Martina Magnus views leadership as a long game.
In 2020, a mere few years after completing her MBA program, the Senior Director of Strategic Projects of Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk took up an IMD leadership program.
“I wanted to learn more about how to overcome leadership challenges that women often face in the workplace, so the female-focused curriculum of the IMD Strategies for Leadership program appealed to me,” she said. “I signed up for the program because I wanted to work on areas that were aligned to my development plans in the company and I felt like I needed to find some more time for deeper reflection.”
Learnings from the IMD journey
A major takeaway from the SL program was leveraging feedback to enhance organizational culture and performance while contributing to employee engagement. This was also a key element of the MBA journey in 2017 and the SL program was an opportunity to revisit how to approach it.
“Feedback is an essential element that many organizations often overlook,” she said. “It’s about fostering transparency and openly addressing challenges. Without this openness, finding solutions becomes a far more difficult task.”
Another important lesson was developing assertiveness through the cultivation of self-awareness. “Being assertive means being able to communicate with clarity and confidence respectfully. It’s recognizing the equal importance of your needs alongside those of others. It’s a critical skill many women can work on improving to ensure their perspectives are acknowledged,” she said.
Network synergies
Her SL journey also reaffirmed to her the positive impact of a robust alumni network in fostering a culture of learning. Magnus, currently based in Zurich, often travels to Lausanne to participate in events on the IMD campus.
“For me, the alumni activities are a great platform to exchange ideas and learn from others, as you connect with people who may be facing similar situations in other industries,” she said. “Through the exchange of ideas, I get to pause and reflect on my own personal and professional experiences.”
The alumni network also allows Magnus to lend her support to fellow alumni in navigating the professional landscape. “In the past, several IMD alumni have reached out to me when they wanted to learn more about Novo Nordisk. So besides connecting socially, the IMD alumni network provides value for members who want to learn more about companies when searching for new career opportunities,” she said.
Striking a balance
Reflecting on the journey of women towards empowerment, Magnus hailed the progress made by female leaders as they continue to break barriers in the workplace. “These days, we’re seeing a lot more diversity in leadership teams. At Novo Nordisk, for instance, we aim to achieve balanced gender representation across all managerial levels by the end of 2025, which reflects the concerted effort in creating a more gender-diverse organization.”
The growing number of women leaders is also impacting workplace culture, said Magnus. “The great thing is that we’re seeing a lot more flexibility for everyone in building their career trajectory while also making time for their family life. This shift shows that career journeys for women are easier than they were in the past.”
Nevertheless, she added, “It’s incredibly important to find the fine balance in adapting to teams and business needs to deliver strong performance while being authentic, leveraging your own strengths and maintaining certain qualities that might be seen as feminine.”
Self-reflection for leadership growth
Looking ahead, Magnus believes that every one of us needs to cultivate self-awareness to be a better leader and encourages all of us to spend more time on self-reflection. “It will help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the things that you need to do to advance in your professional journey,” she said.
“For example, being self-reflective will help you to see where your non-negotiable boundaries are. Understand what is required of you to succeed as well as the aspects of your leadership that may need adjustment while staying true to yourself. In setting and sticking to these boundaries in the workplace, you can foster healthier dynamics.”
