This episode is part of 1Clusif’s collective research aiming to model the invariants of adaptable companies and people, focusing on the Adaptation Coefficient (AC).
The AC measures an individual’s ability to effectively modify their behaviors, cognitions and emotions in response to environmental changes.
We welcome Évelyne Dentz (Eve), a seasoned entrepreneur who moved from consulting and HR management at a large group (Gloria/Nestlé) to creating two successful companies in Marseille, specialized in headhunting, recruitment and executive advisory.
The interview explores the key dimensions of adaptability, proving that adapting is no longer an option, but a condition for survival.
Eve’s first major adaptation was leaving her salaried position in Paris to start a company in Marseille with “zero clients.”
To navigate this uncertainty and overcome “incredible doubt,” she mobilized:
Energy and Action: She has an “engine inside,” a vitality that allows her to quickly turn an idea into action, a trait she considers essential to the entrepreneurial spirit. Support and Conviction: She relied on clear-eyed outside support that gave her the confidence she lacked herself. Above all, she never doubted the usefulness of her advisory offering for business leaders, which offset her doubts about her own success. Enthusiasm and the desire to help won out over the dark side of the story. Adaptation is intrinsically linked to renunciation. Eve cites two major renunciations tied to mental flexibility and letting go of obsolete habits:
Erasing the Ego: For the company to grow, she had to let go of her clients and implement real delegation, giving deep power to her employees. The leader must “erase the ego” to accept not being omniscient or the best on the team. Risk as Vitality: She sold her thriving company, anticipating a need to rescale and charting a new course for her life. Risk is an element of vitality essential to being human. During difficult periods (such as the introduction of the 35-hour work week or a difficult economic context), collective adaptation requires:
Transparency: It is essential to provide plenty of financial details to legitimize the decision. Firmness on Fundamentals: Maintaining a backbone around non-negotiable values and principles (e.g., ethics or the core vision) is reassuring for teams. Accepting not being liked: The leader must sometimes give up the pleasure of being liked by their teams in order to stay the course and ensure the company’s survival. Eve also emphasizes the importance of enjoyment and pride in one’s craft to create a shared adventure.
To detect a candidate’s adaptability:
It is crucial to ask very precise questions about “how you act” in concrete situations to understand how the candidate takes their environment into account and whether they are capable of questioning themselves. It is vital to cross-check the adaptability hypothesis three times (via three sources, three people or three different media) to guarantee the validity of the assessment.