An invaluable leadership program

Execu's tailored leadership development program has helped Netthandelsgruppen establish a robust organizational structure. It has helped develop skilled leaders who get the best out of their teams, which in turn has led them to achieve their rather ambitious goals.

Netthandelsgruppen started as an entrepreneurial company in 2014, and had annual growth of around 40%. It was when the pandemic came that it really took off, during 2020 they quadrupled their turnover!

Valuable toolkit

Marie Bø-Larsson began as Head of People in 2020, when she took over the baton from the CEO who had been in charge since the company was established.
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- It quickly became clear that there was a need for leadership development, says Bø-Larsson. “Most of the managers had no management education or experience. The company had grown rapidly, with employees gaining leadership responsibilities after each as turnover increased.

This led to growing pains. The culture was characterized by pointed elbows and conflicts. There was polarisation between head office and warehouse, and communication was lacklustre. Netthandelsgruppen contacted Execu, who stitched together a custom-tailored leadership program consisting of physical collections, learning group training, personality test, and 1:1 talks.

- We started with the program in 2021, focusing on basic leadership training, says Bø-Larsson. We were given a toolbox of useful techniques, and a good foundation was laid.

- In 2022, we had more focus on further development. We had become more leaders by then, and the programme was evolving in step with us.

She goes on to say that the leadership development program has been a professional arena where they have been able to build culture across departments. They have in a fairly short time gone from ten to 20 managers and middle managers, and through the program they have gotten to know each other better and managed to create a real “we” feeling.

- The leadership development program has helped to connect us. Bø-Larsson praises the tailored programme in general, and Tor Åge Eikerapen in particular.

- Tor Åge has been a wonderful supporter, she continues. “He was able to see us in the situation we were in, and he adjusted the program as we changed. We were very well looked after. He is enthusiastic and engaged at the same time as credible and professionally skilled — it is an incredibly good combination, she stresses.

The HR manager believes that everyone can benefit from such a program, regardless of whether they have challenges in the organization or not.- It's about leading themselves and others, but not least being able to lead through change,” she says.

“There's a lot going on in the world that we have no control over, and then it's nice to be able to be the leader. Now we have competent leaders who can withstand challenges and setbacks.

She concludes by saying that the company's internal leadership development program has been valuable also in the recruitment context.

- It has helped to provide us with good applicants. They have wanted to have leadership development included in their contract, it is seen as a big plus among skilled candidates.