FRONT Leadership's new leadership developer, Camilla Caspersen (39) from Oslo, says that developing good leaders gives her enormous pleasure.
By Rita Tvede Bartolomei
Camilla has a degree in business administration from BI Norwegian Business School. However, it was more by chance that led her into HR and leadership development.
- I've always had a love and care for the people around me, no matter what position I've been in. Collaborating with others, playing ball and being part of their development gives me a lot of joy and positive energy. Because I believe that great magic can be created through good leadership," she says.
Joined a network for leadership developers
In October 2022, Camilla Caspersen joined FRONT Leadership as part of the company's team of 9 leadership developers. Now she joins the journey ahead, and will help FRONT reach its goal of developing 4,000 leaders by 2023.
Previously, the 39-year-old has worked in the senior management team as HR manager in both Academic Work (recruitment and staffing company) and Foodora(Q-commerce giant in food delivery services). Camilla became acquainted with FRONT Leadership through the largest network of leadership developers in Norway.
The network was founded by CEO Mats Kristensen and Professor Jan Ketil Arnulf in a basement in Frogner in the fall of 2017.
- "I've been a member since 2020, and I got to know Mats through the network. We quickly realized that we shared the same views on leadership development," she says.
She talks about the FRONT methodology for leadership training, which is based on giving managers time to practice leadership in practice:
- Through a small drip of leadership development throughout the year. And FRONT was really at the forefront of this," she says.
Photo: Foodora
"I believe that great magic can be created through great leadership"
Short management courses provide a heavy toolbox
Intensive, short leadership courses have been the template for much leadership development over the years. But Camilla explains that it does little good to give the manager 10 tools in the toolbox, which then only need to be practiced a little over two days.
- Then the managers are left alone in the fire when they return to the office. That makes the toolbox heavy to carry. It's more useful to add a few tools at a time and give them time to get good at them before moving on," she says.
This also gives managers the opportunity to receive feedback along the way and, not least, to exchange experiences.
- As leadership developers, we must also ensure that we adapt leadership development to each individual company, their phase and desired development," says Camilla Caspersen.
Too little time to lead
Unfortunately, managers' time is often consumed by meetings, firefighting and urgent customer meetings. This leaves little room in everyday life to actually exercise leadership and become a better leader.
- When managers only have time to exercise leadership at 110 km/hour, the blinders quickly come on. It needs to be anchored in top management that leadership is important," she says.
Because leadership is always important, and should always be a priority.
"Perhaps investing in good management is particularly important now that so much is uncertain. In my opinion, it's the best investment a company can make," she says.
"A good leader must have a genuine interest in the people around them"
Creating engaged (and curious) leaders
Camilla says that her goal for leadership development is always to create engaged, curious and genuine leaders.
- "If you want to understand what drives employee engagement, you have to be a present, authentic and engaged leader," she says.
Already after a few months in her new job at FRONT Leadership, she says that it gives her a lot to experience how the people she works with are continuously growing as leaders.
- Yes, it can be a little painful to evolve, and it can be uncomfortable to move outside your comfort zone," she says with a smile, and adds:
- But it is necessary to grow and improve as a manager. It's only natural that managers find some of the things they have to work with both challenging and difficult," says Camilla Caspersen.
The most underrated leadership skill?
Camilla doesn't have to ponder that question for long. After a few seconds, she answers:
- "A good leader must have a genuine interest in the people around them," she says.
She adds that caring for others is closely linked to this important leadership trait.
- The ability to create safe and good relationships, not to mention providing psychological security for your employees. Once all this is in place and you've gotten to know your employees, you can adapt your leadership to create the desired results," she says.
The foundation is security
But without such a foundation, it creates uncertainty, unclear communication and unfavorable engagement.
- "As leaders, we have an enormous influence on those around us. We must have respect and humility for that position," she says.
The leadership developer, who has several years of experience as a senior manager in the business world, has observed and experienced less good leadership.
- That's why I know how much impact it can have on engagement and results for a company," she says.
Aligning leadership with people
She says that the biggest mistake many managers make is that they fail to adapt their leadership to the people they manage. Or that they think they are "trained" leaders.
- "We need to spend time getting to know our employees. What are their strengths, areas for development and what are their drivers for engagement," she says.
Even if you lead the same team over 5 to 10 (maybe 20) years, these people will change too.
- Your employees will experience grief, joy, family growth, illness - whatever life throws at them. They are not necessarily the same people all the time," says Camilla Caspersen.
Then she makes a request:
- Dare to ask employees how they really feel. Not just at work, but in life in general," she says.
