Farewell in a post-COVID-19 world!

How do I say goodbye to the people and a place that has been my life matrix for more than a quarter-century is a common question these days 😊! Accenture is such a unique place, a melting pot of humble, ‘normal people doing extraordinary things’ to quote our former CEO Bill Green. Accenture is the kind of exhilarating environment that keeps you on your toes, that provides excitement, fun and learning every day. Also, Accenture forces one – especially each leader - to constantly stay relevant to simply survive if not thrive while providing systematic access to amazing people, talent, ideas, experiences and … clients – remembering Pierre’s favorite challenging question: do you know what happens if one does not sell? …

As I used to say to new recruits, joining Accenture is like a freshwater experience: even if you just follow the flow, the speed and excitement are guaranteed but managing one’s trajectory requires intense and regular efforts and amazing resilience to stay above the tide and keep control of your own skiff. As many of my colleagues heard me saying - reusing my favorite quote from” Il Gattopardo (The Leopard)” from Giuseppe di Lampedusa: “For everything to remain the same, everything has to change”, a very poetic definition of stewardship, the most important value Accenture managed to take over from the partnership days. And even if my time has arrived, I will stay close to many of you and cheering you on from not too far a distance as I deeply believe in the future of the firm that has shown such amazing resilience and success since the days of Andersen Consulting!

As I embark upon my next independent chapter, I have been thinking about the last 26 years and the experiences afforded to me, as well as the wonderful people I have come to care about very much. I have adapted my learning in seven ‘lessons’ of management and somewhat personal recommendations via this selection of cultural illustrations and quotes.

1.Humility and 2. Humor (they combine well): from Nelson Mandela to Pierre Nanterme!

“It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.” - Woody Allen

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.”- Albert Einstein

“I believe my hologram might be as good as me.” - Pierre Nanterme

3. Teaming

 â€œComing together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” - Henry Ford

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." - Michael Jordan

4. Ambition …with a grain of salt!

“That’s the thing about your destiny: how are you supposed to know when it arrives? How are you supposed to recognize it from random life?” - David Baddiel

“Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy!” - Milan Kundera

« Avoir toujours raison, c’est un grand tort ! Â» - Edgar Faure

5. Diversity … for performance:

“We inhabit a universe that is characterized by diversity”. - Desmond Tutu

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein

“We believe our diversity makes us stronger, smarter, and more innovative, helping us better serve the needs of our clients, our people, and our communities.” - Julie Sweet

6. Football: what an allegory of life!

“Quality without Results is pointless, Results without quality is boring!” - Johann Cruyff

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you; it is much more serious than that.” - Bill Shankly

7. And Sustainability to conclude:

It’s not good enough anymore to do a side activity like CSR – it has to become an integral part of the company’s agenda. Businesses that do this are much better off. Paul Polman