Findings from Focus Group Discussion

1. Findings from Focus Group Discussion 24 February 2004

2. Distinctively Danish • Low power distance • High tolerance for ambiguity • High degree of reflection—in advance of a major crisis • High level of commitment to • Democracy • Decentralization

3. Job of the executive • Shaping the agenda • Putting politics at the centre • Advice is central task • ”Cannot delegate politics” • Managing relationship with politicians • Sparring partners • Leading by building consensus • Reaping rewards • Serving the public interest • ”Living on the edge”

4. Effective executives • Are visible to their organizations • Provide and build support • Networking in an setting of trust • Discover best practices • Obtain a safe place to fall • Find an environment in which to admit mistakes without embarrassment, consequences • Lead through teamwork • Build concentric circles

5. New challenges • Relationships with media • Organizational change • Globalization • Danes: inward looking • ”Global forces disrupting Danish values—but many Danes have not quite grasped this”

6. New opportunities • Low power distance, high tolerance for ambiguity • Creates unusual potential for Danes to adapt, thrive, lead in era of globalization

7. What can the Forum do? • Provide opportunities for networking • Enhance skills for media relations • Create new vision of what can be done • Strengthen capacity for information technology • Devise new organizational strategies • Define how leadership in government is different than in corporate world

8. Management • Understand as a function, not a person • Steps • Devise a strategy—code—for effective organizational performance • Understand that no one person can possibly do everything • Create self-assessment tool so individual manager can determine own attributes • Assist manager to identify gaps—and help fill them in to maximize organizational performance