Novo Nordisk International Marketing

The Zurich-based International Marketing Department of Novo Nordisk, made up of two teams from Germany and Switzerland, held an offsite in Lucerne. One of the key drivers of the event was to bring everyone together in a shared development experience to challenge some silo-ed ways of working. The event was split over a one day team insights workshop incorporating a motivational speaker, and the implications / applications of Myers Briggs Type Indicators in the workplace. This was followed by a second day of experiential team development activities to creatively embed the learning. All MBTI profiling and interpretation to inform programme design was undertaken prior to the offsite.

Event Detail

  • Venue: The Palace Hotel, Lucerne
  • Format: Motivational speaker – The Tao of Leadership by Ian Woodall. MBTI personality profiling, facilitated workshops & discussions with experiential learning components from the TeamWorks In programme portfolio and Kinetic Connections.
  • Guests: 18 managers and directors from various nationalities with a good male/female mix.
  • Duration: 2 days

Objectives

  • Bring the department together in a shared development experience to stimulate cross-departmental team working and communication
  • Provide opportunities for self and group learning and creating workplace associations
  • Increase self awareness, awareness of others’ roles and responsibilities and identify team strengths and development areas through MBTI profiling, highlighted by interactive teambuilding activities and culminating in action planning
  • Build and strengthen relationships in a fun, non-threatening and inclusive learning environment with a fun, memorable and rewarding experience

Outline

The main appeal of incorporating a motivational address was its extreme outdoors theme and focus on team leadership, problem solving & decision-making in high risk situations (ascent of Everest). The subsequent Myers-Briggs (MBTI) session provided insights into individual personality styles and types and created a common language for the group. Allied TeamWorks activities offered an introduction to understanding good teamwork practice and enhanced communication through positive interaction. Building on this experience and knowledge, on Day Two the whole group got ‘hands on’ in the Kinetic Connections activity as a way to explore and address team communication issues and team dynamics. They had to construct a series of giant interconnected mechanical sculptures, which when correctly aligned and triggered, automatically set off a dynamic and visually exciting chain reaction. This unique and engaging team task requires the whole group to work together as interdependent teams for shared success.

Outcome

  • The key outcome for all was an appreciation of the need to challenge norms of behaviour in a safe environment and to become really integrated supporting one another in the workplace.

Feedback

100% delighted feedback in the areas of: dealing with your enquiry and finances, operations team pre-event support, facilitation and event team, programme activities “Initial expectations were exceeded”and “very satisfied that the learning outcomes were reached”