I recently received a new lesson in leadership from nature around me. I live in a city, and much of the world I experience daily is dominated and controlled by human beings, whether we spend our time in buildings, cars, or homes. We are “protected” by structures which give us the illusion of control. Rather […]
Isabelle Francois
If you want to be a leader try to become a storyteller
I became aware last year of the power of storytelling. Our children have a way to show us the impact of a story, but we often diminish its role: this is just a story! What a shame… Children know best. I believe storytelling has a powerful transformative ingredient worth remembering and considering, as we try to make […]
Let us welcome a new year!
As I packed my Christmas decorations this weekend, eating the last chocolates from visiting loved ones, feeling the presence of departed family and friends, I am wondering why life seems so empty all of sudden. This mellowness does not have to tarnish the fulfilling memories of happy festivities. It does not have to trigger a […]
Leadership is shining your light
I grew up always attracted by the light in people’s eyes. I felt so dazzled by the glimmer shining through these eyes. Yet, I noticed how often this light lies dormant on people’s faces, and I wondered what is it that stops this spark. Is it fears, or feeling inadequate? Is it sadness? Is it […]
You are important
You are important and your life matters because you are a microcosm of a larger whole. Your life is a piece of a puzzle connected to a larger universe where your internal experiences affect the whole of life around you. In reality, life organizes around you! This is a shift of perception around your impact in […]
How to show up for life?
I often felt that you can only lead from a place of power, that you are in charge when you feel your best, and that others follow when they feel your strength. I came to realize that the point is not to project anything, but to be authentic rather than powerful or in control. The […]
Vulnerability in leadership
I love to watch trees in the autumn. It used to be I liked them most because of the colours, notably in Canada! However, with age I notice in forests around me how trees grow wider each passing year. I see the bark they shed regularly, as they outgrow these boundaries. I reflect on how […]
Peace within dictates peace on the outside
There are so many reasons why the world is in turmoil and so few recipes to bring it to a peaceful place. In reality there is only one reason to account for this dire state: we are not at peace ourselves. We feel compelled to blame disorder and chaos in the world on our fellow […]
Vision and leadership
Looking around me these days, I can be just as overwhelmed by what I see. I often feel unable to make sense of a lot of images passing in front of my eyes throughout the day. I register the stress on people faces, as well as the ugliness and fear coming from the wreckage of […]
Fear of failure
What if failure was a good thing? What if failure was a way to learn and innovate, a technic to master (fail, fail and fail better), a path towards mastery. I remember thinking that failure should be taught in school. There are so many things to learn from failures. It leads to a gradual process […]