Thoughts on Leadership
Be sure to check out this page as we wil be posting articles, newsletters and blogposts about our thoughts on leadership.
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Elsk dit lederliv, og få andre til at elske deres
We Often Think of Motivation as Something Fiery and Fast
A spark. A jolt. A hit of inspiration.
But what if some kinds of motivation feel more like quiet clarity?
Not the rush to do more, but the grounded why behind what you do.
Let the Sparks Fly
As summer begins to slow things down just a little, we wanted to leave you with a few sparks.
Not the kind that burn out quickly,
but the kind that settle in.
That light up something inside—and linger.
The Impact Of the Leadership Environment
One thing we have learned over the past 15 years at Fire & Shield is that great leadership doesn’t happen in isolation. It is shaped by the environments we work in—our teams, our organizations, and the physical spaces that surround us every day.
Skab gazellen dér, hvor du leder
Hver fjerde lønmodtager drømmer om at blive selvstændig, men for de fleste bliver det ved drømmen. Erfaringer fra to succesfulde vækstvirksomheder kan vise vej til, hvordan vi får entreprenørånden ind på flere arbejdspladser.
Medledelse giver mere og bedre ledelse
Hvis du tror, at medledelse handler om at blive ledelsesfri eller skabe et ledelsesmæssigt vakuum med kaos og rundkredse, kan du godt tro om igen. Medledelse skaber mere og bedre ledelse, er erfaringen fra en af de få danske virksomheder, der praktiserer det.
Disse tre simple ord er nøglen til at blive en god leder
At sørge for et godt arbejdsmiljø og sine medarbejderes trivsel er en af den moderne leders største opgaver, og ifølge en tidligere direktør i en række europæiske virksomheder er nøglen til det tre ganske simple ord.
Er du leder på vej til julefrokost? Glem ikke Askepot-finten!
Vidste du, at ledere og Askepot har noget til fælles? De skal helst ud ad døren inden midnat i så ædru (og clean) tilstand, at de ville kunne køre hjem, når der er sociale arrangementer som nu julefrokosterne.
Godmorgen, Tak & Undskyld
Ledelseslitteraturen er fyldt med tykke bøger. Bogen ”God morgen, tak & undskyld” er i det perspektiv forbløffende kort. Titlen refererer tilmed til noget af det mest almindelige i arbejdspladsens omgang med hinanden, nemlig høflighed og interesse. Alligevel bringer forfatterne os nye steder hen, når vi husker på de små ubetydeligheder af venlighed. De gamle dyder giver medarbejderne en balance mellem dynamik og fremdrift overfor nødvendig tryghed.
Disse 3 ord kan gøre dig til en bedre leder
Ledere har ofte så meget fokus på de store linjer, at de glemmer det allermest basale. Som for eksempel at hilse godmorgen. Og dermed misser de en oplagt og helt gratis mulighed for at skabe følgeskab, lyder det i ny bog.
Klar til firmajulefrokosten? Gør som Askepot
Så er der godt gang i årets julefrokoster, og selvom konceptet hele tiden nytænkes, er det oftest skåret over samme grundopskrift: Fællesskab, spisning, underholdning – og alkohol. Den cocktail kan teste de fleste lederes dømmekraft.
Passion and Compassion: The Equilibrium of Leadership
Interview with Elize Dimare and Johnny Sørensen of Fire & Shield
Which ability is more important for a business leader: to lead with passion, or to provide a supportive environment for their people? Answer: yes. For Elize Dimare and Johnny Sørensen of Fire & ShieldTM, it’s “all of the above”.
Derfor elsker gode ledere brok, men hader sladder
Sladder kan underminere din autoritet som leder. Byg dit omdømme på altid at tale med, ikke om, dine kollegaer. Til gengæld bør du omfavne brok fra medarbejderne i stedet for at affeje det. Se det som et udtryk for engagement.
Fire & Shield: A Simple Blueprint for Sustainable Leadership
The Fire & Shield model simplifies leadership by balancing two principles: FIRE, representing ambition and creativity, and SHIELD, embodying protection and support. By maintaining this balance, leaders can foster innovation while ensuring team well-being. The framework is adaptable, helping leaders make real-time adjustments to prevent burnout or stagnation.
Lederens selvhjælpskit: Planlæg ugen, så der er tid til fordybelse og slack
Mange af os arbejder for meget og glædes for lidt, og det kan føles, som om jobbet suger noget af dét, som familien og vennerne skulle have haft. Men før du kaster dig ud i livsomvæltende beslutninger, så prøv at starte i det små. Relativt simple indgreb og justeringer i dit arbejdsliv, din kalender og dit mindset kan gøre en kæmpe forskel.
NEW BOOK FROM FIRE & SHIELD
Shortcuts to the Perfect Fire & Shield Balance
We are thrilled to announce the release of our new book, Godmorgen, Tak & Undskyld – Lederens 23 genveje til succes i turbulente tider (in English: Good Morning, Thank You & Sorry – The Leader’s 23 Shortcuts to Success in Turbulent Times) coming out on
October 1, 2024! 🎉
Fire & Shield – The essence of Leadership and a Shortcut to Creating Lasting Performance
Simplicity Wins in a Complex World
As new and old economies and corporations rise and fall around us, as big data, AI, and pandemics are realities embedded in everyday life, and as investors grow more uncertain and less patient, great leadership is under pressure from all sides. Therefore, it is more important than ever to bring out the best in each person working with us.
The Journey from Specialist to Leader
It takes 4 years to become a carpenter, 6 years to become an engineer and 12 years to excel within a specialist field. Still, we keep telling ourselves that it only takes 5 minutes to become a leader.
Welcome to the Fire & Shield newsletter
where we will debunk this myth (and tell you what shortcuts you can take!)
Lederens nøgle til bedre trivsel og præstationer
De seneste syv år har vi rundet en stor del af vores foredrag og lederudviklingsforløb af med en måske simpel påmindelse: Hvis ikke du kan huske andet, så husk de tre ord; godmorgen, tak og undskyld – så går det sjældent helt galt.
Teamwork is Dreamwork
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2024. At Fire&Shield we like dreams, small and big. But how do we turn our dreams into reality? By investing in a strong team. That’s why this newsletter contains imporantant insights about leadership silos, a theoretical deep dive into the structures of teamwork with professor Mark De Rond, and examines a compelling case study from MAN Energy Solutions.
Why? In order to uncover valuable lessons on working together as a team. Because when the team works, the dream works.
Undgå ‘ledelsesindavl’ ved at kigge uden for egen sektor
Ofte går vi efter at ansætte ledere, der allerede har erfaring fra samme branche eller sektor, ud fra en tro på, at ’mere af det samme’ er det bedste udgangspunkt for at lykkes. Men erfaring viser, at monokultur går ud over både kreativitet og innovationsevne. Så hvorfor ikke arbejde mere med branchediversitet blandt ledere?
Fire grunde til, at du skal glæde dig til at blive leder
Kære unge og erfarne talenter: Lederjobbet kan være fantastisk og rummer både indflydelse, udfordringer og ekstremt meget læring. Der er intet andet job i det moderne arbejdsliv, hvor man har så utrolige muligheder for at gøre en mærkbar, positiv forskel.
Olympisk ledelseslektion: Drop vindermentaliteten og fokusér på jeres warrior-mindset
Når de olympiske vinterlege de næste par uger går løs i Beijing, bliver det med det største hold danske deltagere nogensinde. Selv om de næppe høster særligt mange medaljer, kan vi som publikum alligevel få os en vigtig lektion i ledelse og selvdisciplin.
Den empatiske leder er den nye helt
Indlevelsesevne, omsorg og oprigtig interesse i dine medarbejdere er langt vigtigere end den triatlon, du gerne vil gennemføre for at bevise dig som en stærk og heltemodig leder.
Fairness som langtidsholdbar ledelsesdisciplin
I spændingsfeltet mellem glubsk profitjagt og rendyrket filantropi gemmer sig en af de mest langtidsholdbare virksomhedsværdier: Fairness. Det har kun øget sin værdi i takt med, at nye generationer af medarbejdere og kunder er blevet bevidste om den ”sag”, en virksomhed arbejder for.
Kunsten at bryde vanens magt over arbejdslivet
Skal en arbejdsuge absolut foregå fem dage om ugen mellem 8 og 17? De fleste af os hænger bevidstløst fast i forældede arbejdsmønstre uden at reflektere over deres relevans. Men hvis du er en ægte nomadeleder, kan du bryde vanens magt.
Hvis coronabesættelsen varer fem år
LEDELSE Mange ledere har trykket pause på medarbejderseminarer, udviklingsprojekter og workshops, til vi kan være sammen igen. Men hvad hvis nedlukningerne trækker ud? Elize Dimare og Johnny Sørensen guider dig til corona- og fremtidssikring af din organisation.
Forbered dig på livet som nomadeleder
Nedlukningen satte turbo på en udvikling af arbejdslivet, som har været længe undervejs. Ledere vil møde større krav om fleksibilitet, forståelse og frihed, mens autoriteten bliver noget, de skal arbejde for, skriver Elize Dimare og Johnny Sørensen.
Sommerens ledelsesdilemma: Løve eller panda?
Sommeren står for døren, og for det tilfælde at der skulle komme en gråvejrsdag, eller være behov for lidt indetid, er her ledelsesrådgiverens anbefaling til en tv-serie, der er så inspirerende, at det er ledelsestræning i sig selv at se den.
"Hvad foreslår du?” er et undervurderet ledelsesværktøj
LEDELSE Ingen af os er klogere end summen af dem, vi har ansat til at hjælpe os. Men skræmmende mange ledere agerer, som om det er tilfældet, skriver Elize Dimare og Johnny Sørensen.
Gør i morgen til din første dag på jobbet
LEDELSE Nye ledere møder op med respekt for stedet, fokus på opgaverne og med nysgerrighed og åbenhed over for kollegerne. Det er et mindset, mange erfarne ledere med fordel kan søge tilbage til, skriver Elize Dimare og Johnny Sørensen.
Din relevans afgør om du er leder eller bare chef
LEDELSE Det er måske ikke hver dag, du forholder dig til din egen relevans som leder. Men det kan være afgørende for, om du kan bevare dit reelle ledelsesmandat, skriver Elize Dimare og Johnny Sørensen.
Moderne ledelse
“Vi kan se, at dem, der ser virkeligheden i øjnene fra starten og træffer ubehagelige beslutninger hurtigt, som regel kommer hurtigst og bedst ud på den anden side” – Elize Dimare, Fire & Shield.
Læs mere side 2 og side 14
Ironman i ledelse
Succesfuld ledelse kan mentalt sammenlignes med de fysiske udfordringer ved at gennemføre en ironman. Fællesnævneren er udholdenhed. Det lange seje træk er afgørende for bundlinjen – også i en verden i konstant forandring.
Minimum Viable Leadership with Fire & Shield
A Nordic Inspired Practitioners’ Approach to Responsible Leadership.
Er du faldet i søvn bag rettet?
For mange ledere er karrieren som 40-50 årig fladet ud – og der er måske brug for et spark bagi? Hvis du ikke er tilfreds med det du laver, er det aldrig for sent at lave det om – uanset hvad du laver.
Robuste medarbejdere er et spørgsmål om ledelse
Stress, depressioner og »robusthed« er ikke et spørgsmål om et individuelt ansvar – det er i langt højere grad et spørgsmål om ledelse.
Gør gode ledere bedre
Op imod 85 % af de penge og den tid der bruges på generiske lederuddannelser er spildt. Og hos Fire & Shield fokuseres på dét, der skaber værdi lige nu og her.
Tis the Season…to Create a More Diverse Workspace
The winter season is upon us. A year has gone by, a year full of exciting projects and great challenges for FIRE&SHIELD. This newsletter will share a look back on some of the things we have been up to, as well as some insight into how to create more diversity at work. Why does this matter for you and your business and how can you implement more of it at your workplace? We know DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) will become an even bigger part of our everyday work-life in the years to come – so let’s talk about it now and unwrap it further!
Middle Managers Are Worth Millions…
…If you see their potential and help them grow.
Here is why: It can be hard to communicate a lofty idea from the top board down to the people at the root of the organization. Sometimes the purpose and importance of your strategy simply gets lost as it trickles down and is implemented. This often happens because the perspectives from the top and the bottom are highly different – we don’t always speak the same language.
Could Courageous Kindness Be Your New Summer Style?
Summer is upon us which often means time off, and time to reflect. This year we encourage you to consider if kindness you be your new style for the summer. It may seem controversial or in conflict with your perception of with “great leadership” looks like.
The TEAM Is Everything
Thank you so much for tuning into our newsletter, the last of 2022. This edition will share some leadership tips on how to build strong teams and why it matters. Plus a few updates from our side, including the fact that the website now is available in Danish. Read on.
Hybrid Work Performance
A year of pandemic have passed without an end in sight. Whether on your way into or out of lockdown, the ugly truth is that the ‘good old days’ may never be and that we must adapt to moving in and out of remote work. The hybrid work environment is here to stay.
Other People’s Money
After a calm period during the Corona Lockdown, we are now fully booked again, both with delivering on the postponed activities and some exciting new projects.
VUCA and Rapid Changes
How to deal with a changing world has been a theme forever. 2500 years ago, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus allegedly said that it is impossible for the same man to step into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.
The Simple Habbits That Make You Feel Invincible
This newsletter is dedicated to simplicity. Simple habits can make you feel invincible. Far too often we as leaders forget to lead ourselves. Yet self-management is the key to managing others. Here are 3 easy-to-implement things, that you already know, but probably never do.
Dare You Ask Yourself How Much You've Trained These Past Years?
As we are writing these words we are getting ready for a major assignment: training 200 leaders over an intense period of four weeks. Our new associate partners, Marianne Egelund Siig and Glenn Jacobsen will provide invaluable assistance in making sure we deliver on this amazing task. In a time where many companies seem to be saving on leadership training, this company realizes the importance of investing in leaders as the driver for change. We are in awe with their priorities. More on this exciting project in the next newsletter.
#leadingfromhome
A collection of 10 tips on leading from home.
Artificial Leadership
The scare of Artificial Intelligence is frightening, but we believe that AI is matched by an equally grave danger: AL, Artificial Leadership.
Make a Decent Profit Decently
The German economist and member of Thinkers 50, Hermann Simon, said it so well: the future will be about Leaders who make a decent profit decently.
Are You Still Relevant?
Relevance is often an overlooked leadership qualification. Yet it is our relevance that grants us both the permission to speak and a mandate to lead others.
Meta-stable Management
Metastability is a term from physics referring to a seemingly stable state of a dynamic system which is easily provoked into a more natural state or a state of least energy. A common example is a ball resting on top of a hill where any outside motion will get the ball rolling in either direction, yet for a moment it stays right at the top.
Sleep Your Way To The Top
It is summer time, the time to rest, digest and recharge before we hit the desks again. It is also an opportunity to treat yourself to something rare and amazing, a free tool that can improve your leadership performance immensely. And it can be done while you sleep. Literally.
Bosses Being Bosses
Have you ever had a boss who was not afraid to be a boss and make a decision? And a mirror question to that: Have you ever had a boss who did not take the role upon her/him and didn’t step up to the plate? If you have exprienced one of them you may get a hint, if you’ve tried both you know what we are referring to: The immense difference it makes when bosses dare to be bosses.
Robots Are Coming
AI and its implications seem to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days. What can artificial intelligence do in your field or in your organization? Will your work be easier, more interesting or just plain redundant? What are the options for humans in a world run by computers who never tire, show no emotions, and are making all decisions based on pre-set criteria which they don’t challenge themselves?
To Politicize or Not to Politicize
AI and its implications seem to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days. What can artificial intelligence do in your field or in your organization? Will your work be easier, more interesting or just plain redundant? What are the options for humans in a world run by computers who never tire, show no emotions, and are making all decisions based on pre-set criteria which they don’t challenge themselves?
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
An article targeted at parents with the above headline hit the internet in 2010, published by Mario Vittone, to help reduce the number of children especially drowning. The point is scary as well as necessary: We cannot look for the expected dramatic signals when we are to assess if someone is at risk of drowning or not.
What Is in Your Wake?
Imagine your career as a boat cruise. You are constantly looking ahead to the next destination, cruising your way forward from high light to highlight at high speed, going even greater places and shining your light.
Take the Hit
In a boxing match, as in any kind of fight or controversy, it is tempting to focus on your defense. You want to block any punch that may be swung at you or worry about the potential pain of any hit that may come your way. So you tighten up, “put up your dukes” and keep your mind set on avoiding pain.
Mind the Gap
For most of us, our mind is our most precious, most used and most central tool for having a career and sustaining a livelihood. Yet it is also the most overworked, worn-out and least maintained tool we own. Multiple distractions, interruptions and a constant downpour of information just adds to the wear and tear.
Race Horses
For most of us, our mind is our most precious, most used and most central tool for having a career and sustaining a livelihood. Yet it is also the most overworked, worn-out and least maintained tool we own. Multiple distractions, interruptions and a constant downpour of information just adds to the wear and tear.
MVL - Minimum Viable Leadership
One recent trend in product development is “minimum viable product,” i.e., do not develop anything beyond a bare minimum product that is sellable. The goal is to test if the market is there for this product. Afterward, you adjust the product as needed.
The Wise(r) President
Being wise at work is not always as easy as it ought to be. Too often irrational, political or habitual arguments decide the direction or the destination. The wise choice may seem too difficult and we opt for easy, yet less wise decisions.
Summer Flirts?
Summer is upon us, which in the Northern hemisphere normally means time off work. Such time off work can be intriguing and inspiring and often makes us reflect on our lives, ourselves and our careers. Headhunters often experience a higher interest on jobs posted over the summer or right after, simply because people have time to reflect.
Read more
Vice or Wise President?
Sometimes leadership ends up in the hands of someone who deserves it. Someone who is wiser than most, someone who actually knows better. Wisdom is hard to define yet easy to recognize. Imagine working for someone that you can ask for sound advice, in business and in your professional life.
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Clean Up Behind You
Anyone who has ever shared their home with someone else knows this fundamental truth: it is a nightmare to take over after someone who does not clean up their own mess. You find yourself picking up coffee mugs or used plates that you did not use or get to enjoy.
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Power Hungry?
Part of the reason why “power” is a controversial subject is probably because the human hunger for power is said to be endless. Some of the most terrifying characters this planet has seen, came into power with too few people realizing how much power this person took before it was too late.
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Power Skills
Power is always a juicy subject because it can have a bad name and the potential to be abused, yet we can’t lead without it. Having and handling power in the best possible way is a skill, not a talent. It can be trained and tamed if we seek and allow this.
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Using Your Power
Being a leader gives you power. And if you’ve read our previous post, you know the importance of not abusing that power.
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(Ab)Using Your Power
Being a leader gives you power. Power over people’s lives, happiness, careers and successes. Power over investors return on investments and client’s satisfaction with what they receive. You have the right and the power to expand and create growth all around you by bringing out the best in each individual.
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6 Great Manners for Great Managers
Some managers just have that “touch of class”, that hard to define, yet easy to recognize “je ne sais qoui”. “It”. When it comes to leading people, good style is a key to increasing trust, collaboration and motivation, yet not as common as one would hope. The good news is that it can be learned easily.
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The Power of Doing Things
Our legacy is defined by what we accomplish: the marks we make, the impressions on other’s lives and our achievements. It is not the number of strategy plans we launch or the visions we present. All that matters at the end of they day, what really shapes our legacy, is whether or not we succeed in executing on those strategies and visions.
True Heroes Are the Ones You’ve Never Heard Of
In every culture, we celebrate our heroes and in modern workplaces, the CEO, Director, or other Senior Managers are our biggest heroes. We have magazines dedicated to them, front covers of them in suits, on a boat, out hunting or another situation that signals power, worship and heroism.
What we tend to forget and hardly ever praise are the true heroes of any organization: Those that get things done.
Enjoy to Endure
In most work places, January is a tough month. All the achievements of the past year, which we worked so hard to obtain, are behind us and soon forgotten. In the new year, we need a first quarter with good results, trend curves going up rather than down, and a motivating kick-off meeting with your team. This means, we often work extra hard in January.
Celebrate 2017!
It’s the end of the year, the time when managers are making plans for the new year, plans around budgets and goals. Kick-off meetings, sales conferences and strategy sessions are already planned for the first couple of weeks in January. We barely pause to review how much we’ve accomplished this year as we hurry to get through the last days of the year. “Forward, onward” seems to be the mantra for success and we wear it as a badge of honor.
Busy Being Busy?
Maybe it is not a coincidence that the words ”busyness” and ”business” are so close. If your working day is marathon length yet done in full sprint, you may not stop to consider if you are being productive or just running in a hamster wheel along with everyone else. Could you be so busy and still be wasting everybody’s time and the customer’s money?
Employing a Dead Horse?
Sometimes you have that person on your team who isn’t really up to speed. Who isn’t living up to your expectations and constantly coming short. He/she knows it, the colleagues know it and deep down inside you know it too. Unfortunately, his/her performance is not zero. It is more a grey zone of good and bad days, with the good days being more “not-so-bad” days, too few and far between.
Ironman for Leader?
The current generation of CEOs, executives and senior managers have to be super humans. On top of a 60+ work week and a happy and harmonious family life they also need to prove themselves to the pack by doing extreme sport to show they are the right alpha male/female to lead. And which better way to do so than to pursue an ironman?
Push Less - Get More
We have all been there. The heat is on, pressure is building and deadlines are approaching like lamp posts along the highway. Your CEO or Chairman of the Board is calling you day and night, demanding fast action and swift results. What should you do to make sure we reach these new stretched targets? Push, push, push? Right?
Matrix of Misery
Larger corporations have embraced the matrix structure for the past 30-40 years. On paper it works perfectly. You have specialist support-functions across business units, sharing their knowledge with more people and sharing experiences across organizational silos and even national borders. The true benefit is, however, that everybody has something to say and nobody is fully responsible. There is always somebody else to blame if things go wrong.
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