Mette Cordt has had a long and extensive career in the HR field and is currently the Nordic HR Director at Konica Minolta.

INSEAD Education on the wishlist

Her responsibilities have varied widely over the years, including overseeing numerous transformation projects. Her interest in and involvement with these change initiatives were key reasons why she chose to participate in the Leading Strategic Change program INSEAD in the fall of 2021.

“The program was highly relevant for me, as I have led and been responsible for various Nordic projects—I have essentially been in ‘change mode’ for many years. I’ve attended various courses and gathered knowledge along the way, but I’ve also realized that creating change in an organization and getting both people and culture to shift direction is challenging. In other words, I felt a need for input and inspiration to reach the ‘next level.’ Additionally, I have long had a desire to visit INSEAD to experience the environment and get to know the excellent professors teaching there,” she explains.

She continues, “The two professors in the Leading Strategic Change program were exceptionally skilled—each in their own way, providing a great balance. It was beneficial to refresh theoretical knowledge with professors who have strong scientific foundations in their teaching. I was also very impressed with the cases we were presented with, where we worked on various scenarios and their consequences. The cases effectively followed up on the theoretical knowledge we were introduced to and linked the theoretical framework with practical application. There was a lot of learning in that.”

Local and International Perspectives

Mette Cordt describes it as both rewarding and inspiring to meet “like-minded” individuals from different industries and companies who face similar challenges and issues. This provided valuable input on how to succeed even better with transformation projects.

“Before I went, I was somewhat unsure if it was the right choice to attend INSEAD with a Danish group. But my skepticism was truly dispelled. It was definitely an advantage to be there with a Danish group, combined with the international learning environment. The interplay between the local and international aspects worked really well,” she notes.

Key Takeaways

Mette Cordt found three specific learnings from the strategic execution program particularly relevant. Firstly, she was fascinated by dealing with the hidden barriers within an organization. She discovered that even if one strictly follows the textbook, implementation problems can still arise, and learning how to manage those issues was crucial. Secondly, she found it extremely relevant to be challenged on leveraging differences when working on transformation projects. It’s important to avoid reinforcing each other’s ideas and instead seek perspectives from those who might disagree. Lastly, she learned the importance of clear and effective communication before initiating major change projects.

She concludes, “These important learnings have undoubtedly provided me with substantial support, both for existing projects I am involved in and by challenging my mindset to approach things differently as I advance with future transformation projects.”