Microsoft’s Public Sector division is dedicated to empowering government agencies with innovative technology solutions that address some of society’s most significant challenges. Through its Center of Expertise, Microsoft provides thought leadership, research, and best practices to enable digital transformation and innovation within the public sector. The division’s focus is on delivering inclusive programs, transforming operations, and enabling communities to thrive on a foundation of security, privacy, and trust.
The company’s approach includes enhancing public interactions with the government by making them more accessible and inclusive, improving employee engagement and workflows, and securing government data to protect resources. Microsoft for Government aims to provide solutions that drive financial accountability, support public health and social services, and empower public safety and justice. By leveraging cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, Microsoft is at the forefront of helping public sector organizations become more resilient, efficient, and responsive to the needs of citizens.
As the Government Industry Director at Microsoft, Lena Lundgreen leverages her deep insight into digitalization and cloud technology and works to make it possible to offer better services to residents through the use of technology. Lena has previously been the Country Manager at Avanade and held other operational positions in the consulting industry. She has also worked for many years as a lawyer and specializes in privacy.
From Legal to Public Sector
From a young age, Lena aspired to pursue a career in law. Her professional journey began at a larger Norwegian law firm, where she specialized in IT law. Over time, her interests gravitated toward the business aspects of the field, leading her to assume various business roles within consulting firms. Eventually, she became the General Manager at Avanade Norway.
Joining Microsoft marked a central mid-career transition for Lena. She was driven by a conviction that significant advancements were necessary for the Public Sector to improve services to nations. She believed that Microsoft presented the ideal platform to make a meaningful contribution towards these improvements.
Transitioning from the consulting industry to Microsoft represented a significant challenge to her leadership approach. The consulting business has quite a straightforward business model, based on people, hours, and price. A considerable portion of Lena’s success was attributed to accurately managing these variables. However, at Microsoft, the complexity is exponentially greater, with a myriad of products, an intricate organizational matrix, multiple sales channels, and much more. This made it necessary to fundamentally transform her leadership approach.
To effectively navigate such a dynamic and multifaceted environment, Lena Lundgreen had to cultivate a new set of skills and tools. She started on an accelerated learning curve, seeking guidance from mentors and engaging with peers.
“This journey has been very rewarding, and I now find it deeply satisfying to lead within an organization that offers a large number of mechanisms to influence and drive success for our customers in the Public Sector,” she says.
Guiding Principles
For Lena Lundgreen, there are a couple of things that are important in her leadership approach. She is a firm believer in the power of a psychologically safe environment to increase the individual and collective productivity. “It is often said that we are capable of achieving more than we realize, and I see psychological safety as the catalyst for unlocking this huge potential. This principle applies universally, be it in the workplace, sports, or any other activity. I consciously dedicate time and effort to cultivate such a safe environment, focusing on what we choose to highlight, celebrate, and the personal experiences we share, all of which serve to empower our teams,” she explains.
Second, she strives to understand the motivations behind people’s actions. Lena operates under the assumption that most individuals are rational and do their utmost within their roles. Rather than jumping to conclusions, she seeks to understand the underlying reasons for their behaviors. Often, actions that initially appear suboptimal have well-intentioned reasons behind them. Therefore, she asks about the ‘why’ to gain deeper insights. In her experience working with a diverse, global team, she has learned that while her typical Nordic direct approach to questioning may surprise some nationalities, it is also appreciated for the clarity it brings.
Impactful Initiatives
Lena Lundgreen has had the privilege of leading the public sector team in Microsoft Norway during a transformative period that was marked by the announcement, development, and building of a data center in the country. The partnership they managed to establish with public sector entities, their success in articulating the business value of the cloud, and the willingness of some entities to embrace this journey with them, feels like her biggest impact so far.
“This initiative has been instrumental in Norway, where numerous public entities are progressive, and focused on harnessing the full potential of technology to deliver cost-effective and superior services for the country,” she shares.
In 2023, Lena Lundgreen led a newly formed team of industry experts, where each member brought a diverse background and range of experiences to the table. They collectively saw that rapid adaptation and quick understanding of their new responsibilities were essential for their success. “I am proud of our accomplishments; we not only constructed a platform for change but also actively executed it in a situation with a lot of uncertainty,” she says.
She explains that in such times of transformation, it is crucial to concentrate on the elements within one’s control. They identified guiding principles, such as customer centricity, which served as their ‘north star’ and created measurable objectives. Despite a variety of unresolved questions, they persistently pursued these principles and objectives. “I am continually impressed with my team’s dedication and the significant impact that our efforts have on enhancing our customer relationships and delivery of outcomes,” adds Lena.
A Positive Work Environment for Collective Success
As mentioned before, for Lena Lundgreen it all starts with a safe work environment. It is essential to create a space where team members feel comfortable taking informed risks. This freedom, in her experience, stimulates creativity and innovative thinking. She emphasizes to her team that every challenge should be viewed as a valuable opportunity to grow. It’s through these challenges that one stretches one’s capabilities and discovers new potential.
She is committed to assigning tasks that encourage her team members to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and explore new exciting possibilities. By doing so, they not only drive innovation within the project but also contribute to the personal and professional growth of every individual in the team.
As a leader, Lena’s approach is rooted in transparency and collaboration, which are fundamental to fostering a collaborative culture. Leadership greatly influences the workplace environment – their actions set an example for others to follow. By openly sharing and involving her team in processes, Lena encourages them to do the same.
Diversity is another cornerstone of Lena’s leadership. Since taking on a role in EMEA, she has witnessed firsthand the power of diversity. While gender diversity is significant, especially for her as a woman in the tech industry, diversity encompasses much more, including cultural backgrounds, mindsets, and approaches. Embracing this broad spectrum of diversity is key to the collective success.
Making Time for Personal Growth
While it is challenging to focus on personal growth during a hectic work life, Lena makes it a priority. She dedicates time to self-improvement because she owes it to her team and herself.
One powerful tool she uses is seeking feedback. “The higher you climb in an organization, the less feedback you tend to receive. So, it is important to actively seek it out. If you have created a safe work environment, you will receive direct and honest feedback,” she clarifies.
She also feels fortunate to work in a company filled with inspiring leaders. She observes their actions closely and adopts the best practices from each of them to help enhance her leadership style.
Making Tough Calls
As a leader, one is often faced with difficult choices. The toughest part for most leaders, Lena finds, is knowing when to stop certain actions, like ending a project or discontinuing a product. It’s vital to do this to maintain focus on what’s truly important. Many leaders struggle here – they keep adding new tasks without stopping old ones, which doesn’t leave room for the new work.
“I always aim to balance what I add by removing an equal amount, where possible. When invariably facing tough decisions, I try to get input from others when I can. This goes back to my days as a lawyer, where we would always consult a colleague on tough cases. Asking for advice is not about insecurity; it’s about tapping into the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives within your organization to help your decision-making,” she shares.
The Future of Leadership
While forecasting the future is always a challenge, Lena suggests that it’s clear that the pace of business is unlikely to slow down. Change will continue to occur rapidly, perhaps even more swiftly than it does today. She also believes that technology, especially cloud and AI, will play an even more significant role, enabling businesses to utilize their data more effectively. This leads her to anticipate a future that is increasingly driven by data.
Lena Lundgreen opines that one of the major challenges leaders will face is finding the right balance between maintaining necessary stability and being agile enough to implement rapid changes. On top of that, there will be a stronger emphasis on having a clear purpose, coupled with a deep commitment to ethical and responsible business practices.
“Above all, the key for me is undertaking continuous learning. To keep evolving, I plan to surround myself with a diverse group of people who can challenge me and provide honest feedback. This will help me stay adaptable and informed in an ever-changing business landscape,” concludes Lena Lundgreen.
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Key Leadership Skills
We asked Lena about what are the key qualities or skills that every dynamic leader should possess. This is what she has to say:
“3 key things come to my mind. I would say that transparency is vital. It provides the team with a clear understanding of our goals and the methods we’re using to achieve them. Especially when circumstances change, this clarity forms a solid foundation for making informed decisions.
Having empathy is also crucial. It leads to clearer communication and enhances our problem-solving capabilities. Lastly, it’s important to appreciate the journey, not just the results. Valuing the process helps us adapt quickly to changes in our environment, making us more agile, responsive, and effective as leaders.
Message for Aspiring Leaders
“I’d suggest building a leadership platform for yourself. This platform should include a vision for your future direction. Document your strengths and identify the skills or experiences you need to acquire to reach your goals. Also, devise a plan to obtain those skills. However, it’s important not to become so fixated on your plan that you miss out on unexpected opportunities that may arise.
It’s also vital to treat everyone with respect. Doing so usually leads to mutual respect, which significantly increases the chances of accomplishing your objectives.”
Rapid Fire:
- Favorite leadership book or resource: Hit Refresh by Satya Nadella
- One word to describe your leadership style: Inclusive
- Biggest lesson you’ve learned as a leader: Anything can be solved, some things just take a bit longer
- Favorite productivity hack: Generative AI. It provides me with summaries and overviews of new topics in seconds!
- Best piece of advice you’ve ever received: Be the one that gets things done!
- Favorite leadership quote: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence – Sheryl Sandberg.”
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