Empowering Leaders in Asia
We commit to fostering a culture of continuous growth and empowerment on all levels of the company. In Asia, to ensure that the leaders can lead Lindströmers in line with our leadership principles and We Care culture, we initiated a comprehensive leadership development program in early 2023. It is designed to equip top leaders with the skills and insights needed to lead effectively in a dynamic and diverse business environment.
“We launched the global We Care Leadership programme a few years ago. We never really got a chance to conduct it before COVID-19 hit. Now, as we are learning to live with the hybrid world and returning to the new normal way of conducting business, it is high time we take on this topic again. Then we can support our leaders to lead our people even better. In Asia, Lindström has also grown tremendously in a short period through acquisitions. Many new leaders have joined the company. There are people who have never had the chance to really talk about how we want our people to lead and be led. It’s high time we take this up again,” asserts Sandra Andersson, Lindström’s head of HR in Asia.
Two modules addressing leadership at different levels
The Asian leadership programme comprises two learning paths. One is aimed at the line managers and one for those people in the Business Unit leadership position. In both programmes, leaders are encouraged, for instance, to reflect on Lindstrom’s values and how these principles manifest in their leadership style. Also on what their authentic leadership style is and what their role is in leading people in accordance with the We Care culture.
“Both programmes emphasise the joy of learning – one of our core values – and leadership. They nurture a culture where setting targets and receiving support, feedback, and coaching are integral to personal and professional success. We aim for the participants to gain a deeper understanding of their continuous improvement journey. It helps in finding the commitment to achieving the company’s goals, team objectives, and personal aspirations,” adds Andersson.
Positive feedback and continuously learning from one another
“Taking part in the Business Unit Manager Training has been a great experience for me. Meeting people in similar positions from around the region over time, we were able to inspire each other by having a variety of discussions. We can share many opinions about each other’s viewpoints on leadership. The advantage of this training is that each person independently expresses his or her thoughts on the topic rather than us steering toward one direction. It was a great opportunity for all to identify common themes and solutions to current challenges together. Accepting each other’s advice, and developing as a result,” notes Shokmin Oh, Business Unit Manager at Lindström Korea.
“The training for line managers was a new but pleasant experience for me. I could feel the Asia team coming together and collaborating on different topics, and all the talks inspired me. Sharing opinions about each other’s approach to leadership was eye-opening. It gave us new ideas to use in our daily work. For example one-to-one regular meetings and refreshing our views in open-minded work. It was an opportunity for all gathered to identify current strengths and areas for development on their own. We accept one another’s mindset, and develop as a result. I want to express my deepest thanks to this event’s organisers,” adds Bulat Biizhanov, Sales Manager at Lindström Kazakhstan.
The leadership programmes will continue in 2024. There will also be other training opportunities introduced to all levels of employees via the launch of an internal learning management platform.
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