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The pursuit of flexibility
21/09/20
Olivier Comment, works as a Director in Tax and Legal, in Lausanne. We asked him what empowers him, and the answer is rather surprising. Discover it:
What does flexibility mean to you?
For me, flexibility is all about finding the appropriate way to manage my time, my clients’ time, potential meetings and everything else that’s on my agenda. For PwC, it is of great importance to make flexible ways of working possible. Nowadays we do not work in the same manner as we used to work 10 or 20 years ago. Not only has so much changed in the routines of our daily lives, but with the “Generation Z”, it feels like it is changing twice as fast. Flexibility is a key element that helps us to embrace, attract and keep all the talents we have at PwC. The firm and the client’s team need to pursue flexibility in order to find the right working environment for everybody. At the moment, I see PwC succeeding at this. It shows, that it’s always possible to adapt and make the right and required changes to stay up to date.
What is your best career advice?
For every project, you need the right people to work with. To create valuable work forces, you really need to know the people of your company and your team. Try to get to know each colleague, be curious about their interests. Stay true to yourself and don’t force the connections. Engage with others, try not to distance yourself from your surroundings, keep in touch with your emotions. It might be difficult in some situations, but I see it as an investment in your future. Yes, people might see your imperfections, but they will also know that they can count on you, even in difficult situations.
What empowers you?
About three years ago we did a directors’ survey in which we collected adjectives which were in line with each of our personalities. The adjectives that described me the best were emotive and harmonious, which, at first, seemed a bit disappointing compared to other results, which mostly described fields as “controlling”, “business and figures”, or “authority” – all of which are strongly aligned with business matters. But also, “my” adjectives didn’t surprise me much, since I got similar feedback from clients or my team on other occasions: with my team, I always try to work through upcoming issues directly and to stay true to myself and my emotions to find harmony. The results of the survey reflect my personal approach, which empowers me to evolve together with the team and the clients. Recognising emotions and harmony often adds a personal value to our numbers- and figures-driven projects and makes the important difference in the results.
What is your tip for others in the current COVID-19 situation?
From a firm point of view, the current situation can lead to new ideas, new ways to collaborate and exchange. Humans are able to being flexible and have the capacity to learn and adapt to a new environment. Don’t let this situation drag you down, but see it as an opportunity to learn from it. If you succeed, forward that knowledge to others if they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
What's your favorite PwC value and why?
We are nothing without the team, so “Work together” is surely one of the most important of our values. I often hear that the main asset of our company are our clients. I agree to a certain degree, but for me, the team and the people are even more important. Therefore, maintain harmony in your team and work together. Don’t isolate yourself, engage with your colleagues, try to be a team player and understand their expectations and points of view. Otherwise, you will find yourself alone when you may need help or an opinion. Put work into it, try to maintain a good relationship with your team colleagues. Those relationships may even last longer than expected, and former colleagues may one day turn into valued, trustworthy friends after leaving the firm.
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