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Make Sense?: “Mario Kart: Taking your Boss’s Seat” with Charles Arkwright (SKEMA 2005)
What if a professional career looked, in one way or another, like a game of Mario Kart? In the latest episode of Make Sense?, Mary Michaelides and Charles Arkwright (SKEMA 2005) play with the world of Nintendo’s cult video game to explore an ambition that is often hidden and almost unspoken: one day taking your boss’s seat. Charles Arkwright, Global VP of Human Resources at L’Oréal, shares his view of career progression, somewhere between speed, strategy and a sense of the collective.
Taking your boss’s place remains one of the most widespread ambitions — and one of the least admitted. In this new episode of Make Sense?, Mario Kart becomes a metaphor for talking about careers, competition and progression.
“It is also very satisfying to have different experiences, in other countries, in other roles. It forces you to go beyond your limits and to learn […]”
Bananas, mushrooms and shells become vivid images to describe career choices, bursts of speed, risks and traps. As the episode unfolds, Charles Arkwright looks back on his own path, marked by changes of country, job and level of responsibility. For him, a career is never a straight line. “The pace you set at the beginning of your career often gives an indication of how the race will go afterwards,” he explains in the episode.
Changing track to move forward
Like a player who changes character in Mario Kart, Charles Arkwright argues for the value of mobility. “It is also very satisfying to have different experiences, in other countries, in other roles. It forces you to go beyond your limits and to learn,” says the alumnus. “What really makes the difference is not stubbornness, it is the ability to bounce back.” And yes, changing role, accepting a lateral move or slowing down at certain stages can help build a career that is stronger and more in line with personal life and priorities.
Aiming right, without crushing others
Should you show your ambition clearly or move forward without revealing your cards? For Charles Arkwright, you need both: “Sometimes you have to go straight ahead, especially at the start of your career. But to become a leader, you also need a clear ambition, targeted at a specific level of responsibility.”
The real boost: performance
In this professional race, the real engine is performance. “The winning combination is first to perform, then to make it known, and finally to be clear about your objective. In that order.” Working, taking on difficult responsibilities, accepting challenges that others avoid: so many “mushrooms” that help you speed up without cheating.
Falling, getting back up, moving on
As in Mario Kart, you do not win every race. Charles Arkwright insists on one decisive quality: the ability to bounce back. “What really makes the difference is not stubbornness, it is the ability to bounce back,” says the graduate. Learning from failure, adapting, questioning yourself becomes a major driver of progress.
The episode (in English) is available on the main listening platforms.
