MICROSOFT

Management team training and development of management team

Microsoft is strongly involved in the renewal of working life. New operating models are sought, models that are more productive and also more motivating than old ones. The role of Microsoft’s own products is obviously important in this change, but an equally important change can be seen in new working premises that support collaboration and encounters in offices, producing new thoughts and ideas during the day.

Ari Rahkonen, Managing Director for Microsoft Finland believes that competence in networking – both within the organization and externally – is part of the toolbox of future leaders. Leaders have to know how to support their own teams and their partners to develop and to succeed, and at the same time ensure that customer promises are being delivered. Rahkonen talks a lot about a new kind of leadership, and has started the change in his own organization. In his blog posts he describes how ”the stone-aged controversy between a manager and a subordinate has to be demolished, and we should start a collaboration that involves a dialogue.” He continues: ”The implementation requires an open-minded attitude, a lot of trust and the capability to challenge and to be challenged. ”

What was done

Delficon has played the part of an external catalyst in the change within Microsoft Finland. The development work has involved management team trainings that clarified the roles of the team members and improved collaboration.

Research has been used as a basis to analyze each individual’s way of working. Tasks have been derived from these analyses – the desired change has been taken into practice and words have become deeds

The results and benefits

Both Rahkonen and Tytti Bergman, HR Director at Microsoft, consider that the key benefit of trainings has been the leadership analysis provided by an external consultant. This has helped to visualize the company situation in a new way and has provided with an honest status review as a basis for the trainings. Bergman also says that an external developer brings structure and goal-orientation into a project – something that is difficult to build from the inside.

ARI RAHKONEN - CEO, Microsoft