Reflection Papers Feedback O bservations and reflections

1. Reflection PapersFeedback Observations and reflections 16th of November 2011 Program on Management Development

2. Content • Formal criteria on the Reflection Paper • Facts of the Reflection Paper • The organisational perspective • The managerial perspective • The individual and personal perspective • Reflections and hypotheses from a consultant’s perspective

3. The Reflection Paper • As in your Action Learning Group (ALG), the individual reflection paper invites you to stop and revisit your most important learning's from the Modules. It invites you to recall, think about, questioning, explore, make sense and reflect on what you and others said and did, and thereby ‘put theories and thoughts in use’ to become aware of how to think and act differently in the future. The Paper invites you to questioning, to understand and to reflect on your personal thoughts, feelings and underlying beliefs and assumptions - to support your personal and managerial development. • It might be your own personal reflections with an outset in your notes during the Kick off days, you might also call a PMD colleague and spare with her / him or you might bring up your reflections in your Action Learning Group and get further perspectives on your learning's and ‘take outs'. • We would like you to choose 2 of the possible 6 questions, make a 1-2 pager on each theme and e-mail them to Birgit: bju@mannaz.com no later than October 31st .Birgit will sign for the Paper, and present a short sum up of all PMD participants reflections and learning's on Module 1.

4. PMD Reflection Paper 1Follow up on Kick off Questions – with an offset in the themes presented and dialogues taken - on kick off: • As manager, reflect on your present focus and prioritizations on changes of interest and value, and in what way you will have to challenge yourself to change attitudes, routines, habits, previous understandings and values to implement these changes?Who will benefit the most from possible changes in the way you manage? • The possibilities you could see in Julian Birkinshaw’sManagement Model theory and the dialogues you engaged in on Kick off in relation to actual problems or challenges in your BU? Possible initiatives? Actions and steps for you and your leader? Expected gains? • New valuable knowledge of Danske Bank Group as organization? In what way will / might this new knowledge change your management style / focus?

5. PMD Reflection Paper 1Follow up on Kick off • Reflect on: A ) The dialogues on ‘Loyalty’ as selected PMD talent (The voice of the organization), andB ) ‘Customers’as the context for (almost) anything in the future (The PMD talents & feedback from the group of leaders). Taking the customer perspective and not only having the customer in focus?Your understanding of the two themes, new perspectives, new attitudes and actions?Challenges – for you, for your BU, for Danske Bank as organisation? Ways and strategies towards improvements / new ways and mindset? • Why do you think the group of leaders underlined the importance of the PMD managers ‘challenging themselves’ – and not only to think of ‘challenging their leader’, as Trond said? How will you act differently in order for her/him to experience that you are challenging yourself?How could you challenge yourself the most – behaviour, understanding, management values, management style, attitude, skills, ……………..? How would that be of value to the Bank? 6. The most important learning for you from the Kick off? What will be the effect of this learning? (Behaviour, attitude, perspectives, development focus). Adjustments in your Development Account? And who will experience the change the most – experience the highest value of a possible change in your focus as manager?

6. Facts of the reflection paper • General trends from the individual reflection papers are the basis of the observations and hypotheses • More individual and idiosyncratic viewpoints are left out • 24 out of 30 have mailed the reflection paper • Response rate: 80% • Is that a question of • Lack of motivation and engagement? • Heavy workload where everyday operations are prioritised higher than strategic reflective work – focus on urgent rather than development? • Own development is sacrificed rather than letting down the business? • …………….

7. Facts of the reflection paper • Distribution of the answers • Question 1 ( Change) : 10 answers • Question 2 ( Man. Model) : 7 answers • Question 3 ( New Knowl.) : 6 answers • Question 4 (Loyalty/ Cus.): 4 answers • Question 5 (Challenge) : 9 answers • Question 6(Learning) : 8 answers => Change, Challenge and Learning mostly in focus of interest => A tendency that the Loyalty and The customer perspective are given a lower priority or are taken for granted

8. The organizational perspective 1/2 • The postponed strategy and the deteriorated reputation seems to impact the participants • Fighter spirit is detected • Pride is slandered / has been hurt Remember hardship makes organisations stronger – when they survive (“If it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger”) … And common external enemies unifies organisations Energy, loyalty and enthusiasm to change the Bank are clearly visible in a ‘combat ready manner’ in the papers‘We have a lot of work to do’!

9. The organizational perspective 2/2 • The challenges and the problems are the same across the Danske Bank organization • We are different on the outside (Sampo, International, Group…) – but the structural, strategic backbone is the same • We are in the same boat – and we face the same challenges • A feeling of invincibility and strength • Courage to reflect and speak up – taking the responsibility • The Bank as a corporate monster of bureaucracy and internal processes: • Bureaucracy and administrative processes seems to make the organization less agile and flexible – and more difficult to motivate direct reports

10. The PMD managerial perspective • Change as a constant term • From reactive tranquillity to proactive red alert • Demands an ability to create a sense of urgency • Balancing trust and control • Moving away from a command and control culture • Moving towards a facilitative and delegating culture • The leaders’ interpersonal skills are paramount • The powerbase as the oracle is gone • From operational execution to more big pictured thinking • Is this my future managerial domain? • Can I manage that?

11. The individual and personal perspective 1/3 • ’I am not alone’ – ‘we share the same questions’ • I share thoughts, emotions and passions with my colleagues which I prior to the kick-off felt were private – a relieve • The other participants are High Pots and inspiring • Proud to be part of the group – get me on my toes • Power and influence will be possible with these people => It is affirming to meet across the organization

12. The individual and personal perspective 2/3 • A general inclination to • Excel and be challenged • Grow personal potential • Be ambitious – in a tribe of ambitious people • Caught in operations and micromanagement • Does that mirror that I am old-fashioned and bureaucratic? • The blaming contest cannot only be directed towards top management? • Can I enter ‘The new normality’?

13. The individual and personal perspective 3/3 • The need for stepping into character and not only be the perfect unquestionable ‘Corporate Civil Servant’ • How can I speak my mind and still be loyal? • How can I not speak my mind and still keep my personal integrity?

14. Reflections and hypotheses 1/7 • An ambitious and passionate group with strong result orientation, disciplined work ethics and high performance standards – a powerful ‘fuel’ to revitalize the Bank • Appear confident and committed, open-minded and very bright! • Openness and courage to change their management style – and mindset: • A new more questioning dialog with their direct reports • Requested feedback from direct reports • Implemented new routines • Changed departmental KPI’s • Changed meeting structures • Changed delegation ‘habits’ and mindset

15. Reflections and hypotheses 2/7 • A profound openness to learn: Have stopped and given themselves a break to think of their management style and habits, of the Bank, their direct reports, objectives and projects, ……. and reflected on how they act / prioritize as manager. How to make stopping and re-flecting a new routine? • A culture of Action men and Action women • Actions, results and achievements appear important and forging identity • Urgent versus the strategically managed long haul actions • Reactive versus proactive

16. Reflections and hypotheses 3/7 • A vast majority of the reflection papers mirror a tendency of ‘error detection’ and ‘trouble shooting’ and quick implemented changes • The focus on potential? On long term development? • Competitive performance environment seems to lead to faultfinding: a ‘problem detective’ and ‘Find-5-Mistakes’-outlook causing performance anxiety, fear-of-failure and blame • It is dangerous to be vulnerable and fail, which inhibits innovative risk taking in favour of sticking to success formulas of the past? • The experts egalitarian focus imply that human weaknesses and vulnerabilities are ‘political incorrect’?

17. Reflections and hypotheses 4/7 • General tendency to a more evaluative approach (good or bad) rather than a reflective approach • The difference between reflections and evaluations? • Critical approach rather than identification of potential • Does this approach (right or wrong) impact the leadership style? • The customer perspective is vaguely mentioned • It is a matter of course? • More internal issues are of interest? • More administrative than customer orientation? • The core business – customer relations – seems blurred and perhaps in a esoteric domain • Could be understood as introspective – not taking the customers perspective?

18. Reflections and hypotheses 5/7 • Where is the outside in perspective? • How do others perceive The Bank? • No actions to support outside in perspective seem identified in the reflection paper • To balance action orientation with strategic forward more long term thinking could be a challenge – a cultural issue? • Structured, compliant and disciplined management processes, professional methods and toolkits • Inhibits speed in decision making? • Decision mandates and execution can be undermined? • Desire to go into detail may be perceived as mistrust and undermine the authority and confidence of managers

19. Reflections and hypotheses 6/7 • Pace setting leadership style with continuous urgency drive, performance pressure and short term KPIs leaves limited time to reflect and experiment – individually as manager and with own team / direct reports • There seems to be a strong personal will to pliancy and flexibility – how to influence the corporate, organizational structures to be as pliable? Is it possible in this sector? • How to handle a missing vision and clear corporate strategy – as responsible manager?

20. Reflections and hypotheses 7/7 • A lot of frustrations! If conflicts and problems are frustrated dreams – what are the most vital and essential dreams of the PMD managers? • To what extend are the direct reports as frustrated? How are they feeling? Do the managers inquire into a possible uncertainty - curious of questions not spoken?

21. Next step …………………. • Challenge yourselves with ’meta- reflections’ – play with meta perspectives! • Reflections = re – flections: to see again! Something mirrored back towards me – and seeing it anew • Reflect on your reflections! • Challenge own perspectives – and the way you work, your personal assumptions, routines, models, …………. • Se own actions, choices, thoughts, feelings from different new perspectives! • Which personal values are the context for your choices / actions? • What challenges you – and has this had a saying in your choices?