Leading the transformation of a company is never easy. But that task becomes significantly more complex when you're running a large organization like Swisscom, Switzerland's leading telecommunications company.
When leaders at Swisscom decided to initiate a plan for transformation, they sent six of its top executives to Harvard Business School's Leading Change and Organizational Renewal program to prepare for the mission: Adrian Bucher, head of leadership, transformation and collaboration; Dominique Christen, head of HR sales and services; Wolfgang Eger, executive vice president and head of operations; Peter Mueller, chief operating officer; Jürg Pauli, head of customer interaction experience, and Marc Werner, chief operating officer and member of the Group Executive Board.
"We realized that the impact of the class would be bigger if we came as a team," explains Werner. "We thought it would help us gain a common understanding and view."
To make the most of the program, the team gathered at the outset and agreed to focus on the same specific objective. "We set a clear goal: We wanted to propose a roadmap to the executive board for Swisscom's transformation," says Peter Mueller.
By the end of the six-day program, the team had reached that milestone. "We were able to bring something really actionable back to the organization," says Pauli. He adds that the program also served as a valuable learning experience for him as an individual.
Mueller agrees. "For me, it was definitely worth my time," he says. "I learned a lot and the exchange of ideas was good. I would definitely recommend it."