Orchestrating Winning Performance (OWP), IMD’s week-long, customizable program to reinvigorate business leaders takes place in Lausanne every June and in Singapore every November.
OWP provides individuals and teams with the latest management thinking in a customizable format as well as networking with a large pool of international executives.
We spoke with Kasper Okkels of Schouw & Co. to find out why OWP was a boost for his executive team.
IMD: What is the nature of your team?
Kasper Okkels: We own a number of companies that do not have much in common, so their strategies and challenges are very different. Executives from our company regularly attend OWP and last year we came with our executive committee of 8 people. Because each of the committee members’ businesses are so different, they don’t get involved too much in each other’s companies.
IMD: Why is OWP ideal for your executive committee?
Kasper Okkels: Using a traditional program would pose problems for us since we have such a broad range of concerns. Coming as such a diverse company is probably different from other management teams with similar strategic agendas. We have been attending OWP because it is customizable and our members can focus on what matters most to them. In that sense, the program is excellent for businesses like ours.
IMD: Were you able to implement what you learned?
Kasper Okkels: Last year we focused on our very long term vision. We have already incorporated some of the solutions to specific issues that we looked at during OWP.
IMD: Did OWP help your team in any other ways?
Kasper Okkels: Taking a week out of our CEOs’ time means that the discussions that we have at OWP are very in-depth and make a big difference to our businesses. Spending five days with our management group and looking at the future has been very beneficial to us. The academic input from IMD’s Faculty also inspires us. We were able to look at what our must-win battles are together. For us, attending as a team strengthens our working relationship and makes us more efficient throughout the rest of the year. We do not spend a lot of time together during our day-to-day work. But after attending OWP, it easier for us to contact each other directly and tackle certain issues.
IMD: How was your overall experience at IMD?
Kasper Okkels: Even the campus is exceptional. Everything works very smoothly. Being in such a beautiful location was great.
Find out more about OWP and the next sessions in Lausanne and Singapore:
Sign up now and get the early bird offer for teams.
Watch this video to see how you can customize the program.
