FEELING GREATFUL

My first twenty years at Generali

How does it feel being greatful? Greatful is one of the words I like and use most, maybe (?) I’ve invented. It’s the feeling you get when you recognise you are grateful for the little things in your life in an active way, and so you also feel great.

This is how I felt at the beginning of this busy-as-always December when I had the opportunity and the pleasure to reflect on my first twenty years in Generali. Not only was the event, organised by Generali Comms, a blast into the past, meeting old and new colleagues, but small anecdotes and incredible things that happened across my past roles resurfaced back in my mind like a balloon. Thinking back to the highs and lows of corporate life, I realised that I am still loyal to Generali for two reasons, and probably they are the same ones I started for: firstly, an international and open soul and secondly, its financial resilience and solidity, as our Chairman Andrea Sironi reminded us during his speech.

From the first job interview shortly after graduation (I insisted on delivering my resume in person instead of sending it by email… 😊), these years have been running most of the time at high speed. I never get bored: besides a few people I didn’t get along well, I met many smart people: colleagues, journalists, creatives, refugees and families living in vulnerable contexts, people who are intensely kind and straightforward, people who advised me and other I was honored to provide advice for, people who are on a mission to change the world for good, beautifully honest and determined people, some times complaining and sometimes as much friendly and emphatetic as the best humans can be. They all helped me evolve, with my mind staying curious and enthusiastic and my heart keeping as welcoming and caring as possible.

Thinking back, I experienced hundreds of pressured, last-minute changes moments on all kinds of documents, so many creation and brainstorming hours ending in an actual tangible project, and I recall very clearly one difficult-to-manage period where I felt extremely vulnerable and pushed away, but that has been the beginning of the person I am now. But I cherish several memorable moments in unique places you cannot easily access, such as insider visits at real estate developments and refurbishments, high-speed cars and special flights, and inside closed churches and secluded vineyards. I embarked on many boats across rivers, lagoons and the sea. I enjoyed making food, tasting drinks, making 3-D prints and dancing until very late at night, always in the company of great people, and they made the whole difference.

So, when I think back on my twenty years in Generali, I recognise how greatful I am for everything that surrounds me in the hours I am not ‘officially’ working.

The backbone of my life was and remains my family: my husband Francesco with our children Lavinia, Bianca and Enrico, who have been continuously supporting me and pushing me to where I should go (best coaches ever…);  my best friend, the first one I talk to whenever I am happy or in trouble, aka my sister Corinna and, and my parents Franca e Corrado, that allowed me to manage many extra hours, unexpected emergencies, holidays and dozens of nights, dinners, breakfast, car transfers with kids, and allowed me to continue working full time when the kids were young and never switch part-time. I first thought about it 17 years ago, but it still serves as a reality check-in in times of gender equality talks.

So, in this intermediate pit-stop, thank you to a wealth of past and present colleagues, within and outside Generali’s big family, my friends at various corners of life… and I am GREATFUL for my curiosity, my diversified passions and for trying hard to walk my life authentically.