Employee engagement

Employee engagement is one of the key ingredient to building a productive, recilient and committet workforce, and is often one of the key elements in employee surveys. Employee engagement refers to the level of emotional commitment, motivation, and enthusiasm employees feel toward their work, organization, and its goals. Engaged employees are typically more willing to go above and beyond in their roles, show dedication, and exhibit loyalty to their employer.

Key Aspects of Employee Engagement

1. Emotional Connection: Employees feel valued and connected to the organization’s mission and values.

2. Sense of Purpose: Employees understand how their work contributes to larger organizational goals.

3. Motivation and Enthusiasm: Engaged employees are excited and motivated by their tasks, seeking to improve and grow.

4. Commitment and Loyalty: Employees show a sense of loyalty and a desire to stay with the organization for the long term.

5. Positive Work Relationships: Engaged employees often have strong, positive relationships with their colleagues and supervisors.

Why Employee Engagement Is Important

1. Higher Productivity: Engaged employees are more likely to be productive and committed, leading to better performance and outcomes.

2. Increased Retention: Organizations with high engagement levels see lower turnover, reducing recruitment and training costs.

3. Improved Employee Well-being: Engaged employees are generally happier and experience lower levels of stress, contributing to a healthier work environment.

4. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Engaged employees tend to deliver better service, which can lead to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

5. Greater Innovation: Engaged employees are more likely to feel confident and motivated to contribute new ideas, fostering an environment of innovation.

6. Better Financial Performance: Companies with highly engaged employees tend to achieve stronger financial results, as employee efforts contribute directly to organizational goals.

Building Employee Engagement

Effective employee engagement requires efforts across multiple areas, such as effective leadership, career development opportunities, recognition, clear communication, and a positive organizational culture.

Authentic leadership

Authentic leadership is a style of leadership that emphasizes transparency, integrity, and authenticity, focusing on leading in a way that aligns with one's core values and beliefs. Authentic leaders are self-aware, genuine, and motivated by a desire to act ethically and inspire others. Rather than trying to mold themselves into what they think a leader should look like, they embrace their true self and encourage open, honest relationships with their team.

Key Characteristics of Authentic Leadership

1. Self-awareness: Understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotions.

2. Relational Transparency: Being open and honest in relationships, sharing thoughts and feelings with others appropriately.

3. Balanced Processing: Objectively analyzing information, considering multiple perspectives before making decisions.

4. Internalized Moral Perspective: Making decisions that align with personal values, not just external pressures or expectations.

Why Authentic Leadership is Important

1. Builds Trust: Authentic leaders create a culture of trust, making team members feel respected and safe to express themselves, which strengthens teamwork and morale.

2. Increases Engagement: When leaders are genuine and act consistently with their values, employees feel more valued and engaged, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

3. Encourages Ethical Behavior: By modeling integrity, authentic leaders inspire ethical conduct, fostering an environment that prioritizes ethical decision-making and social responsibility.

4. Improves Resilience and Stability: Authentic leaders are able to navigate challenges with stability, providing a calming and steady influence in times of uncertainty.

5. Enhances Individual and Organizational Performance: Through motivation, respect, and fostering personal growth, authentic leaders can enhance both individual performance and overall organizational effectiveness.

In a world where employees and clients are increasingly attuned to authenticity, this leadership style creates a foundation of trust, respect, and motivation that not only drives productivity but also builds long-term loyalty and resilience

I recently read the book “Why should anyone be led by you”, written by the London Business School Professors Goffe and Jones. The book guides how leaders can become more authentic.

The pyramide principle - logic and structure in thinking and writing

After working 10 years in management consulting., I use the Pyramide Principle a lot. The Pyramid Principle is a structured approach to communication, often used for writing and presentations, developed by Barbara Minto at McKinsey & Company. It emphasizes presenting ideas in a top-down, pyramid-like structure, starting with the main point or recommendation and then supporting it with logically grouped, detailed arguments and evidence.

Key Components of the Pyramid Principle:

1. Start with the main message: Begin with a concise, compelling summary of your central point or recommendation. This captures the reader's or audience’s attention and establishes a clear direction.

2. Group supporting ideas logically: Organize supporting points into groups that address different aspects of the main message. Each group should have a clear theme and contribute to explaining or proving the main point.

3. Provide supporting evidence: Within each group, include specific details, data, or examples that reinforce your supporting ideas. This gives depth to each group and justifies why it contributes to the main message.

4. Follow a logical order (MECE): The Pyramid Principle emphasizes being MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive). This means:

   • Mutually Exclusive: Each point should be distinct and non-overlapping.

   • Collectively Exhaustive: The points should collectively cover all relevant aspects of the main message.

This principle can be used in solving all kinds of business problems, including increasing revenues, reducing costs, improveing support functions, attracting talent etc.

Here is a video explaining the concept:

Grit - The power of passion and perservance

In a world that often prioritizes quick results and instant gratification, the concept of grit has emerged as a powerful force for achieving long-term success. Coined by psychologist Angela Duckworth, grit is defined as the combination of passion and perseverance in pursuit of a long-term goal. It’s not merely about working hard; it’s about staying the course, despite the inevitable challenges that life throws our way.

Grit is more than just resilience; it’s a steadfast commitment to your goals, combined with a deep-seated passion for what you do. It’s the willingness to put in the effort, day after day, regardless of the obstacles. Duckworth’s research suggests that talent alone is not the sole predictor of success. Instead, it’s the relentless pursuit of improvement and a belief in one’s ability to grow and learn that truly makes a difference.

Passion fuels grit. It’s the driving force that keeps us motivated even when the going gets tough. Passionate individuals find joy in their work, which makes the process of striving for their goals more fulfilling. This intrinsic motivation allows them to weather setbacks and remain focused on the bigger picture. When you’re passionate about what you do, challenges become opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable barriers.

Here is an excellent Ted talk explaining the concept of grit:

Good airport design

Travel is part of business life, even post covid. Like in all design, good airport design is striking a balance between form and functionality. The main function of an airport is basically logistics of people, baggage and aircrafts.

Here are the key elements of good airport design:

Flow and Layout: A clear, intuitive layout that minimizes congestion. Check-in, security, and boarding areas should be logically arranged to facilitate smooth movement.

Passenger Experience: Comfortable seating, ample amenities (restaurants, shops), and relaxation areas enhance the overall experience. Consideration for families, business travelers, and those with disabilities is essential.

Aesthetics: The aesthetic side of airport design plays a crucial role in shaping the passenger experience and can evoke a sense of place. Here are some key aspects to consider:

1. Architectural Style: The design should reflect the local culture and environment. Unique architectural elements can create a sense of identity, making the airport a landmark.

2. Use of Natural Light: Large windows, skylights, and open spaces maximize natural light, creating a bright, airy atmosphere. This not only enhances aesthetics but also promotes passenger well-being.

3. Materials and Finishes: The choice of materials—like wood, stone, glass, and metal—can convey warmth and sophistication. Textures and colors should be carefully selected to create a cohesive and inviting look.

Here is a video by the magazine Architectural Digest giving their take on good airport design:

Strategy - a value creation approach

In business, fall is often the time to make plans for next year, often including adjusting or coming up with new strategies.

Few business concepts has a variation different connotations than strategy. From meaning a small plan to overcome a tiny obstacle or problem to creating a comprehensive guide for doing business. Strategy is about looking forward seeing the future and planning for it.

Startegy, at its best, is simply a plan to create value. Here is short, informative HBR-video explaining this value creation concept:

The starting point is how much and which value the company creates for its customers, employees and suppliers. Strategy then is for example, making working for the company more attractive through imporoved working conditions or more interesting tasks, increasing the employee value. Increasing the product quality for example, will increase customer value and hence willingness to pay for the company’s products and services.

Psychological safety in teams

Together with clear goals, good communication and trust, psychological safety is a foundational component of high-performing teams. Psychological safety refers to a team climate where members feel safe to take risks, voice their thoughts, and express concerns without fear of negative consequences.

When team members trust each other and feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to collaborate, share ideas, and support one another.

1. Increased Innovation: A safe environment encourages creativity, allowing team members to propose bold ideas without fear of ridicule.

2. Better Problem Solving: Diverse perspectives can be openly discussed, leading to more effective solutions to challenges.

3. Improved Engagement: Team members who feel safe and valued are more engaged and motivated, leading to higher overall performance.

A lot of what goes into creating a psychologically safe environment are good management practices — things like establishing clear norms and expectations so there is a sense of predictability and fairness; encouraging open communication and actively listening to employees; making sure team members feel supported; and showing appreciation and humility when people do speak up.

Here is an exxcellent video on the subject:

Book: The creative act

"The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin explores the nature of creativity and the artistic process. Drawing on his extensive experience as a music producer, Rubin shares insights into how to harness creativity in various aspects of life. He emphasizes the importance of intuition, mindfulness, and personal expression, encouraging readers to embrace their unique perspectives. Through anecdotes, philosophical reflections, and practical advice, Rubin illustrates how creativity can be a transformative force, not just in art but in everyday living. The book serves as both a guide and an inspiration for anyone seeking to cultivate their creative potential.

Rick Rubin is a renowned music producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, known for his innovative approach to music across various genres. Born on March 10, 1963, in Long Beach, New York, Rubin first gained prominence in the 1980s, working with hip-hop artists like Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. He later expanded his repertoire to include rock, country, and folk, collaborating with legendary artists such as Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Adele.

Rick Rubin

Strategy vs plans: Understanding the key differences

Autumn is often a period where businesses review their strategies related to a new business year coming up. Or is it really their strategies they are reviewing?

In business and life, strategy and plans are often used interchangeably, but they serve distinct purposes.

• Strategy is the big picture. It defines the long-term vision and overarching goals. It's about making decisions on where to focus your efforts, understanding the competitive landscape, and identifying how to achieve sustainable success. Strategies guide the "why" and "what" behind your actions.

• Plans, on the other hand, are the step-by-step details. They outline the specific actions, timelines, and resources required to implement the strategy. Plans answer the "how" and "when" to execute the strategic vision.

In short, a strategy is the "destination," while a plan is the "roadmap" to get there. Both are essential, but knowing the difference ensures clarity and focus on achieving your goals.

As Steve Jobs once put it: “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Identity, dignity and democracy

The book Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment by Francis Fukuyama is a thought-provoking analysis of the rise of identity politics and its impact on modern society. Fukuyama argues that the increasing focus on identity is a response to a universal human desire for dignity and recognition. However, this emphasis on identity has led to a fragmentation of society and the rise of resentment and populism.

The book delves into the historical roots of identity politics, tracing its evolution from the French Revolution to the present day. Fukuyama examines how the concept of dignity has shifted over time, from being associated with social status and hierarchy to becoming a universal human right. He argues that this shift has created a tension between the desire for individual recognition and the need for social cohesion.

Fukuyama also explores the role of identity in shaping political discourse and behavior. He argues that the rise of identity politics has led to a decline in traditional forms of political engagement and a growing emphasis on group rights. This, in turn, has made it more difficult to address societal problems and achieve common goals.

Fukuyama is an American political scientist, political economist, international relations scholar, and writer.

Human-centric leadership

The best companies a have worked for has had some degree of human-centric leadership principles. Human-centric leadership is a leadership approach that places the well-being, development, and engagement of people at the forefront of decision-making and organizational practices. Instead of focusing solely on profits, efficiency, or productivity, human-centric leaders prioritize the needs, values, and aspirations of their team members, viewing them as the most critical assets of the organization.

Key Principles of Human-Centric Leadership:

1. Empathy and Compassion: Human-centric leaders demonstrate a deep understanding and concern for the feelings, needs, and challenges of their team members. They actively listen, show compassion, and strive to create an environment where people feel supported and valued.

2. Inclusivity and Equity: These leaders promote a culture of inclusivity where diverse perspectives are welcomed and valued. They ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to contribute and grow, regardless of their background or identity.

3. Empowerment and Growth: Human-centric leaders focus on empowering their team members by providing them with the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to develop their skills and advance in their careers. They encourage continuous learning and personal growth.

4. Well-being and Work-Life Balance: Recognizing the importance of mental and physical health, human-centric leaders advocate for work-life balance and take proactive steps to ensure their team members are not overwhelmed or burnt out.

5. Purpose and Meaning: They help their team members find purpose and meaning in their work by aligning their roles with their passions and values. This alignment increases motivation and job satisfaction.

6. Collaboration and Communication: Human-centric leaders foster open, transparent, and respectful communication. They build strong, collaborative relationships within the team, encouraging teamwork and collective problem-solving.

7. Ethical Decision-Making: Decisions are made with integrity, considering the impact on people, society, and the environment. Human-centric leaders are guided by ethical principles and a commitment to doing what is right, even if it is not the easiest or most profitable option.

There are some assumed benefits of human-centric leadership:

Higher Employee Engagement: When employees feel valued and supported, they are more engaged, motivated, and committed to their work.

• Improved Retention: A positive work environment that prioritizes well-being and growth leads to higher retention rates.

• Better Team Performance: Teams that feel empowered and connected tend to perform better, innovate more, and adapt more quickly to changes.

• Positive Organizational Culture: This leadership style contributes to a culture of trust, respect, and mutual support, which can enhance overall organizational effectiveness.

Human-centric leadership is especially relevant in today’s world, where employees increasingly seek meaningful work, positive work environments, and leaders who genuinely care about their well-being.

Hybrid warefare - the changing battlefield

In a geopilitical situation of escalating tension and conflict, a new term, hybrid warefare, has emerged among military commentators as a description of how conflicting countries operate.

Hybrid warfare is a strategy that combines conventional military tactics with irregular tactics, cyber warfare, and other non-military tools to achieve strategic objectives. It blurs the lines between traditional warfare and other forms of conflict, incorporating a mix of state and non-state actors, disinformation campaigns, economic coercion, and other non-military methods to undermine an opponent.

Here are some key elements of hybrid warfare:

1. Conventional Forces: Use of regular military units, such as ground troops, air forces, and naval forces, to conduct traditional combat operations.

2. Irregular Tactics: These include guerrilla warfare, terrorism, and other forms of asymmetrical combat, often carried out by non-state actors or covert units.

3. Cyber Warfare: Attacks on information systems, networks, and infrastructure to disrupt, steal, or manipulate data, which can cripple an opponent’s communications and operations.

4. Disinformation and Propaganda: Spreading false or misleading information to confuse, divide, or demoralize an opponent. This can involve social media campaigns, fake news, and other forms of psychological manipulation.

5. Economic Coercion: Use of economic tools such as sanctions, trade restrictions, or financial manipulation to weaken an opponent’s economy or influence their decision-making.

6. Political Influence Operations: Efforts to undermine or manipulate political processes in a target country, such as influencing elections or supporting sympathetic political movements.

7. Diplomatic Pressure: Leveraging international diplomatic channels to isolate or weaken an opponent’s position.

Hybrid warfare is often used to achieve objectives without triggering a full-scale war, allowing the aggressor to operate in a gray zone between peace and open conflict. This approach can make it difficult for the targeted nation or organization to respond effectively, as the aggressor's actions may fall short of what would traditionally justify a military response.

A prominent example of hybrid warfare is Russia's actions in Ukraine, particularly in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, where a combination of conventional military forces, unmarked troops (often referred to as "little green men"), cyber attacks, and disinformation campaigns were used.

Increasing revenues for SaaS-companies

Almost all companies I have worked for has had a growth strategy. Revenue growth is imperative in value creation. For subscription-based companies (SaaS - Software as a Service), a strategy for organically increasing the revenues must include the following elements:

1. Focus on Customer Retention
   Retain existing customers through personalized experiences, loyalty programs, and excellent customer service. Repeat customers are more profitable than new ones.

2. Expand Product or Service Offerings
   Diversify your portfolio by developing new products, entering new markets, or offering premium features to increase revenue streams.

3. Optimize Pricing and Marketing
   Regularly review pricing strategies to reflect product value and maximize profits. Invest in digital marketing to reach new customers and drive conversions.

Next year Netflix will launch two new entertainment venues in the US. This experiential entertainment venue will bring some of the most watched titles to life and customers will be able to shop, play and interact with the characters.

This initiave is part of the company´s stratey to monitize on merchandize, i.e becoming more “Disney”.

How Apple organize technology development

Technology development and R&D is paramount for technology companies. For both the tech and industrial companies I have worked for, R&D is used to create superior customers experience as well as increasing margins through more cost effective products.

Organizing technology delevopment in terms of ideas, financing and process is a big issue for most companies. How does the most innovative companies do this?

In a recent interview at the Apple`s Wordwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple`s SVP for software engineering shares some insights:

• All software developments includes people from different diciplines and levels including software engineers, designers, hardware engineers, and product managers. i.e . cross-functional teamwork at a massive scale. However they tend to keep the individual teams small

• The result of their joint efforts in combining different disciplines often leads to the creation of software technology that goes beyond their initial intentions. This unexpected outcome highlights the essence of discovery and adaptation in the collaborative process.

Obviously this requires vision and leadership, as well as top down initiatives focusing on user experience, integration across devices, and technological advancements.

One of the most impressive new software this year was the new calculator, Math Notes:

How to improve organizational health?

Working as a Management Consultant for many years, a have come across many different organizations, both highly functional and some less functional. How well an organization works is often referred to as organizational health.

According to a McKinsey Quarterly arcticle from Septermber 2017, organizational health is “an organization’s ability to align around a common vision, execute against that vision effectively, and renew itself through innovation and creative thinking” There is strong evidence that healthy organizations financially outperforms less healthy organizations.

The article lists many management practices that leads to 9 organizational outcomes, which again drives organizational health:

When an organization is healthy, it can effectively navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and achieve its objectives while maintaining the well-being of its employees.

Who is the next global superpower?

Studying Comparative Politics in University, we often touched upon international relations and how differences in power affected how states behaved and interacted. All of us growing up in the cold war era experienced a world dominated by two super-powers. After the decline of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin wall, new players entered the world stage. However, three main factors has put globalization and international co-operation at risk:

1. Russia´s decline and withdrawal from international co-operation

2. China´s reluctancy to compete on “Western” terms and conditions

3. Tens of millions of people in industrialized countries feeling marginalized by globalisation

Today we have a world security order, driven by the NATO alliance, an alliance becoming even more relevant after Russia´s invasion of Ukraine.

In addition we have a world economic order, dominated by US, but of course also China, India, Japan and the EU. Opposite the world security order, the economic order is and will remain a multipolar order as no state can dictate the trade rules and that the states are interdependent.

According to Bremmer, the next world order is a digital world order, and is not dominated by states, but by tech companies. Examples are their role in the war in Ukraine in terms of communication, the American presidential election in terms of voter behavior and en general in terms of how the algorithms influence us in our everyday life. He argues that they will determinate if we will have techno-polar world order or a world of freedom and technological cooperation. Concerns are the tech companies´s enormous power, and specifically AI, personal data, targeted advertising and the opportunities to affect democracies and our everyday lives.

What is Deep Work and why is it important?

Deep Work is a concept developed by Georgetown Professor Cal Newport. In his book Deep Work. Rules for focused success in a distracted world, he presents the idea and how to achieve it. This was one of my favorite books in 2023, and the content can be summarized to the following:

What is Deep Work? Deep work is when you are focusing without distraction on a cognitive demanding task. This is the type of work where you perform superior outcome, e.g. writing a strategy memo. The problem, however, is that such important, demanding work is normally interrupted by distractions like e-mail, phone calls or social media. Such shift in attention will reduce the quality of the cognititve demanding work tasks.

Why is it important? In many professional contexts Deep Work, as opposite to shallow work, is what makes a difference or as the author puts it: moves the needle and crates value. People and organizations mastering deep will create a disproportionate competitive advantage. This does not mean that less cognitive work is not important.

How to do it better? The first step is to acknowledge what deep work is and why it is important. Second step is to actually prioritize it and be conscious about the deep work / shallow work ratio. The optimal ratio will of course depend on what work or position you have. Then schedule deep work in your calendar like a meeting or appointment. This can be done certain days during the week or certains times during each work day. Finally you have to train your ability to work concentrated. This includes avoiding distractions described above. Training for increased consentration stamina can also include activities like reading books meditation or playing chess.

Here is a short video of the author presenting Deep Work:

And here is a slightly more entertaining presentation:

What are the opportunities in AI?

What are the main commercial opportunities in Artifical Intelligence (AI)? Andrew Ng is a figure in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. He is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and educator known for his significant contributions to the development and popularization of machine learning technologies. In a lecture at Stanford University he explains the types of AI tools available, where Supervised learning and Generative AS are the main application areas:

In supervised learning, the AI model is trained on labeled data, where the inputs (such as user messages or queries) are paired with corresponding outputs (desired responses or actions). The model learns to map inputs to outputs based on the patterns present in the training data. Examples are analysis of online advertising, fuel optimaliaation and visual inspection av desrcibed in the slide below:

Generative AI refers to a class of artificial intelligence systems that are capable of creating new data or content that is similar to the input it was trained on. Generative AI can be applied to various tasks, such as generating images, text, music, or even videos. Example of how the texts are generated are described in the slide below:

Full lecture can be viewed here:

How to investigate corruption?

These days, a corruption case is going before Norwegian courtrooms. A former top official in an international sports federation has been charged with receiving bribes in the form of gifts and services. I myself have worked for several years investigating corruption cases in private businesses when I worked in a "big four" company, and have gained the following experiences:

The investigation process often starts with an anonymous tip, alert or red flags related to suspicious transactions. In connection with this, an internal investigation is often carried out before the matter is eventually reported to the police/Økokrim. An investigation process consists of mapping the facts and assessments of this. Mapping the facts consists, among other things, of: get an overview of the people and organizations involved (internal and external) clarify relationships between the parties involved (is there any acquaintance, kinship or common financial interests between them?) chart financial transactions between the partners recreate a sequence of events (timeline) The method for mapping the facts mainly consists of data analysis and interviews of those involved and other people in and around the business. The purpose is to get an overview of the parts mentioned above. If there is a suspicion that a supplier or customer has obtained a disproportionately favorable agreement with a company, facts will be collected about the agreement that has been concluded, who has negotiated the agreement, clarify any relationships between those involved, physical transactions linked to the agreement, current internal procedures linked to such agreements (e.g. who must approve such agreements, payment terms, discount matrices, etc.). Data sources will then be interviews, review of agreements, invoices and payments, collection of information from public registers (Brønnøysund). After an investigation team has formed a good picture of the facts, assessments are made relating to whether there is reasonable reason to suspect corruption and what, if any, should be done in relation to this.

Get rid of the spreadsheets - use monday.com

Don't get me wrong: Excel is an excellent tool. But Excel's primary use should be financial modeling. Too many people use Excel for everything else, including plans and collaboration. For this, other tools are much better. Personally, I use monday.com. My organization and I have been using this tool for a year now. And I think it works very well. With monday.com, we can digitize and coordinate many work processes and information, such as recruitment, sales prospects, simple CRM, simple project management, media planning, organization of media content, IT support, marketing plan and so on. Monday.com enables interaction without sending files by email or searching for them in a public area. You can allocate work tasks and receive a notification when things are done. The licenses are relatively affordable and the user threshold is low. The user interface is intuitive and the dashboards are visually stunning.