I have always had a deep seated desire to help people reconnect with themselves, but also to help them become more coherent and calmer by using communication. Communication with oneself (internal dialogue) and communication with others. This desire led me to look for tools, training, books to perfect my knowledge and sharpen my critical sense …
I used to believe that if something was dominant in my life, it was cold reason. I was always able to find the arguments and to analyze human behavior in what I thought was a very rational framework. Now, I have to admit that if I have always had the ability to read others, my so-called reason only had a secondary role to play – that of putting my ideas in order – and that it is rather my profound empathy and my ability to put myself in the shoes of others that was my true talent.
Some speak of emotional intelligence. I think this term is perfect to illustrate what I’ve lived all my life: recognizing the emotions in others and using this knowledge to advise, support and reflect has always been a second nature to me, and this from a very young age. What I did not understand, however, was that I had never really allowed myself to recognize those same emotions in myself… Paradox? Perhaps. Still, I embarked on a journey of discovery of myself in recent years that helped me better understand the importance of vulnerability in human relations. I now cultivate a very healthy vulnerability and practice it as much as possible.
But this path is not easy – you have to identify and unlearn your own defense mechanisms – to really get in touch with others. But what it leads to is true fulfilment. This is what the creation of my company has done for me. It brought about a deep broadening of my heart, of my spirit and of my will. Everyday I learn something new and marvel at the creativity that emerges in groups of people who communicate with open hearts, minds and wills.
One thing is clear: fear of being judged is ubiquitous in environments that do not put people’s trust first, that do not offer some form of immunity and security to the people who are part of it.
Therefore, let me ask you candidly: how many workplaces have a culture that really prioritizes the humans who compose them and promote such openness (what I would call a fruitful vulnerability)? How many leaders put the needs of their employees first in their list of responsibilities? How many places do you know where people really consider the needs of the group, the team?
Simon Sinek has said it many times, and I deeply share his belief: the responsibility of a leader is to show the objective and inspire (true), but also to provide his team with an environment and the tools necessary for them to use this rich and creative vulnerability, so that people can feel interconnected, feel important, feel that their contribution is valued. Only then will they have the desire to invest time, effort and excel.
The quest for self – or the quest for the ideal of oneself – is a path that never ends. Everyone goes at their own pace and some people are not interested in it at all, preferring to live from day to day without changing … But the only thing that does not change is the obligation to adapt. In the world in which we live, in this emerging future, the ability to change, reinvent oneself and adapt are, and will be, the only essential qualities. To come together to solve the problems of this century, we must return to the essential: human relations and collective consciousness. This is the mission of my tribe … and I feel full of gratitude for finally finding it with Retrousse.