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Welcome to Changemaker stories from LOCAL - an ongoing series of personal interviews with leaders driving change across every industry and discipline. Because change shouldn’t mean going it alone.
This week we spent time with Dennis Bjorn Petersen, an innovator and coach at The LEGO Group who helps leaders become the best, most collaborative versions of themselves. We talked about curiosity, the importance of understanding your people, and the joys of local libraries. Here are a few takeaways from our conversation with Dennis:
The impact of your work matters. I'm always trying to identify what the expected outcomes are. Not the output, but the outcomes. What impact will this have on the people that are involved in this?
Great leaders curiously seek to understand their people. Most people don’t resist change out of resentment. Often, they actually want the change and just need help figuring out what to do. You can help them when you understand how changes impact their everyday work.
Never be afraid to ask questions. Some leaders don’t ask questions because they don’t want to seem naive, but this curiosity helps bring the simple and obvious solutions to light.
You can’t only rely on gut feelings or surveys to decide if things are going well. You need to walk the floor, talk with people, and get a finger on the pulse.
A common barrier to success is prioritization. I always ask how a new change is prioritized versus a person’s everyday operational tasks and other projects.
I like the quote: “You can't get ahead when you're busy getting even.” It comes back to prioritization. What is in front of you right now that needs to be fixed in order for you to move forward?
Changemakers that I admire are two Dutch writers called the Liberators. They offer a lot of free inspiration for people designing and facilitating workshops. We invite them to The LEGO Group now and then.
A place that inspires me is my local library. I was there with my daughter earlier today. Our favorite part is an interactive floor that has games and a station where you can learn about your environmental footprint.
I’m inspired to see not only children but also adults using LEGO products to be creative. Whether they’re building something to display or just fidgeting, there is a positive mindfulness to it.
I’m excited for the future of The LEGO Group. We’ve got some really innovative products in the pipeline that we can’t wait to have in the hands of kids all over the world.
My advice to the next generation of leaders is to stay curious and be brave. We’ve all had less-than-ideal leaders, likely when we were younger. Remember those leaders, and then make sure you don’t make the same mistakes.
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