How the seven Smart Mind attitudes live in Euroclear’s organization

As a global provider of Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) services, Euroclear helps clients to be more succesful by making it easier to settle domestic and cross-border securities transactions and safekeep investments.

A large company such as Euroclear encounters various small and big challenges. This way no different in 2021 for Euroclear. A new CIO and the onboarding of new employees caused excitement.

Sébastien Delautre, Division head Technology Management Services at Euroclear, explains why the company called on Smart Mind at that time: “Our new employees were all fantastic at their jobs, I was sure of that. But it is not because they are individually top-notch that they can also produce magical results as a team. The fact that Smart Mind, and more specifically Ellen Schouppe and Joy Jouret, had a lot of experience from the elite sports world triggered us. We decided to work with them on our team performance. We haven’t regretted it for a moment.”

Red Devils, Red Lions, Belgian Cats, Belgian Cheetahs… Our national teams have already achieved many top performances on an international stage. What are the secrets behind their top performances? How did they become that succesful as a team and how do they work together to stay at that top level? Ellen Schouppe, performance psychologist and trust person off our Belgian delegation of elite athletes at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Joy Jouret, former player of the National Field Hockey team of Belgium, share their experiences from the world of elite sports and make the comparison to business at Euroclear.

In 2021 Smart Mind (Ellen Schouppe and Joy Jouret) started a development track for two specific teams within Euroclear, spread over 7 months. Each month they highlight one high performance attitude. During these team coachings they focus on 3 things:

1. Smart Mind creates awareness by letting the Euroclear team reflect on the importance of a particular attitude for the team performance and how that attitude can impact the team dynamics in a positive way.
2. Through self-assessment and team goalsetting, teams take actions themselves.
3. Smart Mind creates openness about peer coaching and offers a method to stimulate feedback within the team.

“Whether everyone was as excited at the start as I was? Unfortunately, not!” Admits Sébastien Delautre. “There was a lot of skepticism about an outsider coming to tell us how to do our job. How could an external partner, with no knowledge of our corporate culture, create impact?”

Meanwhile, Ellen and Joy did manage to win everyone over. “Everyone is now actively participating! The connection between theory and work on developing another high performance attitude as a team. In this way the attitudes keep top of mind with our people, which ensures effective change.

But we are most pleased with the fact that Ellen and Joy are so flexible. At the beginning, we agreed on a clear journey. But before the start of each new track, I have contact with Ellen. She is then very open to listen to the issues or struggles that are prevalent at that time. Without any difficulty, the journey can be adapted. We really appreciate that flexibility!”

The best proof that Euroclear is satisfied with the results Smart Mind was able to bring about? “In 2021 we started working with 2 teams, today we get to work with 8 different teams. We already organized different team buildings, and give regular keynotes for the entire organization. It’s great to see our approach seeping into the organization at different levels. As a result, our attitudes are now also alive between the different teams, a more beautiful result we couldn’t wish for.” Tells Ellen enthusiastically.

Sébastien agrees with these great results. “We feel a big difference in interaction and communication among employees. A discussion, in good form, is no longer avoided, but embraced.”

The story between Smart Mind and Euroclear is far from over. In 2022n the “Leader for the future” project began in collaboration with business school Vlerick. Euroclear selected 35 high potentials from all over the world who were given the opportunity to participate in a leadership development program in Belgium. Smart Mind is excited to take these potentials under their wing.

To be continued.