“Now I become myself.
It's taken time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
worn other people's faces…”
- May Sarton, Now I Become Myself, in Collected Poems 1930-1973
Ilustrations are mine
This work is an ongoing initiative that began during my Social Innovation studies at the Amani Institute and continued through my Global Leadership journey at the University for Peace (UN Mandated). It is driven by a deep personal commitment to redefining and enhancing how we support high performance in both work and educational settings.
Informed by the data collected throughout side and academic projects, along with my +15 years of experience in high-performing educational and corporate environments, and particularly shaped by my personal experience with overachievement and burnout, I have become increasingly aware that our current metrics of high performance may come at the expense of wellbeing
“Honest conversations about vulnerability and shame are disruptive. The reason that we are not having these conversations in our organizations is that they shine light in the dark corners. Once there is language, awareness, and understanding, turning back is almost impossible and carries with it severe consequences. We all want to dare greatly. If you give us a glimpse into that possibility, we’ll hold on to it as our vision. It can’t be taken away”
- Brené Brown, Daring Greatly, 2012
The body of work that I am developing throughout this endeavor consists of four key dimensions:
1 - Creative projects and pilots that explore innovative approaches.
2 - Research and practical applications within global organizational contexts.
3 - Conceptual frameworks and academic outlines, rooted in principles of sustainable development, social innovation management, system mapping, regenerative leadership, and positive leadership.
4 - Capacity-building through training and exchanges, raising awareness and fostering collaboration and shared learning in global settings.
´Showing Up to High Perform´ is a courageous initiative by high-performing professionals who make it onto a stage and bring their whole selves to share their stories of anxiety and depression in a seriously and playful way.
Testing the approach: virtual creative talk at Ladenzeile for the Depresion Awareness Month (26th October, 2021)
I first heard about Break Down. Wake Up. in 2019 and it struck a chord with me.
I connected with the Founder and got involved. Together, we developed and implemented an intrapreneurship challenge consisting in a Social Impact Measurement Assessment designed to evolve with the organization.
During this practice, we applied impact measurement tools both for the podcast and the 8-week Break Down. Wake Up. program; we collected data through 1:1 in-depth interviews and desk research; we designed and executed an online gathering with podcasts’ guests to collect first hand insights; finally, we processed and analyzed the data collected, as well as shared insights, reflections and recommendations for the project to move forward.
Learn more about Break Down Wake Up and the founder
With Meg Mateer, Founder at Empatiko and Break Down. Wake Up
I was thrilled to gather and meet all the guests whose stories I’ve been listening to with such awe
In 2024 and building on my education in Social Innovation and Systems Practice, I continued my studies on Regenerative and Positive Leadership and explored the intersection of mental health, inner leadership and high performance in educational settings, specifically focusing on reducing anxiety and burnout among high-performing students.
Introduction to My Final Project on Regenerative Leadership for the Global Leadership Diploma, University for Peace (2024)
Teaching at Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, 2022
Katsushika Hokusai, Mishima Pass in Kai Province, from the series Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji, c. 1830-1832
Teaching at Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, 2022
The School of Life, On Mental Illness, 2022
Though I am experimenting with specific actions and tools, I do not seek final solutions to emerge directly from these endeavours and practices. Instead, I anticipate that further exploration of possibilities and emergent futures will naturally evolve, guiding the integration of wellbeing and excellence. By opening up possibilities and nurturing a sense of hope, my aim is to create spaces for both individual and collective inquiry toward an evolutionary purpose (Laloux). This involves listening attentively to where organizations want to go and recognizing that success will unfold organically for all parties involved.
If you are interested in contributing, please get in touch.
The organizations mentioned are not affiliated with this project, and no endorsement or connection is implied. All information is based on publicly available sources and is intended solely for academic use.