French people aspire to develop themselves broadly — intellectually, culturally, socially, and aesthetically. A person who is professionally accomplished but culturally narrow is considered incomplete. The concept of formation captures this: education and development aim to shape a complete person, not merely a skilled worker. French professionals invest in cultural knowledge, conversational ability, intellectual breadth, and aesthetic sensibility alongside their professional expertise.
When working with French colleagues, recognize that their motivation extends beyond job performance to personal development in the broadest sense. Training opportunities, intellectual challenges, and professional contexts that develop them as whole persons — not just as task-completers — resonate with this deep aspiration. The French want to become more, not merely do more.
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