In this edition of the Masterclasses in Managerial Excellence, we had the honor of welcoming Sixtine Moullé-Berteaux, founder of Le Crayon media and co-founder of the Crayon group (Le Crayon, Le Surligneur, Les Pépites de France). At just 24 years old, she shared her experience as a young leader in the world of media and influence: governance, the science of debate, and strategic public speaking. Ready to discover how a new generation is reinventing media leadership?
Leadership: four-person governance and sustainable energy
Sixtine began by explaining how, with her three co-founders (Valentin, Antonin, Jules), they structured the group’s governance: each has their own area, and for decisions, it’s enough for two partners to agree on a given subject.
“We never have to tell ourselves that all four of us must agree, otherwise we won’t move forward.” This rule allows them to maintain speed, without getting stuck in permanent deadlock.
She also explained how her hypersensitivity (strong emotions, great empathy) and her hyperactivity (energy peaks, difficulty staying focused on a single task for long) have become strengths: social intelligence in meetings, ease in sales, ability to build connections. To maintain this pace, she has built a highly structured lifestyle (sports, sleep, few outings, flexible hours): the goal is not perfect balance, but sustainable energy for the project.
The science of debate: depth, rules, and calm
Le Crayon has established itself through a genuine science of debate. Sixtine explained that for a debate to be useful, it must focus on a substantive topic, not just on breaking news that goes out of style in a week. Guests are chosen for their expertise and their ability to be accessible, and the debate is structured by clear rules: speaking time, cards in case of interruptions or unsourced figures, and a refusal of insults. The model is closer to Frédéric Taddeï’s shows than to “buzz” debates where the main goal is a soundbite.
For leaders, Sixtine emphasizes the importance of remaining calm when contradicted: “The form is much more important than the substance.” A moderate idea shouted will be attacked more easily than an extreme idea expressed calmly. Leaving silences, speaking in a calm tone, and thinking before responding strengthens credibility, especially in tense situations.
Influence strategy and personal branding: choosing your role
Finally, Sixtine detailed her vision of influence strategy and personal branding. On social networks, she distinguishes three profiles:
- The influencers (whom we follow for their life and image)
- The content creators (whom we follow for the quality of their content)
- The opinion leaders (whom we follow for their ideas and stances)
Each type addresses different objectives: selling a B2C product, reassuring about a brand, establishing oneself as a new leader, etc.
She also presented four main personal branding roles: the expert, the loudmouth, the community leader, and the popularizer. The idea is not to do everything, but to intelligently combine one or two roles and stick to them over time. She reminds us that “people aren’t waiting for you”: content is rarely reread for long, but the consistent repetition of a message makes you an opportunity magnet. For a leader, LinkedIn remains the most relevant platform for building a useful and credible presence.
In a nutshell…
Here are the three main lessons to take away from this Masterclass with Sixtine Moullé-Berteaux:
- Building leadership in your own image: Rely on clear governance (everyone in their zone, quick decisions with two people), transform hypersensitivity and hyperactivity into relational assets, and build a lifestyle that supports long-term energy.
- Professionalizing debate to better engage: Choose substantive topics, set explicit rules of the game (speaking time, cards, respect), and remain calm when contradicted to strengthen the leader’s credibility and the quality of exchanges.
- Choosing your influence and personal branding strategy: Know whether you want to be perceived as an expert, a loudmouth, a community leader, or a popularizer, adapt your presence (LinkedIn, media, podcasts), and accept that the consistent repetition of a message is the key to becoming a true opportunity magnet.
Don’t miss the next Masterclass!