Bakken & Bæck: Creating a strong leadership community
The Context
Bakken & Bæck is a technology-driven design studio with roots in Oslo and offices in Oslo, Amsterdam, Bonn, and London. Their playful and experimental approach to design and new technology has earned them recognition far beyond Norway’s borders.
Fast Company named them to its list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies 2020, and the Financial Times included them on its list of Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies.
A steady increase in the number of employees, client teams, and geographic locations created a need to rethink the organization and delegate management responsibilities to some of the more experienced specialists and project managers. The goal was to strengthen leadership capacity across the agency and support the development of a community and a framework for leadership development.
The Process
Over a six-month period, we worked closely with the agency’s founders and a newly appointed group of leaders from across the organization. The program consisted of leadership training sessions, the development of a shared community of practice focused on leadership, and individual coaching sessions.
We combined in-person workshops with virtual platforms for meetings and collaboration with the aim of creating a cohesive leadership community across offices and national borders.
The results
Among other things, the leadership team pointed out:
a deeper understanding of leadership in general, as well as practical tools for team and leadership development
greater clarity regarding one’s own role as a leader and regarding what leadership should entail at Bakken & Bæck
increased confidence in a leadership role and a clear desire for continued development
greater openness and trust within the leadership team
testing and implementing several initiatives—so-called " bright spots "—across different teams to support team development and performance
"The program we launched together with Thomas Reibke has been extremely valuable in our efforts to empower our leaders and help them become clear role models and champions of our culture. Our leaders have been given concrete tools and a better understanding of how they can uphold our culture and values—which is crucial for us as we grow and evolve as rapidly as we are."