On the 11th of September, Be Leadership and BNP Paribas welcomed leaders from across the corporate, social enterprise, and nonprofit sectors to Positive Leadership in Action at BivwAk! in Paris.

BivwAk! is BNP Paribas’ open innovation hub, designed as a collaborative space for learning and new ideas. It was a fitting setting for a day exploring how leadership can respond to change while contributing positively to society.

The event marked 10 years of partnership between our organizations and gave guests the opportunity to experience the approach that has shaped much of our work firsthand.

A partnership connecting business and society

Over the past decade, Be Leadership and BNP Paribas have worked together to develop leaders while supporting organizations addressing real societal challenges. This reflects Be Leadership’s wider approach to Social Leadership: developing leaders who think beyond their own organizations and consider the positive impact they can have on the people and communities around them.

At the heart of this partnership is the Social Enterprise Hackathon, an experiential leadership development program that brings BNP Paribas leaders together with social enterprises and charities. Across 15 Hackathons, more than 500 leaders and over 80 social organizations have participated.

During the event, Alain Dbjay, a HR Talent Manager from BNP Paribas and Shannon Banks, Founder and Managing Director of Be Leadership, reflected on how the partnership has developed. They were joined by former Hackathon participant Charlene Gimblett and Bayile Adeoti, Founder of Dechomai, a previous social enterprise partner. Be Leadership’s own Sarah Jones moderated the conversation.

Together, the panel explored the impact of bringing leaders outside their usual environment to work alongside organizations with different perspectives, experiences, and priorities.

Perspectives from the panel

The panel brought the impact of experiential learning to life. Charlene shared how meeting the people behind a social organization made its challenge feel real, while introducing her to practices she continues to use, including powerful questioning and continuous feedback.

The experience also created lasting value for social partners. Bayile described how the BNP Paribas participants encouraged her team to think more ambitiously and helped create a roadmap that still guides Dechomai today. This collaborative spirit reflects Dechomai’s wider work empowering Global Majority entrepreneurs to build successful businesses and thriving communities.

Looking at the broader impact, Alain has seen participants become more inclusive and less likely to jump immediately to solutions. Shannon emphasized the program’s connected aims: creating meaningful learning for leaders while providing valuable support to social partners.

Experiencing action learning firsthand

Following the panel discussion, guests moved into small groups for a facilitated action learning taster led by Be Leadership coaches.

Earlier that morning, each participant selected one of Be Leadership’s 12 social leadership skills to focus on throughout the event. Through careful questioning and collaborative reflection, they were able to consider how that skill could support them as they explored a real leadership or social challenge with others.

The Be Leadership Disruption Deck introduced further questions to help participants reframe their thinking and consider different possibilities. The session offered a firsthand experience of an approach that encourages leaders to slow down, listen, and resist moving immediately towards a solution.

Positive leadership in a changing world

The day also opened a wider conversation about the capabilities leaders need as they navigate complexity and rapid technological change.

The panel highlighted courage, authenticity, transparency, curiosity, and critical thinking. As AI becomes more capable, human judgment and the ability to ask strong questions will become increasingly important.

Shannon also shared insights from Be Leadership’s research into its 12 social leadership skills in the age of AI. The findings indicate that these deeply human skills will become more important as technology continues to develop.

Looking ahead

Positive Leadership in Action celebrated what Be Leadership and BNP Paribas have achieved together while creating space to consider what leadership development will require in the years ahead.

Thank you to BNP Paribas, BivwAk!, our panelists, Be Leadership coaches, and everyone who joined us in Paris. We are proud of this partnership and look forward to continuing to connect leadership development with positive societal impact!

Photographs courtesy of Gary Manhine.