Mentoring, Or When Elizabeth II Confides Her Secrets To Sanna Marin

In love, as in business, there are firsts and lasts. Against all odds, a promising relationship can come to an abrupt end and end with only a few words. The good news is that between the beginning and the end, there are a few precious moments that give meaning to life. In business, this takes place between a mentor and a mentee. The mentor shares what life has taught him; unveils the trials and errors he has gone through. This learning curve is a key asset for progress.

A lot of people believe that the world of business is unsentimental. With all due respect, even the most mercenary companies progress thanks to the generosity of the most experienced.

I had reached that point in my reflection when I heard the voice of Elizabeth II on TV:  “We can do this if we have the good sense to learn from the one who'd gone before us.” As I struggled to grasp the significance of this sentence to apply it to companies, the sleeping pill kicked in and put me to sleep without further ado. One of the side effects of this medication though is to give me insomnia. So here I am, at 4 am, emerging from a psychedelic business trip. Here are some excerpts.

In this dream, Queen Elizabeth II whispered to me “Ludovic, I may be dying soon. Hurry up! Lend me your pen to write a note to Sanna Marin.”

I was surprised. “Sanna Marin?” The brunette elected by the blond Finnish people? The one to whom I could never say no to ?

“Yes, that's right! And beware, Ludovic, this might very well be my last wish. Grant it. Write a letter to her on my behalf.” Faced with my doubtful composure she gave me that imperious look of hers.

Dear Sanna

I am Elizabeth II, Queen of England, and I wished to write to you before joining my ancestor Victoria and the Queen of Sheba in the sisterhood of the queens of infinity and beyond.

Let me be your mentor. If you don't like the idea, stop there, because mentoring requires your full and complete consent.

I made my decision while watching you swaying your hips online. I watched that video on the obsolete iPad the Obamas gave me.

Sanna, your dance was glamorous! Your freedom and your joy were a joy to watch. Ignore the criticisms, you made me feel more alive.

My time is limited, so let me assure you that life will teach you a lot. I’m sure you already know this, but it may not be too late to be useful to others. So let me share with you three pieces of advice life has taught me.

The first piece of advice came to me when seeing your irritation at the criticisms. Keep dancing until the end of the night. Keep on ignoring your phone when you go and dance in a nightclub. Insist, persist, resist and prove that you exist. In short, don't give up, and don't give in.

I say don’t give up, but I don’t mean don’t give yourself up. Give yourself up to music, to vodka if you’re not driving, give yourself up to the affection of those who love you, to the refreshing rain and the wind that ruffles your hair. To let go is to swim in the flow of your destiny, to become part of a movement greater than your own. Let go, Sanna, but never give up.

The second piece of advice came to me when hearing you say that you had refused to take out a loan to pay for your studies. My advice would be not to get into debt, but to “leverage” yourself humanly. Human leverage is when a little bit of you and a lot of someone else can multiply your position tenfold. So, surround yourself with people who are different from you to make the impossible possible. Apply the sentimental leverage like others applied the famous “one for all and all for one”.

The third piece of advice came to me when hearing you say you had never taken illegal substances. Every time I meed a manager I wonder, “What is this one addicted to?” The important thing is that you retain your ability to say “never”. Keep resisting peer pressure, resist what is popular, resist fashion. Even if it will cause people to talk.

Now I must leave you. I have an appointment with posterity. Thank you again, Sanna, for shining and inspiring us.

Royally Yours

Your Highness Liz

Crédit photo : © Laura Kotila/Valtioneuvoston kanslia – wikicommons