Laurence Devillairs
I am a philosopher and corporate executive
I have pursued two careers in two worlds that still ignore each other too much: philosophy and business. I am a graduate of the École Normale Supérieure, an agrégé, and a doctor in philosophy. I teach philosophy at the Law School of the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and in preparatory classes for business schools (ECG), and I am a collection director in publishing, at the Presses Universitaires de France, and previously at Odile Jacob. I specialize in French philosophy, particularly Descartes and Pascal, and moral philosophy. I also offer philosophical tours at the Musée d'Orsay. I am notably the author of: • The Splendor of the World (Stock, 2024-Points 2025) • Being a Good Person (Points, 2024) • A Little Philosophy of the Sea (La Martinière, 2022) • Healing Life through Philosophy (Puf, 2017) I regularly appear in the media, on France Inter, France Culture, Le Point, L'Express, La Croix, and Philosophy Magazine. I want to bring together the world of business and that of philosophy, by providing business leaders with the resources of philosophy and enriching philosophy with all the human experiences that take place within companies. I am demanding, rigorous, and I like to have clear but passionate ideas.
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- Conference : 5500 €
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Reexamining Power
One must renounce power to exercise power: what philosophy can teach us to explore a new form of leadership. • You have tried power. You know its cost: power indeed promises much, but achieves little. How many times have you ordered, controlled, demanded, only to obtain obedience without conviction? Power is tragically limited. It generates neither deep motivation nor authentic trust. It does not unite; it imposes. It does not build; it constrains. And you have experienced it: power often tires, wears out, and disappoints. I am convinced: to exercise true power, one must renounce it. • One must abandon the illusion of absolute control in favor of authorial power, an authentic authority freely recognized by others. Authorial power is not synonymous with authoritarianism; quite the opposite. It is a legitimacy granted to you because you embody your values, your vision, and your decisions. By becoming the legitimate author of your actions, you inspire genuine adherence. Imagine what we can accomplish together by integrating this vision within your organization. By adopting a management based on authorial power, you choose to foster engagement rather than passivity. You opt for innovation instead of constraint, for trust instead of distrust. • What I propose to you today is precisely to discover how to establish this authorial power that motivates, actively engages, and transforms sustainably. This new power, authorial power, is more relevant and powerful than ever in our complex and ever-evolving world. It allows for a profound renewal of the notion of leadership and gives your organization the energy and creativity needed to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Together, let’s explore this new path and open the door to a new form of leadership. This questioning of power and authority also allows us to rethink issues of justice, inequalities, leadership, charisma, and exemplarity.