What does art teach us for our professional life? On first sight this question might sound unusual, particularly in a world that is so often guided by Cartesian logic, as the market is. But one must understand that we are, above all, dealing with human complexities, which involve much deeper aspects such as society, economy, and global cultures… I therefore believe in the power of art and its unique ability to open people’s eyes to broader issues, whether they be of a personal or professional nature.
These reflections came to me after participating in the visual project and content creation of our new site, launched in commemoration of Dasein’s 22nd anniversary in August. And what does art have to do with this? I’ll explain later.
Although I have a keen interest in online content (and understand its vital role), I’m by no means adept in the area and it was perhaps because of this that I wanted to understand better how companies present themselves in the digital world. It involved hours and hours of research. I came across some very interesting things, both from an aesthetic and informative point of view, but the majority didn’t generate much surprise; perhaps because sites tend to follow the same trends or models. But why not be daring?
I concluded that this would be a good opportunity to step away from the traditional digital model and explore all the creativity and intrinsic sensitivity in Dasein’s work. And that’s where art comes in. After all, we know that in order to reach higher levels of performance and satisfaction, we need increasingly bigger doses of inspiration. We are specialists at stimulating the flourishment of our client’s inspiration and in such make them able to take decisions that ensure they shall remain whole, integrated, safe and true.
I believe that contact with the most diverse art forms does not end with the experience of contemplation. It is something that broadens our perception of the other and the world, and we can therefore draw inspiration from their techniques and artistic practices to deliver surprising results.
We are ahead of our time and know that “work done like art” is something that is pleasurable and creates a sense of fulfilment. I’m not talking about an explicit relationship. It is a way of thinking and acting that elevates aspects like reason, sensitivity, wisdom, optimisation, and result to the forefront. There is nothing more destructive than being limited to oneself. We know that the more contact a person has with artistic genres, the more insights and new answers they will be capable of producing. We try and reinforce this concept on our site via the relationship of Dasein’s main values with works and emblematic genres of art. You’ll notice, above all, the following connections on our site:
Excellence
Superior results are achieved when there is a constant search for improvement and evolution. This is the mission that defines our client relationships.
Integrity
Ethics and loyalty are the cornerstone of our work and an integral part of our corporate culture and identity. A solid foundation for relationships made to last.
Sensitivity
Empathy, respect and perception enable us to understand human and business needs to deliver solutions that meet the expectations of all those involved.
Authenticity
Courage and wisdom are necessary to avoid the trivial. It is with this in mind that we create bold solutions for companies that need to be ahead of their time.
Knowledge
Question models, research diligently, reinvent yourself daily. We believe that innovation and transformation emerge from the constant search for learning.
We understand that our way of working is a type of art in itself. Herein we employ our talent, passion, enchantment and gifts, and we only see these ways of working in the various art forms. Doing something with passion is an artistic construction and we know that we are able to deal with our clients’ most essential questions in this way. It is a means of making them see things from a different perspective, with a broader view. This enables them, together with rationale, to use other attributes that they already possess, even though they are not aware of how much these can contribute and how much more fulfilled they will feel in what they do or choose to do.
We know that art demonstrates a form of presence, wholeness, and apparently illogical completeness. One doesn’t need to write poems, compose music or paint paintings to enjoy the benefits of art. I sometimes see businessmen saying “a few days ago a consultant came to me see, but I didn’t like what they were saying, it sounded like a sham, poetry”. I understood that this shows the limited concept that many have of the benefits that art can contribute to professionals and executives that seek success.
Whether it be reading, enjoying, appreciating, composing, meditating (or in the poetic interruptions we do weekly), we provide our clients with a unique opportunity to change direction, to think outside of the box. When a person comes into contact with art, they have no control over how the work will affect them, given it is not information, but a sensation. It is a type of adventure that one does, even if quickly, when one returns to their everyday life. There will be a change in perception and it is very common for the professional to subsequently identify new ways and solutions, which, in the majority of cases, are more complete, resistant, safe and mature.
There are many factors that help us to go further and art is certainly one of them. It helps us to understand sensitivity, the context and importance of unconditional presence in relation to clients, people and challenges. We understand that our client’s world is also our world. That their life is also our life. We become and remain whole. It is by way of this intense and complete dedication that we are able to keenly perceive the key points of a problem and propose immediate solutions.
I firmly believe that art has helped us to become a world reference for quality, originality, and the ability to achieve. We work with people and know that our role in society is indispensable. Not only as Dasein, but also as somebody who looks after people in a humane, sensitive and professional manner.
*Adriana Prates is the president of the Dasein Executive Search and a councillor on the board of the AESC Council of the Americas.
