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On Friday, June 16th, the 7th edition of the Université d’Eté of IÉSEG took place on its Paris-La Défense campus. This day out of the ordinary brought together over 200 people (companies, public institutions, administrative and academic teams of the School, students, and alumni). The purpose of this event was to foster constructive exchanges, deep reflections, and enrich encounters around a current theme:

Opening of the day: a captivating plenary conference

To kick off this major event in the life of the School, an inspiring conference on the theme “There is no collective adventure without a human adventure!” was delivered by Laura DI MUZIO. Laura, a former captain of the Villeneuve d’Ascq rugby team, former player of the French national team, and 2016 champion of France, is now the president of the “Stade Villeneuvois Lille Métropole” club and co-founder of “LJA Sports.” Her accomplishments on the field testify to her perseverance and team spirit. During her speech, she highlighted the importance of getting to know your teammates well to better understand their way of functioning and communicating, in order to collaborate more effectively and harmoniously towards common goals.

She also shared some key success factors of a rugby team, which are valuable sources of inspiration in the professional world. Among these factors, she mentioned the crucial importance of commitment within a team to ensure consistent performance and the development of all members’ skills, despite any declines in motivation that may occur.

Laura DI MUZIO also emphasized the significance of the “extra soul,” that extra something that creates a connection, in the success of a collective effort. This illustrated the fact that each person within a group contributes their own piece to the puzzle, despite their individual difficulties, hence the challenge of fully integrating new recruits into their team. Similarly, fostering a sense of belonging has a strong impact on the overall success of the team.

Inspiring roundtable discussions conducive to fruitful exchanges

Following this conference, participants took part in roundtable discussions on various topics, all related to the value of the collective spirit. They were able to deepen their knowledge with experts and, above all, further reflect on the topics in order to leave with key takeaways and use them in their professional lives. Five roundtables were offered:

“Going further with Laura DI MUZIO”

This roundtable allowed for further discussions with Laura Di MUZIO, delving deeper into the topics addressed during the opening plenary conference.

“From individual to collective: combining health and performance” – with Sonia LEVILLAIN

This roundtable explored the psychological and sociological impacts of the COVID crisis on the world of work, with a focus on maintaining cohesion and creating a favorable environment to reconcile individual interests and the sustainability of value creation.

“Entrepreneurship in teams” – with Cyrine BEN HAFAIEDH

The speakers shed light on team entrepreneurship by examining the advantages of working as a team for diverse skills and the generation of innovative ideas.

“Rediscovering the taste for collective: key to sustainable engagement at work?” – with Bernard COULATY

In this roundtable, participants could focus on the importance of collective engagement in organizational performance, talent management, and intergenerational culture, highlighting the role of leaders, managers, and HR professionals.

“Luxury and secondhand: the meaning of the collective in the service of dreams and responsibility” – with Gwarlann DE KERVILER

This fifth and final roundtable focused on the link between luxury, secondhand items, and ethical and responsible brand engagement. It addressed the opportunities offered by the second-hand market and rentals to reconcile sustainability, the appeal of new collections, and the aspirations of young consumers.

Practical and fun workshops to strengthen team unity and collaboration

As a novelty this year, the afternoon was dedicated to team building workshops. The workshop entitled ‘The collective in service of co-creation – developing leadership’ allowed participants to work in groups with an expert coach to enhance their ability to engage and captivate their audience using effective presentation techniques.

In the second workshop, ‘The collective serving problem solving – strengthening trust,’ participants worked together as a team to solve a specific problem. Following the guidance of an experienced coach, they practiced effective communication, leveraging each other’s skills, and reaching a collective consensus by building a perfect square.

The workshop titled ‘The collective in service of cohesion – developing communication and connection with others’ helped participants understand their teamwork dynamics and enhance their cohesion. Guided by an expert coach, they explored the role of communication within a team through an exercise related to climate change and survival on an iceberg.

An original final touch!

Not wanting to reveal all its secrets, the organizing team of the Université d’Eté had prepared a surprise for the participants. The day concluded with an improvisation show performed by three talented actresses who delivered a unique performance by reenacting the highlights of the day. With spontaneity and creativity, they captivated the audience using their imagination to recreate key moments and the emotions experienced. Their humor and improvisational skills brought the highlights to life while offering a fun perspective on shared experiences. This show allowed everyone to live the day again in an entertaining way and conclude it on a lighthearted and memorable note.”