, both consciously and subconsciously. The more leaders focus on their own development and show tangible results over time, the more they motivate others to do the same. However, having learning and growth as fundamental values only works if the leaders share the same dedication.
Personal, professional and functional growth are key pillars driving Tariq Chauhan, the Group CEO and Co-founder of EFS Facilities Services Group.
Leader with self-actualization
Tariq Chauhan’s interest and enthusiasm propelled him to a successful business career. He is a professional entrepreneur and a Harvard Business School alumnus. Over 35 years, he has developed expertise in international banking, technology and asset management, real estate, and creating and establishing businesses in the GCC, USA, UK, and Asia. In the past 18 months, Tariq has travelled to more than 50 countries, irrespective of the pandemic and other hazards. For the organisation, Tariq considered himself a colleague first and a leader second. He is dedicated to supporting those around him to become the best version of themselves and contribute to exceptional results. People are his motivator, and mirror as a leader, and he is passionate about them. Tariq thinks about them every day and learns from them about how one can develop, adjust, adapt, and grow as a leader. He demonstrates his leadership abilities through the implementation and the establishment of EFS Facilities Services Group.
EFS Facilities Services Group was founded with the goal of being a regional leader in providing comprehensive facilities management services. The Middle East, Africa,and South Asia and Turkey are all part of its global footprint.
It is unique in that it combines progressive, people-focused leadership with rapid technical adoption, resulting in the ideal environment for personal growth for employees and client portfolios. The business community has recognised the company for providing exceptional services to some of the biggest regional companies, including prominent multinationals, for over two decades. With a contract backlog of USD 1.7 billion and responsibility for a total area of approximately 52 million sq.m, with 28 operating firms in 21 countries around the region, it has set new norms in facilities management via quality service delivery and innovation.
Inspiration and Daily Lessons from Peers
Tariq’s function at home is defined by his family: he is the husband of an incredible woman and the father of two beautiful girls. He enjoys spending time with the family at home because they inspire him and provide him with tranquility, allowing him to come up with new ideas. Every day, he challenges himself to be a better version of himself than the day before, and he is committed to expanding his work’s initiatives and impact.
“I am passionate about people and as a business leader, I get inspiration and daily lessons from my peers, and I get inspired by our clients and our drive to be of service. I am deeply rooted in gratitude and self-actualization.”– says CEO, EFS Group.
The EFS family is the driving force behind the company’s expansion and makes significant contributions to the industry. In EFS, setting personal goals is widely encouraged. They ensure that every employee, at all levels can chart their own path to self-actualization and progress beyond their current circumstances. Everyone has professional goals for the impact they want to see and bring to EFS, in addition to personal ambitions. Tariq has an open-door policy and is always willing to hear new ideas, strategies, and initiatives that contribute to EFS’s innovative and out-of-the-box thinking. He believes that success for EFSians is success for EFS.
Overcoming Obstacles
In the profession, Tariq has faced numerous hurdles; to single out just one would be unfair. He believes all the obstacles and struggles have blended into one massive snowball of hardship that has taught a valuable lesson: resilience.. He believes that the most important barrier-breaker a leader can develop is resilience.
During the pandemic, the industry faced numerous hurdles in many ways, first responders included. Close to a post-pandemic future, the industry faces new realities and challenges, including preserving financial health while keeping costs low, retaining clients, attracting top staff, and integrating technology. Obtaining competitive new clientele is also a significant issue, given the tough financial realities. Industry leaders must become more inventive in devising methods to address all the issues.
“Regardless of adversity level – and adversity is undoubtedly a certainty – if you work on your resilience, you will overcome, adapt, and grow. There is no easy way to grow. “– says Tariq.
Reduce the risk of operational Risk management and Controls
In EFS, risk management and controls are business-critical levers without which business continuity and overall commercial enterprise value cannot be achieved. To generate greater organisational legitimacy, businesses must attempt not just to implement risk controls, but measure its impact. Management accounting, risk management, and corporate governance are all linked and effective as a result of these actions. At EFS, we were able to establish a risk mitigation culture that spread throughout the organisation and was integrated into all critical processes. In this domain, each department, position, and role must have its own set of key result areas.
Risk management’s self-regulation and adaptation through collective ownership by stakeholders is a precise sustainability benchmark, and it is the only method for risk management to achieve its aim. It is vital to create and maintain a risk register with complete risk rules across all aspects of the organization; it cannot be left to Finance or HR alone.
The Characteristics of Effective Leaders
In today’s world, a successful leader must be resilient, people-oriented, goal-driven, and integrate their business into a long-term people impact mission. Tariq thinks investing in people and assisting them in their development is an important aspect of leadership. As Group CEO, Tariq is responsible for ensuring the safety of his employees, clients, and stakeholders. Set out on a mission to aid in industry change and innovation.
“My happiest part of my daily routine would be the early morning meeting with my team—I love seeing them in action, sharing ideas and enthusiasm, and making incredible progress daily. We are known at EFS to make things happen quickly and fast, so we are always one step ahead to find the best ways for our company to contribute to a positive impact.” -says Tariq Chauhan.
He advises upcoming leaders to be humble and open to new ideas; learn to train themselves; look after their mental health; invest in becoming resilient, and seek out bright people on a regular basis.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
