Faculty and students from Hellenic American University participated in the Ninth Biennial Conference on Enhancing Sales Force Productivity, co-organized by Texas A&M University and the Democritus University of Thrace, on May 25-27, at Thessaloniki.
The research paper, titled “Individual Perceptions of Leadership Emergence in the B2B Sector and its Effect on Perceived Team Sales Performance” was presented by Dr. Damianos Giannakis, Director of the Master of Science in Sales Management (MSSM) program, with contributions from the program’s students/graduates, Periklis Sakkos, Vera Karampela, Alexander Vlachos-Pedersen, Georgia Bellou, and Paraskevi Aleiftira.
The study explores how informal leadership emerges within B2B sales teams and how it influences team dynamics and perceived performance. Drawing on qualitative interviews with sales professionals across organizations in Greece, the research highlights that leadership often develops organically through everyday behaviors rather than formal authority. Attributes such as clear communication, composure under pressure, and peer support were commonly associated with emerging leadership roles.
Findings suggest that these informal leadership dynamics contribute to stronger collaboration, increased motivation, and a more stable team environment, particularly when aligned with organizational culture and working practices. The study also emphasizes the importance of perception in shaping team effectiveness, showing how peer-recognized leadership can significantly influence motivation and collective performance.
The participation in this international conference reflects HAUniv’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, applied research, and the active engagement of students in meaningful scholarly work that bridges theory and practice.
Photo: (L-R) Mr. Periklis Sakkos, Dr. Damianos Giannakis and Ms. Vera Karampela at the presentation
