If you want a great business book, don’t miss: “WIN The Strategy Execution” by Lars H. Nielsen. Hands on, practical essential if you want your strategy to really happen!
Dominique TURPIN
Emeritus Professor of Marketing Strategy
(IMD Switzerland & Singapore)
“I first met Lars in 2006, during my time at ATP, when he implemented a specific winner culture in the investment area. In 2018, we at Sparinvest were faced with having to determine a new strategy, and our first (and best, as it turned out) decision was to get Lars to join our team as a facilitator. Lars has a totally unique ability to focus on the most important topics and ensure progress throughout the entire strategy process, from start to finish. He doesn’t make things harder than they are. A good strategy has both customers in focus and appeals to all stakeholders, which is ambitious and difficult to achieve, but you can see a way through if you choose to make the effort. The strategy must also appeal to the brain and the heart. There must be something for the spreadsheets but, most importantly, the strategy must feel right and trigger pride, so that the whole organization goes out as one group with eyes lit up like a 10000 Watt light bulb and battles as one to reach its goal. Even when things became difficult, Lars retained a complete overview of the process and got us back on track with a steady hand when we were on our way to derail. Lars thus ensured that our strategy didn’t just become yet another, dusty, PowerPoint presentation but, instead, became an attractive lodestar for the future. I must say that I am impressed with how much I learned personally from Lars during the process. And, in the Executive Board of Sparinvest, with Lars' assistance throughout the entire process, we achieved a markedly strengthened collaboration and a better understanding of how we prioritize and make decisions - and not least how to have fun while we do it. I really hope that I will have the opportunity to work with Lars again in the future.”
"I have worked with Lars for more than 20 years and he has guided me through strategy processes as the leader at various levels. Together with my management teams, we have created ambitious foundations for our collaboration and strategy thanks to Lars’ professional and empathetic advice and facilitation.”
Birgitte Rav Degenkolv
Hospital Director,
Amager Hvidovre Hospital, 5000 empl.
"Lars’ approach is both inspiring and challenging. His contribution was important to Danfoss’ management team when we created the right basis for the development and subsequent the implementation of Danfoss’ successful strategy “Core & Clear”.”
Niels B. Christiansen
CEO, LEGO
(about the process in Danfoss)
"Lars H. Nielsen has facilitated the last 3 strategy processes in Sparekassen Kronjylland, in which 'Culture' has played an important role. His great experience and top qualifications mean that he always ensures that we get through the processes successfully. During the strategy phase, it is inevitable that we, the management, disagree and get frustrated along the way. In that phase, Lars is good at staying calm and holding on to the belief that we are on the right track. In other phases where we think that we have quickly reached a solution, he can challenge us on whether we are actually ambitious enough.”
Klaus Skjødt
CEO, Sparekassen Kronjylland
(Kåret som Europas Bedste Arbejdsplads,
og de mest tilfredse kunder i 2019 og 2020)
"Lars has a fantastic ability to merge strategy and culture in a common process. We were able to rapidly raise the bar from a position of ’mediocre’ to ’ambitious’.”
Lars Møller
Country Manager, Pfizer Denmark
"I still quote one of Lars' sentences used during our collaboration because it is so simple and so real. Namely, “Is this something we have talked about, or is it something we have agreed on?” I have worked with Lars in connection with a strategy process at Aller Media A / S. The company was looking to formulate a new vision and a clear pathway to achieving it, and it was Lars who facilitated the project. Lars is good at making difficult and complicated themes simple and easy to see. He has a wealth of experiences from other change processes and can make use of them. He fills the room with positive energy and there is a lot of humour and warmth in his way of taking the helm. Lars deserves a large part of the credit for the strategy being formulated, distributed and understood by the employees and owners.”
I have no hesitation in giving Lars my heartiest recommendation.
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Anette Kokholm
Head of Radio, Danmarks Radio
"First class facilitation of Strategy process for Gorrissen Federspiel" 👍🏻
Lasse Skaarup Christensen
Partner, Advokat (H), Gorrissen Federspiel
” Lars is the man who wants to make a difference. In connection with the Danish Lung Association's new pro-active strategy, Healthier lungs - Throughout life, there was a need to establish a solid network that could support families with seriously ill children. When we had to start the new network with volunteers and professionals, Lars offered himself as a facilitator. Something happens when a person like Lars, with many years of experience in company coaching and with a winning soul, takes over the space! Lars is the type of person who challenges both method and process during the planning. Lars both creates the positive energy needed for progress and understands the overall aspects of the development of a modern NGO.”
Anne Brandt
Managing Director,
Denmarks Lung Association (NGO)
"I have known Lars H. Nielsen since 1991 when I met him in connection with the introduction at Jyske Bank of a systematized model of proactive thinking. The meeting strongly affected my working methods and way of thinking. With his background as a top athlete Lars taught me the value of visualizing your goals and of planning how to reach those goals in practice. Since then, I have worked with Lars on many different occasions - always with the objective of improving and maintaining performance, either my own or that of the Group or my team of managers."
Leif F. Larsen
Bankdirektør, Jyske Bank
"Lars has the ability to capture different people and understanding there approach and asking the questions that gives them something to think about in his own quiet way. With Lars business orientated and positive mindset I can only give my best recommendations for Lars and his work."
Claus Rasmussen
VP HR & Communication, PANDORA
"Lars is an excellent facilitator and coach. His background as an Olympic medal winner has given him the understanding of having a winner culture ,and he is good at use his talent to coach groups and organizations through the strategic planning, defining the visions, ambitions and realization of them. I have had the pleasure to work with Lars since 2011 and seeing forward using his assistance in future as well to get through the challenges of implementing the new technology in our organization."
Gita Monshizadeh
Technical Director, MOE
"Lars H. Nielsen made a real difference in supporting the build up of the new Danfoss Executive management team andshaping the future startegy “Core & Clear” for Danfoss after the financial crisis."
Troels Petersen
Senior VP, Danfoss, (M&A)
"Lars H. Nielsen has on two occasions worked with my management team helping us through some complex strategic change processes. The work was inspiring and was a good catalyst to bring us on in the process. Lars can be highly recommended."
John Lindskog
President, Convatec B2B
"I have had the pleasure of working closely with Lars in a combined strategy - and team spirit development process. Lars was a very professional and inspiring consultant from the first idea through to planning of this important project. And during the sessions Lars was an enthusiastic facilitator and coach, who contributed strongly to the ambitious results we achived!"
Carl F. Trock
Chairman and former CEO
"Lars has done a terrific job facilitating several workshops for us. The aim has been to define and create commitment to efficient processes and mindsets for cross functional collaboration in our Business Unit. Lars approach has been very practical, straight forward, simple yet sophisticated, inspiring and time efficient. The outcome has been easy to implement performance models. Models that all in the business unit can relate and commit to - and the results from using these evolved in short time. I can highly recommend Lars."
Kåre Lenbroch
Tender & Project Manager, Pfizer
"Had it not been for the process Lars and I initiated in Jyske Bank in 1992, I would hardly have the position today in 2021."
Anders Dam
CEO, Jyske Bank
"I have worked with Lars on several occasions. Whether he has acted as a personally coach for me or a consultant for strategic processes he has always proven to be able to give candid and valuable feedback that have helped me get a broader perspective and accelerate performance. I will readily give my recommendations to the services that Lars H. Nielsen provides."
Lars Møller
Country Manager, Pfizer Denmark
“Lars listens, asks pointed questions and stimulates one's own reflections on the task of management, so that solutions are created along the way. Lars is a trust-building person who provides the security to be able to share the innermost and most difficult problems with a focus on constructive solutions. I can only give my best recommendations. Thank you, Lars.”
Birgitte Rav Degenkolv
Hospital Director,
Amager Hvidovre Hospital, 5000 empl.
“ Lars is Denmark's best strategy facilitator.
I have known Lars for 25 years and have also used him as a personal coach along the way. This is especially true during periods when the Management Team has been working on a new strategy. The advantage of using Lars is clearly his empathy and experience. He listens and asks the right questions, and is good at helping others to see different solutions. At the same time, he is the man to test whether our ingenious ideas are as ingenious as we think they are.”
Klaus Skjødt
Managing Director, Sparekassen Kronjylland, 900 empl.
(Voted as Europe’s Best Workplace)
"Personally I have often benefited from Lars’ coaching abilities, and always against the background of a proactive approach. In addition to his ability to improve team performance, Lars has successfully challenged my own opinions and thoughts on the personal level. He has even made me take greater strides mentally and physically than I would have been able to achieve on my own."
Leif F. Larsen
Bankdirektør, Jyske Bank
"Lars was a cornerstone to my success! He helped me realize my full potential, by challenging me to set very high goals, create awareness of what it exactly takes to fulfill them and become more aware of my own success stories and reaction patterns.
His beliefs and techniques goes beyond sports and stretches well into the business world, where they can add value to any company by creating absolute commitment to ambitious visons."
Torbjørn Sindballe
Hawaii Triathlon medalist
"I have known Lars as a great facilitator and coach for the past decade. First of all, Lars is an excellent listener, communicator and motivator. Lars’ sound and thorough methodology is complimented by his keen insight into leadership and organizational dynamics. Also, Lars is genuinely involved in the success of his clients. I strongly value Lars’ partnership, and no doubt, that Lars has been a significant contributor to me in fulfilling my ambitions and reaching my personal goals."
Claus Kynding Jensen
Leadership Consultant, Singapore
“I first met Lars at Totalkredit in 2012, where he solved strategy and cultural tasks in various contexts with great success. I had also a coaching process with Lars, where he showed great empathy - and had the knack of asking the right questions that could help me further in the decision-making process. I can definitely recommend Lars when you need to implement a "winner culture" - and certainly for individual sessions.”
Jens Peter Høllsberg Jensen
Branch Manager, Sydbank
"Some years ago, I had the pleasure to work with Lars for the first time – I just joined a new position, it was without any hesitation Lars was asked to facilitate and guide our Management Team though a 4-month process to generate and develop our new performance mindset and leadership competences. Again, Lars’s drive, personal skills, professionalism and commitment made us reach the goal as planned. “Next time”, I will contact Lars again."
Lars Trolle
Chief Development Officer, Uneeg Medical
Lars helped us in the development of an ambitous strategy and a Winning Mindset™ to support it. During the process Lars facilitated the discussions in a way that at the same time inspired and focused the team. Lars is a very strong ambassador for setting ambitious targets, and we all felt that we were in very good hands. The experience that Lars brings to the team is "second-to-none".
If you consult Lars, be prepared to be challenged on your ambitions.
Henrik B. Olesen
Global Head - Go To Market, BAYER CropScience
Had the pleasure to be supported by Lars during the launch of our new strategy in OTW. Lars helped me create alignment in my management team and he help me motivate all teams to embrace change and focus their energy on winning in a difficult market.
Lars forces you to sharpen your strategy so that it appeals to the organization and he challenges both managers and employees to consider and decide whether they are on board or not. On top of that he is a great storyteller and an experienced consultant which leaves you in very safe hands when driving major strategic changes in your organization.
Annette Bach
CEO, OTW Media
Lars H. Nielsen has facilitated a number of processes for our department. Every time Lars has facilitated the meetings the best way. Supported us and still challenged us. I warmly recommend Lars as a facilitator in processes of changeand restructuring.
Anne Kolbye
Value Demonstration Manager, Pfizer
Lars facilitated us at SEGES Pig Research Center in formulating a new Strategy. He is effective, precise and yet able to listen. The result is a solid and accepted Ambition. I can highly recommend Lars as facilitator for your strategy process.
Claus Fertin
CEO, SEGES Research Center
Lars has been a pleasure to work with, and his direct, yet polite, manner of adressing business issues has been very appreciated in Odense ZOO. Lars might be the type of guy who attends board meetings in big corporations, but he is definately also the guy who zookeepers and other core personel in Odense ZOO find inspiring and ambitious. I highly recommend Lars.
Jens Odgaard Olsson
CEO, Odense Zoo
I have known and worked with Lars for almost 25 years - on and off. Lars comes across as a very professional consultant/coach, and has several times been instrumental in ensuring, that our strategies are solid, can be executed, and bought into by managers and employees alike.
His processes are easy to understand, ensures that the strategic work has the required stringency, and challenges management across the board in a way, that improves not only the strategy, but also the ensuing execution.
The strengths of Lars are many, but what I value the most, is that he listens, ask questions and challenges me. I can highly recommend Lars for any strategic work that anyone would embark on. And, let me not forget - he is a very pleasurable guy to be around as well
Jens Lauritzen
Director, Jyske Bank
Lars has worked with me and my teams since early 2013 where we set ambitions and goals for the coming years and agreed how we would execute these together as one team. He has helped us implement a Winning Mindset™ in the team.
He is a great coach and facilitator, challenging us to set the bar high, and not to settle on medium-level ambitions. He has made us aim high and helped us work out a very concrete path how to reach this successfully. We have reached our goals and are still aiming even higher.
Trine Steensen Møller
Commercial Director