This much talked about video used by Kaupthing to inspire its working ants was premiered at a 2006 or 2007 annual staff day with the description “Choose Change”.
The reason for the video is quite obvious, to inspire awe and a feelgood factor in the company’s staff. Fortunately Sigurdur Einarsson didn’t do a Steve Ballmer.
Would have been funny though.
When the Kaupthinking video premiered, most of Kaupthing’s staff had grown accustomed to breaking every barrier in sight. Locally, sales numbers were skyrocketing, abroad aqcuisitions were turning the bank into a notable player, the introduction of mortgages with lower interests and more flexibility had been a major change agent in Icelandic society. Society itself was changing as well.
Unfortunately into this.
I admit that by 2006 I was in awe of the company I was working for. And it managed to make you feel like you’d be missing out on one hell of a party if you’d leave. But reality started biting soon after the “Choose Change” day. It is not enviable to be a banker left in the trenches now that the top management has left you with an almighty rubble to clear.
The lesson I would offer is to always question yourself regarding your workplace. Do things really add upp? And what do things like “trumping bureucracy” really mean? It was supposed to signal a better, freer world, but turned inside out as things sometimes do.
I have been working full time as a football coach for a year now, after doing so part time for six years. Today is a reason to celebrate in Iceland as something great, something real and something extraordinary takes place. The Iceland Women’s National Team makes Iceland’s first appearance at a major finals at Euro 2009 in Finland.
From experience, I’d tell you right now that the people I work with in football today, Sigurdur Ragnar, Iceland’s coach and “Our Girls” are really going beyond normal thinking. Doing so in a positive and inspirational way, and actually doing something meaningful, which we could have concentrated much more on than exponential growth at Kaupthing.
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Kaupthinking – Beyond Normal Thinking | iceland today
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