I have been working this morning on my thesis. The pen in one hand, being concentrated on my paper: I thought to write this post (obviously I was not so concentrated haha).

Let’s focus on handwriting. Sometimes it is really inspiring to forget the computer and start thinking with nothing else but a paper and a pen… feeling the paper, hearing the pen scratching the paper, crossing out some words, writing some others… just being thinking.

I really need that to stand back from my life and take a time to think. In fact, I never read back my notes; it would be really difficult to read it back anyway. The act of thinking on paper is something that I just find rewarding.

As my friend JP told me, paradox: “You are blogging about writing with a pen.”

The hardest thing for an entrepreneur is not to find smart and courageous people, it is to find soft skilled people with a let’s-say sensitive spirit. I mean by soft skills the cluster of personality traits, friendliness, optimism… feelings. Sure we need hard skilled and smart people, but I strongly believe that soft skilled people are what we need the most around us, people able to understand and to listen to the others.

Some writings from Kevin Roberts’ blog:

“The people I know who are real experts don’t do jargon, back away from formulas and process, and sit out the brag sessions [...] High intelligence has always struck me as a great gift, but I believe the real treasure you want for your kids is an empathetic connection with the world around you and the people who live in it.”

“Emotion doesn’t make us irrational, it makes us effective [...] I’ve seen the brightest people make silly mistakes because they didn’t think with their hearts and their bodies.”

As I wrote in my last post: we have to consider people as people and keep considering our feelings while doing business: “Counting to ten and listening to your feelings is one of the most useful business tools.”

I advice you to read this post on Kevin Roberts’ Blog, enjoy reading !

In fact, who initiates and drives the organization? Who promotes and assures values and beliefs inside the organization? Who conducts change, shares ideas, initiates innovation? The answer is: people. Give people the opportunity to get involved and they will surprise you. Let them drive your company through innovation and introduce you new ways of creating value: be listening.
I would underline an interesting writing from the PriceWaterhouseCoopers CEO ‘s study: “[…] This means enabling employees to drive change, rather than using change to drive them; making them the owners and creators – not the targets – of change.” (PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2007). I believe that a people-focused company considering people’s interests, passions and fulfillment would naturally optimize its value architecture, value proposition and thus its global revenue.

Ok I should admit that I am in favor of an elitist policy (this is another debate), I definitely prefer an organization hiring slowly but efficiently. We usually want to work with people we know they will just agree and follow our ideas. We are afraid of people introducing a different way of thinking or people simply better than us. In fact, we should not hesitate to work with someone better than us. It is not a confrontation but a combination: competences are made to be complementary.

What about money? Money is here, people want money and we need to consider it. But that is not all. Some companies are really profitable, what does it mean? On a financial way? Ok. It is really expensive to hire the bests and take care of them, however a successful organization is also profitable on a let’s-say social way. Consider people as human and not just as resources, this is a long term strategy.

My way of considering success? Keep being innovative, work with the bests, respect people and give them the opportunity to surprise you.

In fact, I believe there will always be unethical people trying to succeed even if they have to consider unethical things. Just let these people live their life; this is not a good long term strategy anyway.

In fact, my father told me once: Cyril, do not be too nice (gullible). When I was younger I was considering everybody as nice. You travel, you meet people, you get older and you realize that mostly people would not hesitate to destroy you if they need it to succeed. Fortunately, some people have ethical spirit.

I strongly believe that we can succeed being respectful, honest and nice. Nice does not mean gullible, it means being listening to people, understanding, considering people as human. However do not be stupid. People easily forget that you were there for them. Live your life on your own and when someone really deserves your help, you will naturally feel it. If I succeed, I won’t succeed alone, but people would have deserved it.

(Sorry no time to record a video )