The Dragon Quest

The Dragon Quest – “6 Min. to Understand” with Pierre Léonard. Midoricast: Podcast #238

In this episode, Pierre Léonard keeps his promise: after revealing the “invisible evidence”, he takes us into an exercise that is as playful as it is remarkably powerful… the dragon quest. This dragon is not a mythical creature: it is what, in every organisation, silently devours profitability. Forgotten waste, ingrained habits never questioned, flows that no longer resemble what we think they are.

And just like in the legends, the dragon always hides where no one thinks to look.

At one point, Pierre asks a question that sounds like a challenge: And you, in your organisation… could you, like Saint George, slay your dragon? A reference that people from Mons may recognise more quickly than others… 😉

Pierre then guides us through a three-phase method:

• Awaken the dragon: make visible what is no longer seen.
• Understand the dragon: identify its allies, weaknesses and treasures.
• Slay the dragon: define a clear victory, address objections, and above all… take action within seven days.

With humour, perspective and a welcome touch of self-irony, Pierre shows how a 90-minute “quest” can reveal significant economic levers, trigger a collective shift, and transform the way a team approaches sustainable transition.

And for listeners from Hainaut, let’s just say that… some of the imagery will awaken well-rooted memories of a certain unmissable annual tradition.

A lively, visual and effective episode that makes you want to grab a stack of post-its and go hunt your own dragons.

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For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or experiencing hearing difficulties, we provide a full transcript at the end of the article.
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Useful links for this episode:

• Pierre Léonard’s Linktree
• The Circular Economy Fresco
• Website of The Podcast Factory Org ASBL-VZW
• Join the Kaya Coalition

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Our podcasts are accessible to everyone!

Alongside the voicemail option, each episode is sequenced and includes a full transcript, making it accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. And with a Google Translate plugin in Chrome, the episode becomes available in any language! We also offer a video format with subtitles.

Why this segment?

We support companies applying real and measurable ESG approaches. Pierre trains and guides them through this transition. Our approaches differ, but they complement each other: we encourage, he accompanies.

This choice also brings a real challenge: where do we draw the line?

Some companies mentioned in this series are not aligned with our current criteria, and we would refuse any collaboration with them until they begin a concrete transformation. But that is precisely where Pierre steps in: his role is to initiate that change.

This podcast does not aim to judge, but to inspire. The goal? Encourage rather than discourage, accompany rather than exclude.

Let’s work together towards a circular, sustainable and inclusive economy. Listening, reflection, action… in 6 minutes.

Listen to this episode “The Dragon Quest” on our YouTube channel (subscribe – thank you!):

French: The full transcript of this podcast is available as video subtitles in five languages: French, Dutch, German, English and Spanish.
Dutch: De volledige transcriptie van deze podcast is beschikbaar als ondertiteling van de video in vijf talen: Frans, Nederlands, Duits, Engels en Spaans.
German: Die vollständige Transkription dieses Podcasts ist als Untertitel des Videos in fünf Sprachen verfügbar: Französisch, Niederländisch, Deutsch, Englisch und Spanisch.
English: The full transcript of this podcast is available as video subtitles in five languages: French, Dutch, German, English and Spanish.
Spanish: La transcripción completa de este pódcast está disponible como subtítulos del vídeo en cinco idiomas: francés, neerlandés, alemán, inglés y español.

Podcast sequencing – The Dragon Quest:

• [00:00:02] Introduction
• [00:00:14] Pierre introduces “the dragon quest”
• [00:00:53] Why we look elsewhere when everything starts here
• [00:01:48] Phase 1: awakening the dragon
• [00:02:35] Phase 2: understanding the dragon
• [00:03:12] Phase 3: slaying the dragon
• [00:04:02] Why the method works
• [00:04:35] The task for listeners
• [00:05:13] If you see no dragon?
• [00:05:36] Next topic: the cost of inaction
• [00:05:47] Michel’s nod to listeners from Mons
• [00:05:58] Pierre’s thanks
• [00:05:59] Michel’s conclusion
• [00:06:00] Mentions, partners and sponsors

Full transcript

[00:00:00] Jingle Intro: Your are listening to “The Podcast Factory Org”.

[00:00:02] Michel: Welcome to another episode of “Midoricast”, your podcast on positive initiatives in favor of the environment and transition. “Midori” for Green in Japanese, “Cast” for Blogcasts, and I give the floor to my friend Pierre Léonard for his column.

[00:00:14] Pierre Léonard: Thank you Michel, hello everyone! Welcome to “6 minutes to understand”, the podcast that answers decision-makers’ jargon-free questions on sustainable development. Today, as promised in the previous episode, I’m proposing an exercise to help you flush out the invisible evidence we’ve been talking about. And this exercise is the dragon’s quest, no less. Of course, my dear little hobbits, you’re going to tell me that dragons have long since disappeared from our lands. Except that’s precisely what they want you to believe.

[00:00:53] Pierre Léonard: The problem is that almost everyone is chasing the great sustainable transformation – I don’t know if you can hear the capital letters – and forgetting to look in the right place, as we talked about last time. Meanwhile, every month, thousands of euros are embezzled, captured or literally devoured by these notorious dragons, who are as discreet as they are efficient. These dragons are all the waste we no longer see, the dumpster we mechanically fill, the “We’ve always done it this way”, or simply the little redundant supplies that, dare we say it, we’re too lazy to tackle because, in quotes, it’s just not worth it. And so the exercise I’d like to talk to you about today is called “The Quest for the Dragon”. In just an hour and a half, this method will enable you to collectively identify and overcome the hidden dragons that are stealing your profitability.

[00:01:48] Pierre Léonard: The first phase of the exercise consists of waking you up. Allow 20 to 40 minutes. Michel, stop making faces at me! – Michel plays the dragon. To awaken this dragon, you’re going to draw the actual flow of your raw materials, processes or waste. Not the theoretical flow of the quality manual, but the real flow, the one that really happens in the field. Next, you’ll arm yourself with red post-it notes, preferably, and post them on all the recurring red flags you’ve identified. Above all, you’re going to try to take a fresh look at things by asking yourself the crucial question we talked about last time: “What would a trainee who arrives on the first day and whom we don’t see anymore notice?”. You’ll be amazed at what you discover.

[00:02:35] Pierre Léonard: The second step is to understand the dragon and how it works. You know, a bit like Ripley in Alien, she learns from her adversary, and that’s what we’re going to do. You’re no longer producers, you’re treasure hunters. Identify your potential allies, suppliers, local buyers, existing channels, equipment already available, untapped alliances, and so on. The aim is to find the zone that combines high financial impact with low operational resistance. This is where your treasure is hidden, the one on which the dragon lies.

[00:03:12] Pierre Léonard: Finally, in phase three, you’re going to slay the dragon, for which you’ll need 30 minutes of fierce combat. Define your victory in one clear, precise sentence – I insist on this point – “In six weeks’ time, by the date of X, we will have integrated quantified sustainable clauses into 80% of our purchasing policies”. Prepare your answers to objections, because believe me, there will be some. By testing your idea in apology court, with your team. It’s also known as the “Yes, but” procession. Then give yourself seven days, no more, to create your action plan with the responsible people you’ve identified. Basically, it boils down to: who does what, for when? With whom? For how much?

[00:04:02] Pierre Léonard: Why does it work? This method works because we stop looking for the perfect certification, the scope three to the gram, or the ISO medal. We’re going to flush out the dragon hiding under the mountain, and in doing so, we’re going to prove to our beloved overlord, in this case the CFO, that circularity really can rhyme with profit. The narrative structure creates commitment, the three phases force depth of analysis, and the seven-day deadline imposes action. No more procrastination.

[00:04:35] Pierre Léonard: So I thought I’d give you a homework assignment for this week. Organize a 90-minute dragon hunt with your operational team, equip yourself with post-it notes and draw your real flows. Next, identify at least three suspicious areas where your dragon might be hiding. Ask your teams: “What’s bugging you about our processes? Three, contact a recycling company, an alternative supplier or a local partner this week to validate an initial hypothesis. Don’t think for months, just test. And after all that, tell us in the comments how it worked out for you.

[00:05:13] Pierre Léonard: Remember, if you don’t have any dragons to slay at home, you’ve either already slain all your own, in which case congratulations. Either way, you’ve got plenty to worry about, because dragons are always around, often hidden in the innocent guise of leaky taps or bolts that need tightening. The trick is to know how to spot them and dare to look them in the face.

[00:05:36] Pierre Léonard: Thank you for joining us on this quest for the dragon. And next week, we’re going to change the subject completely, talking about the cost of inaction in the face of the environmental crisis.

[00:05:47] Michel: And as I like to make you laugh, I’m going to give you a little wink. You talked about dragon processions, about terracing, and that’s going to resonate with all the Montois and Montoise who are listening to us: the terracing of the dragon in the Place de Mons, that’s the doudou.

[00:05:58] Pierre Léonard: Merci Michel.

[00:05:59] Michel: See you soon.

[00:06:00] Michel: This podcast project is an initiative created and proposed by the ASBL “The Podcast Factory Org”, with the sponsorship of “transforma bxl – Innovation playground”, a coworking space in Evere. Since January 2025, and for five years, we have also been sponsored by “Plugin Company”, our preferred charging station and card operator. “The Podcast Factory Org” is proud to be a member of “KAYA” – Coalition des Écopreneur et Écopreneures, and to collaborate with the “Love Health Center”. You can find all the episodes of all our podcasts on the “What’s Your Story point be” website. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel @thepodcastfactoryorg, where we offer the podcast in video format with subtitles in several languages.

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