At KAEFER, our 1,600 employees are the foundation of everything we do. It is through their efforts and commitment that we achieve our results and success. One of our most important priorities is to give our employees the opportunity to develop, fulfil their potential and contribute to the community through targeted training, active involvement and cooperation.
Leadership in action
Then we must ensure that our managers have the right knowledge and tools to see and support each individual employee. At KAEFER we want our leaders to be aware of their responsibilities and to understand the importance of the role they have been given. They should not only lead, but also inspire and facilitate growth and cooperation. To further strengthen leadership, we gathered project managers, production managers, department managers and the management team for a two-day meeting in November. The aim of the meeting was to develop leadership behavior, build organizational culture and emphasize the importance of collaboration and interaction. Through a combination of theory, practical group assignments and social activities, new relationships and networks were created that we are sure will contribute to a stronger community at KAEFER.
Cooperation is the key
A key theme of the meeting was collaboration across units, projects and departments at KAEFER. When we as leaders encourage and facilitate collaboration, we open the door to new ideas, creative solutions, and increased value creation. It also gives us the opportunity to share and reuse knowledge, leverage expertise and build on best practice from across the organization. This strengthens not only individual projects, but KAEFER as a whole.
A common basis for leadership
Our managers come from a variety of backgrounds, with different experiences and expertise. This gives us many valuable perspectives, but it also makes it important to agree on common principles and values that underpin our leadership. The meeting gave us space to reflect on what clear and predictable leadership means in practice. This will help to build trust between leaders and employees and create clarity of expectations.
Role models for the future
As leaders at KAEFER, we have a responsibility – not only to our employees, but also to the culture and future of the company. Through initiatives like this, we demonstrate what it means to be a role model: someone who inspires, supports and enables us all to succeed together.
A meeting that strengthened leadership and community
Our top manager, Bård Bjørshol, greatly appreciated the meeting and highlighted how impressively it highlighted the common denominators in leadership, such as responsibility, expectations and influence. We also gained a wealth of useful knowledge by sharing real stories and experiences. At the same time, we had time to reflect, both alone and with colleagues. I also noticed that new bonds were formed and participants were given tools to become even better leaders.
