Themes discussed:

1. Leadership Development: Mattias explains his work in training SCB's leadership, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety, empathy, and fostering a collaborative leadership environment.
2. Strategic Learning and Self-Responsibility: The shift from structured learning programs to self-driven competence development is explored, with a focus on how leaders and employees can take ownership of their growth.
3. Complexity in Large Organizations: Mattias details the challenges of driving change in large, regulated institutions, including how to manage diverse leadership teams with varying perspectives and responsibilities.
4. Psychological Safety in Teams: Mattias highlights the importance of creating an environment where team members feel safe to be vulnerable and open about challenges, which enhances collective problem-solving.

Key Takeaways:

• Psychological safety is a critical foundation for effective leadership development and organizational success.
• Leadership development is shifting from formal programs to a more self-driven and integrated approach, where leaders are expected to take greater responsibility for their growth.
• Facilitating open, honest communication and understanding diverse perspectives within leadership teams is key to overcoming operational and strategic challenges.
• Continuous learning requires balancing short-term operational pressures with long-term strategic development needs.

Shownotes:

• ‍[00:00] - Introduction: Host Kristoffer introduces Mattias Dahl sandrén, setting the stage for the episode and discussing his role as Learning and Development Partner at SEB.
• ‍[00:57] - Mattias' Work at SEB: Mattias explains how he approaches his work as an L&D Partner, focusing on the challenges of working strategically across different groups and driving change within a large organization.
• ‍[01:57] - Psychology Background: Mattias shares his background as a psychologist and consultant, discussing how his ability to encourage open conversations helps solve complex problems.
• ‍[03:01] - Strategic Leadership Development: Mattias talks about his role in developing leadership skills at SEB, balancing empathy with driving results in a corporate setting.
• ‍[05:21] - Working with Leadership Teams: Mattias describes his work with around 30 leadership groups within SEB, supporting them in identifying strategic development areas.
• ‍[07:24] - Leadership Training Shift: The discussion moves to the evolution from traditional training programs to a more self-driven model, where leaders take ownership of their learning journey.
• ‍[09:30] - Challenges in Prioritizing Learning: Mattias highlights the difficulty of encouraging leaders to prioritize long-term competence development amid daily operational pressures.
• ‍[11:38] - Learning Philosophy: SEB’s shift to a learning culture rooted in Self-Determination Theory, promoting autonomy, mastery, and connectedness in leadership and employee development.
• ‍[15:00] - Balancing Immediate Needs with Future Growth: The episode covers the challenge of aligning short-term operational needs with the necessity of investing in long-term skill development.
• ‍[16:46] - Providing Learning Opportunities: Mattias explains SEB’s strategy of offering a wide range of learning resources and the importance of accessible learning platforms.
• ‍[21:11] - Developing Leadership Teams: Mattias discusses the importance of leadership group development, focusing on building psychological safety, listening, and fostering open communication.
• ‍[24:53] - Handling Complex Problems: The episode dives into how Mattias approaches solving complex challenges within leadership teams, using group discussions and strategic alignment.
• ‍[29:42] - Gathering Insights and Feedback: Mattias shares his approach to collecting feedback and ensuring leadership groups are aligned in addressing their most pressing strategic issues.
• ‍[37:07] - Ground Rules and Decision-Making: The importance of establishing group ground rules and clearly defining decision-making processes within leadership teams.
• [44:00] - After Action Reviews: Mattias introduces the concept of After Action Reviews, a tool for continuous improvement in leadership teams, encouraging reflection on what worked and what didn’t.
• ‍[49:48] - Concluding Thoughts: Mattias reflects on the future of leadership development at SEB, the importance of adaptability, and the challenges of fostering continuous learning in fast-paced environment.