Chapter 21 of the audiobook provides practical advice for international managers leading Danish teams. It notes the rise of non‑Danish managers and dispels the myth that only Danes can manage Danes. The core challenges identified are winning trust, navigating the anti‑elitist "Law of Jante," and adapting to Denmark’s egalitarian, flat‑hierarchy culture. Danish employees are skeptical of impressive CVs and demand proof of competence, preferring collaborative decision‑making and resisting micromanagement. Motivation stems from the opportunity to apply expertise rather than individual recognition; public praise or criticism is frowned upon. Career progression is viewed horizontally, with new challenges valued over vertical promotion. Work‑life balance is sacrosanct: typical office hours end around 4 pm, vacations are fully taken, and family emergencies are respected. Managers who equate long hours with productivity become unpopular. The chapter advises using Denmark’s abundant freelancers and consultants for temporary workload spikes, emphasizing compassion and flexibility in handling employee absences.
Chapters
Chapter 21, Managing Danes as an International. When I wrote the first edition of this book just 5 years ago, there was no need for a chapter about internationals managing Danes. There were relatively few international managers, and they were usually male CEOs hired from a neighboring country like Norway or the Netherlands. That's changed quickly, and I now frequently meet managers who have been hired from throughout Europe, as well as from Asia and the Americas. Many are women, and most have expertise in processes or technologies that make them a critical asset to Denmark. Back in the day, some people believed that only Danes could manage Danes. Only Danes, they believed, could understand the quirkier aspects of Danish working culture. Danish working culture is indeed quirky, but a gifted international manager can handle it. Although internationals face some common challenges when they manage Danes. The first challenge is often winning over their Danish employees' trust. The international manager arrives confidently, With a stellar CV, a record of accomplishment, and perhaps some weighty academic degrees as well. But the Danes aren't impressed. They want to see what you can do. One manager brought in with a far-reaching change mandate told me that she found her Danish team skeptical and somewhat grumpy until she completed and implemented one minor and Frankly insignificant part of the project. The team could now see with their own eyes that she was reliable and effective. They were much more cooperative going forward. Part of the problem is the sour anti-elitism that is the ugly side of Denmark's famous Law of Jenta. As a successful international manager, you were probably a top student. during your school days, a top graduate at your respected university, and have since become a comet in your career field, delivering impressive results for the companies you've worked with. You're a star. The problem is that in Denmark, people don't really like stars, or at least people who think they're stars or think they're better than anyone else. Being ambitious for one's product is fine, But a lust for personal power and prestige is considered unappealing. The commanding presence that works so well for you in many business cultures can be a turn-off for the egalitarian Danes. And nobody will do anything just because you say so and you're the boss. Motivating Danes is different than motivating workers in other countries. The social welfare state means there is no such thing as managing by fear. If an employee fails to carry out your directives and his services are terminated, he will still have access to free healthcare, free university education for his children, and reasonable government income support for at least 2 years. You don't hold his financial security in the palm of your hand. Individual recognition also isn't the motivator it is in some other cultures. There's no such thing as employee of the month in Denmark. Danes cringe at the idea of singling out one person for public praise or public criticism. They have worked in groups since the days of the Viking ship crews, and much of the Danish educational system consists of group work. In the workplace, they succeed or fail as teams, not as individuals. Instead, Danes are motivated by the ability to lend their expertise to a project. They expect to be consulted before you make just about any decision and will be angry and annoyed if they are not asked about something they consider to be within their area of responsibility. They will be happy to give you their input, either in a formal group meeting or directly in a one-on-one conversation. In fact, they may jump over layers of management to volunteer the information or input they think you should have. This unfortunately also works in the other direction. Your superiors may jump over you to talk directly to your team when you're not around, such as Danish egalitarianism and flat hierarchy. The Danish educational system encourages students to constantly ask questions, and this habit continues into working life. Your team may openly question your approach and question your decisions. They would do the same for a Danish boss. Danes hate Micromanagement. So even though you as a manager will be telling them what to do, they will be very frosty if you tell them how to do it. It's important to come up with fresh professional challenges for your team, which the Danes often value more than promotion up the hierarchy. While many cultures see a career path as a vertical climb to the top, Danes tend to see it as more horizontal and holistic, with new experiences and challenges outside the management path creating skills and depth. Of course, some Danes would very much like to be promoted, but you may have to ask your Danish reports directly if they are interested in a higher position, because they may not tell you themselves. Instead, You will be expected to simply notice how skilled they are. Danes like to believe that a good product sells itself. If a position on your team comes up unexpectedly, pull one of your Danish reports aside for a quick meeting and ask them if it is something they would like to be considered for. Parents of small children sometimes say no. The devotion to work-life balance in Denmark It's something international managers will have to get used to. Team members really do leave the office at 4 PM, or sometimes earlier. They will stay home for a few days if their child is ill. They will take every day of their vacations. I am often asked if Danes are lazy. They are not. They are hard workers. But they are not hungry. A manager who equates hours on the job with productivity and effectiveness, and who insists she wants to see more time in the office just for the sake of it, will find herself very unpopular in Denmark. The same is true for managers who schedule meetings outside the common working hours of roughly 9 AM to 3:30 PM, or ask the team to work on weekends or during vacation periods. Finally, it's important to be compassionate to employees who need extra time off due to an emergency, such as a family member with a health crisis. The entire office will be watching how you treat this poor soul and assuming you would treat them the same way. Colleagues are generally willing to help cover work tasks in the short term. If the employee needs more time off, Consider hiring in temporary extra hands. Denmark has an army of freelancers and consultants who can be said goodbye to whenever you no longer need them.
