Mireille Giuliano

Women, Work & The Art of Savoire Faire Business Sense & Sensibility

Simon&Schuster

In her books French Women Don’t Get Fat and French Women for All Seasons, Mireille Giuliano reveals the secrets to living a more fulfilling life by experiencing a full but moderately balanced lifestyle. She discusses with us her advice to women in the business world.

twsm What is the suggested ‘proportion’ between work and personal life? More generally speaking, what is the ‘border’ or ‘boundary’ between the two ‘lives’?

mg The proportion can vary from one person to the next. I don’t give specific prescriptions for how much time you should spend working and how much on personal life since everyone’s situation and comfort level is different.

Some people may be able to work a 60-hour work week and stay balanced, others may not. I encourage people to focus on maintaining what I call the ‘4 anchors’, which hold you in a secure place in life: 1) good health, 2) a functional social network of family and friends, 3) a solid employment situation and 4) time, space, principles and policies for yourself (what I call your Personal Zen).

You need all of these in place to achieve a healthy work-life balance. Some-times the stronger ones can compensate for the weaker ones, but if you lose one or two you become unanchored.

twsm The French saying or expression savoir faire implies people’s style as well, other than the information or content related to knowing how to do certain things. What kind of people are women who work?

mg Well, there are all different types of women in the workplace, of course. Savoir faire means competence, experience, literally ‘knowing how to do’. So, when I think of savoir faire I think of a woman who knows herself, is good at her job, comfortable in her skin with her own sense of style, and makes time for her personal life and interests, too.

She maintains a good balance. Savoir faire is also acting in what I call enlightened self-interest, creating your own luck and opportunities and making the most of them.

twsm Some people state there is no need to talk about it because the objectives have been reached. Others say that talking about it is required for final fulfilment of the objective.

mg Talking about savoir faire is very important because women can learn from one another and help each other succeed. There’s too little of this in business these days, but if women are going to rise to the top we need to work together and help each other get there.