Building new strategies for new facilities… and happy families

Healthcare company Novo Nordisk is a world leader in diabetes care. Because the Denmark-based company currently operates in most countries worldwide, it knows a great deal about the challenges and opportunities that go along with moving into new markets. So, when Novo Nordisk had reached the decision to invest over $US200 million in the construction of a second facility in Brazil that would be 2-3 times the size of the existing one, they knew right away that there were going to be some key challenges.

Perhaps the most notable of these challenges was to formulate a basic strategy for the Danish project leaders that would be spending 2-3 years abroad with their families to oversee the construction of the facility. Furthermore, there was a need to bring these managers together as a team – both on a professional and personal level. After
extensive dialogue and review, Novo Nordisk decided to involve LEGO SERIOUS PLAY. The directors had heard about the way LSP’s process naturally allows group members to seek and identify important problems and then allow for free expression of problem-solving ideas – and they were willing to experiment.

As it often does for pharmaceutical companies, the experimentation paid off – in a big way. A two-day LSP Real Time Strategy session which even included dialogue with existing Brazilian management allowed the team to reach consensus on a concrete overall strategy for the construction of the new facility.

The end benefits did not stop there. Through LSP, team members were able to identify problem areas that they had not previously seen – including some practical concerns about how their families would adjust to living abroad. What better tool to use with the families than the one that had previously proven itself to work so well?
LSP was actually used again with these families – and, since the families have happily adjusted to their new homes and met many new friends through the LSP workshops, the tool was brought overseas to be used in Brazil.

LSP functioned as a valuable tool in the development of the project and has contributed to the overall positive spirit. Combined with a very ambitious, holistic-oriented and professional client like Novo Nordisk, it has ultimately yielded extraordinary results.

– Workshop delivered by LSP partner Trivium, Denmark