Three years ago, the Nordic financial services group SEB revolutionized their leadership development. Mattias Dahl Sandrén, licensed psychologist and Learning & Development Partner at SEB, helped create a groundbreaking leadership framework emphasizing six core skills, seamlessly integrating learning into daily work life.
Even a bank with a history dating back to the 1800s needs to embrace new technologies, face competition from niche players, and meet the increasing demands of customers. For Mattias Dahl Sandrén and his team at SEB, integrating a new leadership model into daily operations was crucial to maintaining the company’s top position in the market.
Mattias Dahl Sandrén, Learning & Development Partner, SEB
– Aligning the leadership content with our 2030 business plan was step one. But our vision extends beyond immediate business concerns. We wish to foster an awareness of the financial ecosystem and cultivate sustainable leadership practices. Rather than looking at quarterly cycles, we want to build a learning foundation for the next quarter of a century. Inclusivity is key, Mattias Dahl Sandrén explains.
Basically, the initiative aims to empower leaders, enabling them to turn the company’s strategy into reality, understand the business ecosystem, and enhance social skills crucial for collaboration and innovation.
SEB:s starting principles for Transformative Leadership (excerpt from SEB:s presentation)
– Our main aim is to encourage our leaders to see themselves as guardians of the future, focusing on their responsibility for the well-being of upcoming generations.
Further reading: Driving behavioral change in learning initiatives
The concept of transformative leadership relies on the ability to set strategic frames, create psychological safety, listen empathically, unleash potential and share power, learn continuously, and inspire with a bigger purpose. These six abilities must work together seamlessly to create a well-rounded and effective leadership approach.
"All parts are research-based, behavior focused, and equally important."
– All parts are research-based, behavior focused, and equally important.
The goal is for our leaders to provide clarity, foster open communication, and empower individuals through coaching and delegation of responsibilities. We want them to prioritize continuous learning with a growth mindset, connecting tasks to a broader purpose and reinforcing the significance of individual contributions.
SEB:s six essential abilities for Transformative Leadership (excerpt from SEB:s presentation)
Since its 2021 launch, the transformative leadership concept has evolved. Initially, a community was formed for leaders to collaborate. In fall 2021, intensive workshops emphasized hands-on learning in management teams. And in 2022, SEB scaled the concept through open "labs," fostering active leader participation in continuous model development.
Further reading: Creating a learning strategy with real business impact
– Last year, we extended the program by embracing an “in the flow of work” approach. This is where we can use some of the extensive self-service material we have produced, with the intention of supporting leaders and management teams to make progress on some of their most important topics. Coaching practices and workshop elements then complements these initiatives. They contribute to a holistic and dynamic learning environment, aligning with our company’s commitment to transformative leadership, Mattias Dahl Sandrén concludes.