Creativity and Innovation in a Changing Media Landscape at DR
The Context
Danish Broadcast Corporation (DR), Denmark's public-service radio and television broadcasting company, sought a transformative approach to align their strategies and infuse renewed vigor into their youth TV department, DR UNG TV. The need arose from a recent restructuring and the unveiling of a new strategic direction. With approximately 45 dedicated employees, DR UNG TV aimed to explore the implications of the strategy within their domain and identify the necessary mindset and behavior to realize this vision.
Key Focus Areas were identified to guide this transformation:
Understanding the strategy's significance and relevance, including the operating context and the organization's unique contribution to the world.
Recognizing opportunities within the new strategy while preserving DR’s distinct identity and commitment to 'public service' to fuel innovation and creativity.
Encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a culture of experimentation in their development efforts, fostering an environment conducive to trying new approaches and learning from inevitable mistakes.
Building resilience to view change as a fundamental aspect and navigate uncertainty both individually and as a team, given the necessity of adapting and evolving their approach.
Instilling renewed confidence and belief in their ability to master change and meet external demands, drawing from their strengths while pioneering something new.
The Journey
Our consulting journey with DR began by immersing ourselves in their world and understanding their values, vision, and unique challenges. Through collaborative workshops and tailored training programs, we facilitated a comprehensive exploration of the new strategy and its potential impact on the department. We guided the team in embracing a mindset that welcomes change and encouraged experimentation, setting the stage for a creative and adaptable working environment.
The transformative process was documented, culminating in the creation of a versatile playbook—a living document reflecting their unique approach. This playbook embodies their newfound mindset and behaviors, serving as a guiding light for their projects and initiatives, reminding the team of the 'DR way' to achieve excellence.
The Results
DR UNG TV emerged with a unified platform to craft the world's most ambitious TV for young audiences, embodying the distinctive DR imprint. Through this transformational journey, the team gained:
Clarity of Purpose: A deeper understanding of their fundamental contribution to the world and a clear sense of their unique DNA.
Empowered Workforce: An empowered workforce with heightened creativity, curiosity, and resilience, embracing change and uncertainty as catalysts for growth.
Tangible Deliverables: A tailored playbook summarizing their unique approach, to be integrated into their daily processes, ensuring every project embodies their distinctive mindset and values.
This collaboration empowered DR UNG TV to not only envision a future aligned with their strategy but also to walk confidently towards it, armed with a comprehensive toolkit and a renewed sense of purpose. The journey continues as they redefine the landscape of youth TV, driven by innovation and a commitment to the ideals that define the Danish Broadcast Corporation.
“As a result of a significant restructuring in the company and a change of strategy at the same time, our department had a great need to rediscover its DNA and recreate the creative spirit. In a course consisting of four modules spread over a month and a half, the mindset in the group developed to consist of a lot of creative courage, optimism, and the urge to break away from being characterized by a lack of direction and inspiration over a longer period.
It was remarkable that along the way Thomas managed to organize his communication and tone according to the specific group, and his awareness of the balance between challenging the group and creating space for conversations on spontaneous topics created a great respect for his way of facilitating with a focus on getting the best out of the process.”