Marlene Würgler is a trained sociologist and is currently Head of Unit at the Center for Patient Involvement in the Capital Region of Denmark. She participated in the Executive Management Programme INSEAD. The program consists of three modules, the first of which takes place in Denmark and the next two at INSEAD in France.

– The program had been recommended to me by previous participants who, among other things, emphasized that the participants consisted of a good mix of both private and public leaders – and that the program offered high quality training with skilled teachers. I was curious to gain a deeper insight into the demands of being a top manager, and at the same time I wanted to be equipped professionally to become better at working with strategic goals and change management. In my own experience, with the changes we are about to implement, that this is often difficult. And with the enormous challenges facing healthcare in the future, we need to become even better at understanding and executing on strategic goals from a leadership perspective,” she says about the reason for participating in the training program.

Marlene Würgler emphasizes that the benefits of the leader program have been multifaceted.

– One of the most valuable outcomes for me has been the opportunity to reflect my leadership in others’ leadership. Talking to many other leaders and hearing about their everyday life and challenges has been extremely valuable and has given me many reflections and a greater insight into my own leadership. The level was high, with great engagement from all participants, and the combination of lectures, discussions, and group work worked well. At the end of some of the course days, I have experienced some of the most excellent teaching ever, and it was a luxury to be a part of,” she says.

Concrete learnings to take home
Specifically, the leader program has given her a number of key learnings that she can take directly home and apply in her daily job. – First of all, I’d like to mention the new tools I have in my toolbox around leadership, strategy and innovation – tools that help me daily in my work. A concrete example is the session with Jesper Klit on communication, which I thought was absolutely brilliant. Secondly, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of leadership development and the leadership role – and the complex psychology behind it. It has given me a new insight that is not only good for me, but for the whole organization. Including the importance of ensuring feedback loops between managers and employees and creating space for reflection. – All in all, the new knowledge and inspiration comes in handy in relation to a strategy process we are facing in my organization and thus in my department. The tools I took home will definitely have an impact on how I manage to execute the strategies and create value for all stakeholders.

Psychologically safe environment
In terms of networking, Marlene Würgler also highlights her participation in the leader program as very positive. – I experienced that we had a great team where we had fun together, both professionally and socially. I really enjoyed participating on the program and we have already made plans to meet up – even before the pre-arranged reunion. We built a fantastic community where there was great openness and a high level of psychological safety, and where people dared to speak up and share their stories, and I saw that as a huge strength. I could use a 4th module in the program, she says as a final comment – and with a twinkle in her eye.