Name: Ghizlane Mathiau

Title: Director

Organisation: One Life Environment

Foresight and communication specialist.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Ghizlane's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

What i find challenging is the storm in my head, with so many thoughts or ideas and feelings. It isn't easy some times to concretize all the ideas we have, in our team, but we challenge to spend time with projects that motivate us and stimulate our creativity. Actually, i like to work with deadlines and with objectives, and priorities. And sometimes, the fact, that is an urgence, like something to do for yesterday, the adrenaline makes me do it rapidly.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I don't know if i'm leader. I'm just a thinker. I spent so many time taking at the simple question of time. I write in secret. I don't want to be read by someone. I'm also a dreamer. And i'm a woman that takes actions. My key words are : to think, to dream, and then action. We think first to an idea, we dream about it, as is it could be, and then we take actions to realize it.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

As i said, i work with deadline.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

That things can go wrong. The uncertainty of some aspects of projects. Or that things can go right in some other aspects. That finally, it depends on your attitude. And your dolphin attitude or monkey mindset, to take everything on the good aspect.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Shock of the future by Alvin Tofler. The man just saw the technological revolution by 1970, and we're living it now.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Trust yourself.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Let it be. I think that this song by John Lennon is the most powerful song ever. It's an hymn to universalism and peace. I'm little bit idealist and an utopiste, i really think that world "may be as one".