
Because ducklings can walk, swim AND fly! Dynamo Daniel Garcia tells us how.
Daniel Garcia from Brazil is a Digital Partner at DSM-Firmenich, the founder of DPS Global Performance consulting, a coach for young entrepreneurs, a true world traveller, a culture freak, a lifelong learner, a capable adventurer and the author of the book ‘Reflecting, Think & Grow’. He is an extraordinary man, who has been on an extraordinary journey, to put it mildly. And, you guessed it, the Ormit Talent traineeship was an essential part of that. Want to find out more?
Lifelong learner and capable adventurer
Asked how he would best describe himself, Daniel replies with a playful smile: “A lifelong learner.” His answer does not surprise us. We know that in the past 11 years, he has lived in 5 different countries and a whopping 9 different cities, has work experience in a variety of sectors, likes to immerse himself in culture and, what’s more, he recently published his own book. However, the development of knowledge is not the only thing that turns this smart Latino ‘on’, as Daniel loves a bit of adrenaline… “Bungee jumping, diving with sharks or a tough hike through nature. Personally, I would like to label this as a ‘calculated risk’.”
Do you always need that adrenaline? So, how do you cope with days in the office? We wonder aloud. “It’s not the adrenaline I’m looking for; it’s about doing something new. And, in some cases, the rush that comes with it is a bonus.”

Culture flows through his veins
Does this quest for ‘newness’ have to do with why you left Brazil? “If you saw a photo of my family,” Daniel replies mysteriously, “you would be incredibly surprised.” We have absolutely no idea where this story is headed, but we hang on his every word. “One of my cousins has dark skin, another looks Spanish and another looks American. It’s hard to imagine that we’re from the same family. Brazil has been colonised so many times. Because of this, my mother has a Portuguese and Nigerian background, while my father has Spanish and Native American roots.” We are starting to see where he is going with this. “I felt I wanted to explore the world and also I wondered where I would feel connected. So, I left for Spain, to see if I could make contact with some of my roots there. Once back in Brazil, the fire in me had been fanned so much that I left for the United States in no time. I fell in love and moved to the UK. From there, I went back to Brazil, made the leap to the Netherlands – to Leeuwarden at that time. Then I went to the UK again and finally returned to the Netherlands – to Maastricht, that is; the place where I am still happily living.”
From ‘duckling’ to top trainee
How did you find your time at Ormit Talent? “My pool had about 5 ‘normal’ traineeship months before COVID came along… That changed everything. There was a lot of reorganisation happening, and we, the Ormit Talents, were seen as the strong, smart consultants who could handle it all. I found that quite challenging. The best way to describe the traineeship is ‘unique’. It was an important experience for me; I would not be where I am today without it.”
“I already had a lot of energy back when I was studying at university. I am curious, energetic and quite driven. I feel that this is a pretty cool combination, but I have found that it can be a bit too much for some people. At university, there was a subject I found very interesting but the lecturer gave me a fail. I was seething; how could he let me down? The lecturer in question replied: you are brilliant but you act like a duck.” We can’t help but laugh. A duck?! “Yes. The teacher said: a duck walks, swims AND flies – but does none of those things very well.”
Ouch… Painful? “Sure was. But yes, my energy level and drive did not change. During one of the Ormit Talent training days, I had just started my own management consulting business alongside the traineeship and was about to make a start on my book. However, the lecturer’s words kept running through my head. I had a conversation with one of the Ormit Trainers, and he said: Daniel, if anyone wants to do all this, it really has to be someone with your energy level. That was such an empowering moment for me. For 15 years, I had lived under the delusion that I should not act like a duck. And now someone I admired so much was telling me that the duckling might actually be able to walk, swim AND fly well.”
Where business and energy meet
Wow. So, did Ormit Talent fuel that drive for you even more? “It’s not so much that Ormit Talent was the driving force for me to write a book, say, but the environment and guidance did facilitate my growth.”
Are there other big lessons from your Ormit Talent time that you still carry with you today? “One of the biggest lessons for me was the kind of energy you exude and that this has to be right.” Can you explain? “During my traineeship, I had a coaching conversation with my Talent Development Manager. I went to her with a list: by my 28th I want to have this, by my 35th I want to have that, by my 40th I want to be a CEO, and so on. It was a list full of ‘I want’, ‘I have’ and ‘I must’. She asked me one simple question: and what is it that you will give? This made no sense at all in my head. After all, I am willing to give everything. However, this was not aligned with my posture and the energy I exuded. This triggered a wonderful period of introspection.”
“After the first year, I managed to harmonise this energy more. This allowed me to use my energy in a way that is both effective and productive. It also taught me to match my energy to that of the person I’m talking to. When I have a meeting with my feisty Puerto Rican colleague, I sit opposite her very differently from when I am on a call with the IT guy from Limburg. This takes not only the communication and connection but also the result we are working on together to the next level. I don’t think I could have achieved this insight on my own in 10 or maybe even 20 years.”
Young professionals, beware of ‘spiritual suicide’!
You have been on an impressive journey, Daniel. Based on your experiences, do you have any tips for today’s young leaders? “There are some things that have been pounded into my head. The first is a lesson from my parents. They said: every time you enter somewhere, make sure the space is nicer when you leave it. This doesn’t need to be huge. It doesn’t even have to be work-related; you can do this anywhere.”
“Another important point for me is that when you want to create positive change, you cannot do it alone, no matter how much energy you have. It is the pooling of effort that creates real impact.”
And last but not least? “If you know better but don’t do it, I see that as a kind of ‘spiritual suicide’. Go for it! Work on something you really believe in. Then the question of whether it will ‘succeed’ will also be a lot less important.”

Author of ‘Reflecting, Think & Grow’
To understand ourselves, we must not only learn about our past, but also regularly take stock of what is flowing through our consciousness in the present. Through reflection, we disentangle, examine and confront ourselves. When was the last time you really stopped for a moment of reflection? Is your path currently heading in the right direction? And… Does it make you and others happy?
With his book, Daniel helps readers go on the journey to a conscious life. This book, including a 90-day reflection challenge, is for those people who are ready to take charge of their situation!
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