I threw my boat into the water, my brothers help me sail

What would the ship's captain be without his sailors? This title represents a passage from a song of the Congadas that takes place annually in the city of Catalao for 147 years. Congadas represents one of the largest Afro-cultural and religious manifestations in Brazil, has more than 5 thousand participants divided into 26 groups and receives the visit of tens of thousands more. One of these congada groups, the Terno do Prego, was founded by my grandfather in 1961. I have been participating in this event since I was 3 years old, and, at the age of 8, I was invited by my uncle, who took the leadership of the group after my grandfather's death, to be one of the captains of the group. Taking up a position as a captain so young, including having my father and my older brother in the group reporting to me, was the most distinctive support to build my leadership skills in the professional environment. In our group, we are more than 100 people united by a devotion. The captains, in addition to dealing with the 25 other groups, are responsible for looking after this group of people, from children to adults, men and women, of diverse ethnic origins, cultures, economic classes and sexual orientations. I then started at the age of 8 to learn how dealing with people, managing conflicts and taking responsibilities, especially in this case where, although there is a defined hierarchy, people participate voluntarily. Today, at the age of 35, I can say that this event has become a firm commitment for me, and I am extremely grateful for everything that it has provided me, including contributing directly to my formation as a leader.

Leaders and companies, please do not ignore the personal experiences that occur outside a room with air conditioning; after all, the experiences lived outside this environment can be crucial to solving the big problems that we face in the corporate environment.