The revised leadership code – SDU’s Leadership Compass
On this basis, the so-called SDU Leadership Compass was developed.
Project organisation
- Project manager: University Director, Thomas Buchvald Vind
- Steering committee: University Director Thomas Buchvald Vind, HR Manager Mads Niemann-Christensen, Betina Rohr, Human Resource Service (Process Management)
- Working group: Simon Møberg, Rikke Leth-Larsen, Jens Ejbye Schmidt, Jeanette Lemmergaard, Jonathan R. Brewer, Martin Tjørntved Davidsen, Thomas Buchvald Vind, Mads Niemann-Christensen, Betina Rohr
- Feedback group: Bertil F. Dorch, Leif Jensen, Anni Søborg, Peder Thusgaard Ruhoff, Martin Svensson, Per Krogh Hansen, Jens Troelsen, Ane Qvortrup, Domen Bajde
Employee involvement
In the summer of 2020, representatives of employee groups widely distributed at SDU participated in a focus group interview. The result of the focus group interview was extremely fruitful, generating many relevant considerations. These considerations provide a good insight into the existing management culture at SDU, which the working group and steering committee have drawn on to qualify the competence and development offers that will support the leadership compass.
Furthermore, the Leadership Compass was pre-processed by Central Liaison Committee on 8 September 2020 and was sent for consultation in the local Liaison Committee in November 2020.
Inspiration for the work
In SDU’s work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, there will be even more focus on innovation and co-creation in the area of leadership. SDU’s leadership compass focuses on SDU’s relationship with the surrounding community and takes into consideration the external factors that influence the organisation. PEST is an analysis model that is used to analyse the external macro environment and stands for: Political factors, Economic factors, Socio-Cultural factors, Technological factors. Seen in this light, SDU must relate to the changed financial conditions and framework for universities, as well as changed conditions for education, where an average decrease in potential applicants is expected due to demographic trends. Likewise, great emphasis is also placed on technological disruption, digitalisation and data-driven management. SDU’s leadership compass was developed on the basis of these considerations and the Leadership Commission’s report of June 2018, in which personal leadership is of central importance.
The working group has also been inspired by Wilfred H. Drath’s well-known Leadership Ontology DAC (Direction, Alignment, Commitment).
Good leadership principles at SDU
The leadership compass consists of four guiding and interdependent perspectives: Direction, Interaction, Engagement and Leadership. The perspectives are based on the values of propriety, accountability, motivation and dialogue. The reflection questions for each perspective reflect SDU’s principles of good leadership and are an invitation for the individual manager to reflect on their own management practice. Below is an overview of the principles on which each question is based.
| Good leadership at SDU | Questions | |
| Direction | The manager's managerial work reflects the conditions, frameworks and ambitions of the University and the manager’s unit. | How do I reflect the conditions, frameworks and ambitions of the University and my unit in my managerial work? |
| The manager creates shared and engaging ambitions. | How do I create shared and engaging ambitions? | |
| The manager adjusts direction through changes in conditions, context, tasks and employees. | How do I continuously adjust direction through changes in conditions, context, tasks and employees? | |
| The manager prioritises and coordinates between different tasks and interests. | How do I prioritise and coordinate different and competing tasks and interests? | |
| The manager communicates the terms and ambitions of the University and those of his/her unit. | How do I communicate the terms and ambitions of the University and my unit? | |
| Interaction | The manager takes the initiative to bring different competencies into play to create results. | How do I take the initiative to bring different competencies into play to create results? |
| The manager promotes collaboration within his/her own unit. | How do I promote collaboration among employees within my own unit? | |
| The manager supports cross-cutting collaboration outside his/her own unit. | How do I support cross-cutting initiatives, activities and collaborations outside my own unit? | |
| The manager ensures involvement with respect for his/her managerial responsibility. | How do I involve employees and partners without relinquishing my managerial responsibility? | |
| The manager shares knowledge, gives feedback and provides sparring. | How do I contribute to knowledge sharing, feedback and sparring? | |
| Engagement | The manager promotes mutual support between the individual employee and the community. | How do I promote mutual support between the individual employee and the community? |
| The manager motivates the employee and the employee group to develop competencies and potentials. | How do I motivate the individual employee and employee group to develop and utilise relevant competencies and potentials? | |
| The manager creates well-being. | How do I make room for job satisfaction, enthusiasm and professional pride? | |
| The manager handles conflicts and dissatisfaction in a proper manner. | How do I properly handle conflicts, dissatisfaction, doubt, frustration and insecurity? | |
| The manager communicates openly, trustingly, appreciatively and in a dialogue-based manner. | How do I contribute to open, trusting, appreciative and dialogue-based communication? | |
| Leadership | The manager acts on the basis of a distinct personal leadership foundation. | What is my personal leadership foundation that clarifies my values and ambitions? |
| The manager assumes his/her responsibility and demonstrates integrity and credibility. | How do I take on managerial responsibilities and demonstrate integrity and credibility? | |
| The manager enters into dialogue to strengthen his/her leadership. | How do I seek dialogue with employees, managers and management colleagues about good leadership and about my leadership practice? | |
| The manager develops his/her network to strengthen his leadership. | How do I develop my network to get sparring, find a community and get help when things are difficult? | |
| The manager is under continuous leadership development in a lifelong perspective. | How do I develop my own leadership in a lifelong perspective? |
