- There is one word: Service. Service above all else.
These are the words of Mogens Kruse Andersen, Director of Technology, Business and Employment in Thisted Municipality, when asked how the municipality has managed to become a high jumper in the Danish Industry's Business Climate Survey.
The catalyst for the great ranking is Thisted Municipality's business strategy. Just a few years ago, the business community in the municipality was facing strong headwinds. Large companies such as Coloplast and Oticon left the municipality, which contributed to the start of work on a new strategy.
The result is significant. In 2015, Thisted Municipality was number 92 out of the country's 98 municipalities in the Business Climate Survey. In 2020, the municipality jumped up to 16th place overall and was at the forefront in areas such as case management, physical framework, dialog with the business community and information.
Defined as an Action Learning Consulting project
According to Annette Breinholt, involvement is the key to the success of the project "Developing effective daycare in disadvantaged neighborhoods". The project was defined as an Action Learning Consulting project:
According to Annette Breinholt, involvement is the key to the success of the project "Developing effective daycare in disadvantaged neighborhoods". The project was defined as an Action Learning Consulting project:
- We involved as many parties as possible. And we took an implementation approach where, through learning partnerships, we ensured that the stakeholders were involved in creating the desired change together.
This also means that a classic project description has not been drawn up, but rather a framework description in which three tracks have been defined. One track is about improving the quality of the learning environment - the aforementioned KIDS measurement is used here. The second track is about bringing interdisciplinary collaboration and special education knowledge closer to general practice. The third track deals with the expanded parental collaboration, which is very important in a daycare center like Mælkebøtten.
- We have come the furthest with the interdisciplinary collaboration and the learning environment - and the project was originally set for the end of 2020, but due to a spring characterized by Coronavirus, we have extended the project by half a year. Because we have really managed to create a change, so we don't want to just let it go, says Annette Breinholt.
Rasmus Engelbrecht, Partner at LEAD, helped develop the strategy and focus areas, as well as the implementation action plan and management tools:
- Thisted Kommune looked inwards, listened to feedback from the outside world and had the courage to change their own workflows and mindset. The reason they succeeded is because they - and Mogens in particular - were adamant that the change had to come from within.
He emphasizes that with this approach, Thisted Municipality was actually ahead of the Management Commission's recommendation to have the citizen at the center:
- The mindset has changed, meeting citizens and businesses where they are. The mindset has simply changed.
In short, as an external consultant, Rasmus Engelbrecht helped create the foundation for the necessary actions to support the achievement of the defined goals. Mogens Kruse Andersen particularly emphasizes the help with process management as key.
- It has been really good to have Rasmus on board. Starting a strategy development process is complicated, and it was good to have someone to structure the process. How do you identify core areas and what are the actual challenges? Rasmus had methods for this and was the project manager.
Shift in culture and mindset
The business strategy has several sub-elements. But some are so concrete that they can be seen with the naked eye. For example, Business Breakfasts are held for the business community, the processing time in the municipality's business department is now one of the shortest in the country and the municipality's business department has moved into Oticon's old premises to be close to the business community.
Today, they work in Thisted Municipality to provide service rather than to act as an authority. Instead of looking for problems, they look for opportunities, says Mogens Kruse Andersen.
- Our whole mindset has shifted. We focus on whether we can find opportunities with companies in relation to their visions. It's about behavior and mindset. If we don't remember that, being service-minded is just an empty word.
According to him, the most important thing was to embed the strategy into the culture:
- I can sit with action plans and strategies, but if it's not part of the culture: what we work towards, can be measured and have as a common goal, then it makes no sense." So this evolved from being a regular strategy work to also becoming a cultural project.
Mogens Kruse Andersen emphasizes that there has been a change in culture and mindset among the municipality's employees.
- Today, we believe that our task here in the municipality is important in relation to businesses. We simply have a significant role for the business community when it comes to applying for new permits, extensions or new local plans. We have a very important role in this context.
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