Can you still lead without inspiring? – Jean-Pierre Laherre

Leading means inspiring

Jean-Pierre Laherre has argued that leading and inspiring are now inseparable. Teams and partners expect more than structure and goals: they need to understand the why, to envision a desirable future, and to trust the person guiding them. A leader who does not inspire—through actions, words, and consistency—loses legitimacy and appeal.

For Jean-Pierre, inspiration cannot be declared; it must be lived. That’s what he sought to convey in his book Vous m’inspirez, co-written with Denis Gentil—not a life story, but an invitation to revisit the encounters that shaped you. “When you read the book, the idea is that you reconnect with the people who inspired you.”

Inspiring figures: Pietro Mennea, Pelé, Albert Camus

Jean-Pierre draws inspiration from timeless figures. Pietro Mennea, the first white sprinter to run 200 meters in under 20 seconds, left a mark on him as a teenager: “He was simple, he won, he wasn’t showing off.” A model of understated success, far from ego and spectacle.

Pelé, a timeless figure in world football, embodies individual performance in service of the collective and the idea of passing things on. “You never saw him take all the credit.” A reputation built on humanity, not showmanship.

More unexpectedly: Jean-Pierre’s grandfather was a teacher in Algiers and had Albert Camus among his students. This connection is meaningful. He often quotes this line from The Plague: “What we learn in times of pestilence is that there is more to admire in men than to despise.” A compass for maintaining a positive, proactive mindset even in crisis—far from catastrophism, closer to Voltaire: “I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.”

Networking and leadership: give without expecting

With nearly 30,000 LinkedIn followers, the Barbecue Réseau network and the Au Cœur du BTP collective, Jean-Pierre has made networking a true purpose—well beyond business. His approach: give first, without expecting anything in return. “I don’t do this because I expect something. The exchange itself is incredibly valuable.”

In construction as elsewhere, networks of entrepreneurs and partners are built on trust and shared meaning. A network leader must unite independent players or subsidiaries around a brand, values, and common goals—and inspiration is what makes people wear the jersey with pride and collaborate instead of sticking to purely contractual logic.

Inspire the peloton, not just the stars

Jean-Pierre uses a powerful cycling metaphor: the peloton. In a commercial organization, it’s not the best performers who determine the company’s speed—it’s everyone else. “Your speed, your results, that’s the speed of the peloton. Not the speed of the leaders.”

The key? Engage the front-runners—not so they shine individually, but so they pull others forward. “The message is more powerful when it comes from a colleague than from the leader.” He cites Luis Enrique’s management at PSG as an example: a team without superstars winning through collective strength, cohesion, and pride of belonging.

Gamification and meaning: two levers for frontline managers

To rebuild trust and engagement during times of change, Jean-Pierre advocates gamification—not as a gimmick, but as a driver of meaning and cohesion. He gives a concrete example at Ursa: for every customer interaction generated by teams (sales, marketing, finance, production…), a tree was planted in France. Teams were grouped into units of ten, with a simple challenge: plant as many trees as possible. The reward: eco-lodge weekends for the whole team—not a luxury jet trip, but something aligned with their values. Result: over 4,500 customer interactions, in a “very healthy” competitive spirit, without destructive rivalry.

The same spirit drives the Construction Telethon he co-launched with Catherine Aubert (Cinerciel): an event gathering 600–700 professionals at Stade Émile Anthoine, near the Eiffel Tower, in support of the Myology Foundation. “Everyone had a smile.” Companies showed up with their colors, logos, and internal challenges. Meaning, teamwork, joy—exactly what teams are looking for.

The middle manager: a key, often neglected link

Jean-Pierre highlights a major contradiction: companies invest 30% less in training their managers than in training their salespeople—yet managers are the ones who make or break transformations on the ground. “If your middle manager isn’t convinced, nothing will happen.”

His mantra in times of crisis: don’t cut training budgets. On the contrary, that’s when you need to seek new partnerships, ideas, and models. He demonstrated this at Ursa by building an innovative model around Energy Savings Certificates—partnering with delegates to provide them with installer networks, strengthening customer loyalty while generating new leads. “It was a huge success.”

Passing things on: building connections, not leaving a legacy

When asked what he wants to pass on, Jean-Pierre is clear: not an image, not a legacy—but connections. “What I like to pass on is a kind of link between people: connecting the right people at the right time, for the right purpose.”

His personal mantra: Green, digital, and always more human. A synthesis of his belief that sustainable performance relies on environmental awareness, digital agility, and putting people at the center. He concludes with a quote from André Comte-Sponville: “Adapt to endure”—said in 2000, but more relevant than ever in 2025.

In summary…

• Leading = inspiring: provide meaning, enable projection, embody trust; without inspiration, legitimacy and appeal fade.
• Timeless figures: Pietro Mennea, Pelé, Albert Camus—true inspiration comes from humility and service to the collective.
• Networking: give without expecting, build connections, co-create—it’s a purpose, not just a tool.
• The peloton: company speed comes from the middle, not the stars; top performers should lift others, not just shine.
• Gamification + meaning: engagement grows through play, values, and joy—not short-term pressure.
• Middle managers: crucial for execution, yet too often underinvested—especially in times of crisis.

Don’t miss the next Masterclass!

• Leadership and uncertainty: guiding when everything changes – Gianmarco Monsellato
• Toward Humanistic Leadership: Transforming Management in the Age of Metamorphosis – Marie-Christine Villagordo
• The Coach in the Organization: Mirror, Lever, or Revealer? – Susanne Liepmann, Jean-Michel Huet