LA FRANCE PEUT-ELLE SE RELEVER SANS SON PEUPLE ? Regards croisés sur une nation en quête de sens

Par Sénamé Agbossou En observant les troubles sociaux qui secouent la France depuis plusieurs années – des Gilets jaunes aux blocages des agriculteurs, jusqu'aux appels à « Bloquer tout » –, je ne peux m'empêcher de me demander : s'agit-il vraiment d'une simple crise politique, ou assistons-nous à quelque chose de plus profond ? Une fracture qui touche au cœur même de notre conception de la communauté, de l'appartenance et du projet commun ? Porteur de la double nationalité, togolaise et française, et fort de décennies d'expérience professionnelle entre l'Europe et l'Afrique, je perçois les difficultés actuelles de la France à travers un prisme singulier. C'est celui de l'Ubuntu, cette philosophie africaine qui nous rappelle que « Je suis parce que nous sommes ». À travers mon travail avec Obuntuo, je me suis donné pour mission de rendre ce principe opérationnel au sein des équipes, des institutions et de la vie citoyenne. Ce que je vois en France aujourd'hui, ce n'est pas seulement un échec du politique. C'est un échec de la relation. Et l'Ubuntu a beaucoup à nous apprendre sur ce qui nous manque et sur la manière de retrouver notre chemin. Ce que l'Ubuntu révèle de la fracture française Lorsque l'on applique la sagesse de l'Ubuntu à la crise française, six manques criants apparaissent :  1. Le déficit de dignité L'Ubuntu part d'une vérité fondamentale : la valeur de chaque personne est inconditionnelle, surtout celle de nos opposants. Mais regardons le climat politique français actuel. Le mouvement « Bloquons tout » a été précédé de symboles profondément dégradants, comme ces têtes de porc déposées près de lieux de culte et portant le nom du président. Ce n'est pas seulement de la mauvaise politique ; c'est une corrosion du socle même qui rend possible le débat démocratique. L'Ubuntu nous enseigne une chose que nous semblons avoir oubliée : la dignité perdue en amont engendre le désordre en aval. Lorsque nous cessons de voir nos adversaires comme des êtres humains méritant le respect, nous empoisonnons le puits de la résolution collective avant même d'avoir commencé. 2. Le déni d'interdépendance Face à une Assemblée nationale sans majorité absolue, la réalité mathématique est claire : aucun camp ne peut gouverner seul. La légitimité doit être co-créée, et non confisquée. Pourtant, notre culture politique continue de fonctionner comme si un camp pouvait l'emporter totalement, tandis que les autres disparaîtraient dans l'insignifiance. La valse des gouvernements et le défilé des Premiers ministres démissionnaires illustrent ce qui arrive lorsque l'on nie l'interdépendance au lieu de l'organiser. L'Ubuntu nous rappelle qu'un pouvoir durable est un pouvoir partagé, non par angélisme moral, mais par pur pragmatisme. 3. Le vide participatif Les politiques publiques ne vivent pas dans les salles de réunion ; elles atterrissent dans des vies réelles. Celles des agriculteurs étranglés par de nouvelles réglementations, des infirmières à bout de souffle dans des hôpitaux en sous-effectif, des étudiants face à un avenir incertain ou des petits entrepreneurs perdus dans une bureaucratie inextricable. Lorsque ceux qui portent…

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CAN FRANCE RISE AGAIN WITHOUT ITS PEOPLE? A Radical Vision for Overcoming the Crisis

By Sénamé Agbossou Watching the social unrest unfold across France over recent years (from the yellow vest protests to the farmers' roadblocks, culminating in movements like Bloquons tout), I find myself asking: Is this truly just a political crisis, or are we witnessing something deeper? Something that cuts to the heart of how we understand community, belonging, and shared purpose? As someone who carries both Togolese and French nationality, with decades of professional experience spanning Europe and Africa, I see France's current struggles through a unique lens. It's the lens of Ubuntu; the African philosophy that reminds us "I am because we are," and through my work with Obuntuo, I've dedicated myself to making this principle operational in teams, institutions, and civic life. What I see in France today isn't just a failure of politics. It's a failure of relationship. And Ubuntu has much to teach us about what's missing, and how to find our way back. What Ubuntu Reveals About France's Disconnect When we apply Ubuntu's wisdom to France's current crisis, six critical gaps become crystal clear: 1. The Dignity Deficit Ubuntu begins with a fundamental truth: every person's worth matters; especially those who oppose us. But look at France's current political temperature. The lead-up to Bloquons tout has already produced deeply degrading symbols like pig heads dumped near places of worship bearing the president's name. This isn't just bad politics; it's a corrosion of the very foundation that makes democratic conversation possible. Here's what Ubuntu knows that we seem to have forgotten: dignity lost upstream becomes disorder downstream. When we stop seeing our opponents as fellow humans deserving of respect, we poison the well of collective problem-solving before we even begin. 2. The Interdependence Illusion In a hung Assembly, mathematical reality is clear: no single side can govern alone. Legitimacy must be co-created, not seized. Yet our political culture continues to operate as if one camp could "win" completely and the others simply vanish into irrelevance. The revolving door of governments and the parade of fresh Prime Minister resignations tells the story of what happens when we deny interdependence rather than design for it. Ubuntu reminds us that sustainable power is shared power, not because it's morally nice, but because it actually works. 3. The Participation Vacuum Policies don't exist in boardrooms; they land on real lives. Farmers feeling the pinch of new regulations. Nurses stretched thin in understaffed hospitals. Students facing uncertain futures. Small business owners navigating impossible bureaucracy. When the people who carry the true cost of policy feel unheard in its creation, they organize their own megaphone. The farmers' roadblocks of 2024-25 weren't really about diesel taxes; they were a demand to be co-authors of their own story, not merely objects of someone else's policy experiments. 4. The Reciprocity Gap Ubuntu teaches us that budgets are social covenants, not just spreadsheets. When austerity measures are presented without visible protections, without clear evidence of shared sacrifice, citizens read it as punishment, not partnership. This explains the…

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The Explorer Trapped in a Builder’s Prison (And How She Broke Free)

By Sénamé Agbossou "I should be grateful. My agency is successful, my clients are happy, my team is growing. So why do I dread Monday mornings?" That's how Rebecca introduced herself during our first coaching session three years ago. On paper, she had everything a business owner could want. In reality, she felt like she was running someone else's company. The Success That Wasn't Sustainable Rebecca had built her marketing agency from nothing. Starting as a solo freelancer eight years earlier, she'd grown it to 25 employees and consistent seven-figure revenue. Industry awards lined her office walls. Client testimonials praised her "innovative approach" and "breakthrough strategies." But Rebecca was burning out. "I feel like I'm managing the business instead of leading it," she told me. "Every day is the same: client check-ins, project reviews, operational meetings, budget discussions. I'm good at it, but it's killing something inside me." This is what I call the "Golden Handcuffs Syndrome": your success becomes the very thing that traps you. The Energy Misalignment Crisis During our work together, Rebecca took the Work Energy Type Assessment I'd developed. Her results were immediately revealing: she was a pure Explorer energy type. Explorers are naturally energized by: Innovation and breakthrough thinking Variety and new challenges Creating something that's never been done before Working on cutting-edge projects Experimenting with fresh approaches But Rebecca's role had evolved into: Managing established client relationships Overseeing repetitive campaign execution Running routine operational meetings Following proven processes and workflows Maintaining systems rather than creating them She was spending 80% of her time in Builder-type work: systematic execution, process management, and maintenance activities. For an Explorer, this is energetic poison. The Ubuntu Moment The breakthrough came when Rebecca realized something profound: "I built this business to express my creativity and innovation. But somewhere along the way, I started running it like someone else's company." In Ubuntu philosophy, we understand that when we deny our authentic nature, we not only diminish ourselves; we rob our community of our unique gifts. Rebecca's team had hired on to work with an innovative creative leader. Instead, they were getting a frustrated operations manager. Her energy misalignment was affecting everyone around her. The Alignment Solution The solution wasn't selling the agency or starting over. It was redesigning her role to match her energy type. Here's what we implemented over eight months: Energy Alignment Changes: Hired a Builder-type COO (David) who thrived on systematic execution and operational excellence Rebecca focused on innovation work: developing new service offerings, exploring emerging marketing technologies, creating breakthrough strategies for select clients Redesigned client relationships: Rebecca now leads strategic visioning sessions and innovation workshops rather than routine check-ins Created partnership opportunities: building relationships with cutting-edge tech companies and industry innovators Speaking and thought leadership: sharing insights at industry conferences and through content creation The Results Were Remarkable: Personal energy transformation: Rebecca started looking forward to Monday mornings for the first time in years Business growth acceleration: agency revenue grew 60% through innovative service offerings Team…

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The 3 PM Energy Crisis That’s Crushing High-Performing Leaders

By Sénamé Agbossou After 25 years of coaching business owners and executives across Europe and Africa, I've witnessed a troubling pattern that affects even the most successful leaders: the 3 PM energy crash. It's not about caffeine withdrawal or lunch choices. It's something much deeper. The Hidden Struggle of High Performers Last month, I sat across from Elena, a brilliant CEO who had built three successful companies over the past decade. Her latest venture was thriving: revenue growing 40% year-over-year, team of 85 people, industry recognition flowing in. But Elena looked exhausted. "I love what I do," she told me, "but by mid-afternoon, I feel like I'm running on empty. I used to think I just needed better time management or maybe more delegation. But I've tried everything." Elena's story isn't unique. In fact, it's become the norm among the leaders I work with. They're achieving external success while battling internal energy depletion. The Real Problem: Energy Misalignment Here's what I've discovered after working with hundreds of leaders: Your energy isn't broken. You're just using it wrong. Think of it like this: Elena is what I call an "Explorer" energy type: someone naturally energized by innovation, breakthrough thinking, and pioneering new approaches. But as her companies grew, she found herself spending 80% of her time in detailed operational oversight, systematic process management, and routine decision-making. It's like asking a race car to pull a plow. Both are powerful machines, but they're designed for completely different purposes. The Ubuntu Connection In the Ubuntu philosophy, we understand that "I am because we are." Our individual energy affects the collective energy of our teams and organizations. When leaders operate against their natural energy patterns, it doesn't just drain them; it creates ripple effects throughout their entire organization. Teams start to mirror their leader's energy depletion. Innovation stagnates. Decision-making becomes sluggish. The very success that leaders have built becomes the source of their exhaustion. What I've Learned About Energy Patterns Over 25 years, I've identified that work energy follows predictable patterns. The leaders who feel alive at 5 PM while others are burnt out? They've discovered something crucial: their natural work energy pattern and designed their role around it. These leaders understand that: Energy alignment isn't selfish, it’s strategic Sustainable high performance requires working with your nature, not against it When you operate in your energy zone, you elevate everyone around you Common Energy Drains (And What They Reveal) Pay attention to what consistently drains your energy at work: Endless meetings that go nowhere might indicate you're an Explorer type craving innovation over routine discussion. Detailed administrative tasks could signal you're a Driver type built for momentum, not maintenance. Working in isolation for extended periods might mean you're a Connector type who needs collaborative energy. Constant pressure for quick decisions could indicate you're a Sensemaker type who needs time for deep analysis. Surface-level work without deeper meaning might reveal you're wired for strategic thinking and long-term impact. The Path Forward The solution isn't working…

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The Three Job Types: Why Your Work Energy Affects Everyone (And Why That Actually Matters)

Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ancient Philosophy That Makes Perfect Sense at Work Picture this: You're at your desk on a Monday morning, staring at your computer screen with the enthusiasm of a sloth doing math. Your coffee has gone cold, your motivation has gone AWOL, and you're wondering if this is what your parents meant when they said "follow your dreams." Well, if that sounds like you, you might be experiencing what I call a "Red Job." And according to Ubuntu philosophy, that's not just your problem. It's everyone's problem. Ubuntu Meets the Modern Workplace: "I Am Because We Work" Ubuntu, the beautiful African philosophy that roughly translates to "I am because we are," suggests that our humanity is interconnected. We exist through our relationships with others. Now, before you roll your eyes and think this is about to get all “Peace, love, and happiness,” hear me out. This ancient wisdom has some seriously practical applications for our modern work lives. Think about it: when you're miserable at work, you're not just ruining your own Monday morning; you’re probably making your colleagues' Mondays a little grayer too. That heavy sigh you let out during the team meeting? That's not just personal expression; that's atmospheric pollution. The Three Colors of Career Energy: A Traffic Light for Your Professional Life Just like traffic lights guide us through intersections without causing total chaos, we can classify jobs into three simple colors that help us navigate our career intersections: 🟢 Green Jobs: The "Hell Yes!" Zone These are the jobs that make you jump out of bed like a caffeinated kangaroo. You know you're in Green Job territory when: You lose track of time (in a good way, not in a "where did my life go?" way) You actually volunteer for projects instead of playing corporate hide-and-seek Your energy levels at 5 PM are higher than most people's at 9 AM You find yourself talking about work at dinner parties (and people don't immediately change the subject) Ubuntu Connection: When you're energized and fulfilled, you become a positive force multiplier. Your enthusiasm is contagious (the good kind, not the flu kind), and you lift up everyone around you. 🟡 Yellow Jobs: The Danger Zone Disguised as "Fine" Ah, Yellow Jobs: the career equivalent of saying "I'm fine" when you're clearly not fine. These jobs are sneaky little devils: They pay the bills without breaking your spirit (initially) You can do them with your brain on autopilot They're not terrible, but they're not exciting either You find yourself saying "It's a job" more often than you'd like The Ubuntu Alert: Yellow Jobs are particularly dangerous because they create what I call "contagious mediocrity." When you're just going through the motions, you're not bringing your full self to the collective. You're like a smartphone running on 30% battery: functional, but not optimal. Warning: Yellow Jobs have a nasty habit of slowly morphing into Red Jobs, like that leftover pizza in your…

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