ON-Business. “Leadership must come from the heart and not from the mind.” Pascale de Senarclens-Hargous
By Guila-Clara Kessous, PhD.
“The whole ambition of positive leadership rests on the ability of the leader to question himself. To work to obtain the help of others without resorting to force or authority, to cultivate a sincere desire to respect the other and to act in his interest are the challenges of the positive leader. But how does one achieve it? How do we arrive at this “supreme excellence” that Sun Tzu described as a “win without fighting” in The Art of War? We must remember this key sentence from Pascale de Senarclens-Hargous: “Leadership must come from the heart and not from the mind.” Or more exactly, positive leadership comes by daring to ask the following question based on genuine humility: “Who wants me as a leader?” It implies a permanent questioning of the leader, not with respect to the excellence of the information he transmits, but of his ability to communicate to the other in a deep desire to be understood and generate a positive impact. Too many leaders continue to think that their business expertise is enough to exercise their leadership role. This is wrong. It is the ability to gather positively, to “excite”, to “federate” its employees that will make the difference in a world where the selection of applications becomes more and more competitive. Finally, to paraphrase this metaphor of Native American wisdom, we must admit that we all have two leaders in us. The first that represents serenity, love, and kindness. The second who cultivates fear, greed, and hatred. And remember that whoever wins is the one we feed!”
About Guila-Clara Kessous
Guila-Clara Kessous, PhD. is a research professor, a coach, and a UNESCO Artist for Peace. Recipient of a doctorate under Elie Wiesel’s direction, she is using theatrical techniques to help suffering populations (survivors of genocide and human rights violations) better express themselves and have a stronger impact on new generations. She is also certified in positive psychology by Harvard University Professor Tal Ben Shahar and accompanies people to achieve stronger resilience in times of crisis. She deals with issues of positive leadership, crisis communication, and managerial posture using theatrical techniques and role-playing. Following the coaching of suffering populations, she accompanies personalities, executive committees, senior executives, and managers in crisis contexts in France and abroad. Today, she is working with healthcare personnel, ranging from executives to nurses, to provide coaching and counseling to those serving at the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.