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#05 How to create an internal demand for change in big companies – Marcus Nagel

Marcus Nagel CEO of Zurich Group Germany since March 2016. Prior to that, he had been a member of the Zurich Insurance Board since November 2011. After completing his studies, the business administration graduate also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the USA in the fields of international marketing and finance as well as entrepreneurship, and joined the Zurich Group in 2008 after holding various international positions in the financial industry. Nagel is married and has three children and is currently commuting between Bonn and Zurich. He is a passionate golf and tennis player.

Summary

  • Zurich Group Germany CEO, Marcus Nagel, discusses creating internal demand for change in big companies. [00:00]
  • They have implemented “Champion Teams” working on customer segments to foster innovation. [00:43]
  • Teams are composed of various skills and work on improving pain points and attracting customers. [01:24]
  • Agile teams are mostly composed of existing employees, creating a good experience and little negative feedback. [02:49]
  • The company aims to have around 10% of its workforce working in this agile manner. [04:04]
  • Their vision is to move from a push model to a pull model for insurance business and increase customer interactions. [05:32]
  • They are making investments in IT infrastructure and exploring new ecosystems for customer interactions. [06:53]
  • Leadership is shifting towards empowerment and decision-making within certain frames. [10:03]
  • The company balances disciplined execution with freedom for innovative ideas. [10:44]
  • Feedback is collected through a community forum, direct customer contacts, and team collaboration. [12:41]
  • Marcus has experienced a career journey from sports to entrepreneurship and then leadership roles in large companies. [16:05]
  • His startup experience taught him resilience and flexibility. [20:41]
  • He emphasizes continuous learning, embracing new ways of working, and staying agile. [23:17]
Interesting Quotes:

„Get exposure to agile methods.”

„Learn  how to link different departments and what to focus on in big companies.”

„Find balance between freedom in trying new ideas and discipline to execute.”

Book Recommendation:
Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits Hardcover – Robert C. Townsend

#Balance empowerment vs discipline execution, #create internal demand, #learn, #link different departments