Just Imagine with Ellis Didriksen 💭
Finding a role in which you can grow is one thing. But just imagine that meant seeing that growth have real impact at the heart of a global business. This is the reality of working at the LEGO Group for Senior Data Specialist, Ellis Didriksen. She’s finding all kinds of ways to flourish in a role that she’s helped to shape - and in a way that works for her.
“Coming from the more obviously corporate world of international consultancy, the first change I noticed was in what I wore to work. In the first week, I went from pencil skirts to jeans. Sneakers followed a little later. However, I can confirm that wardrobe has no influence on how seriously you and your ideas are treated here. Far from it. We are encouraged to speak up and to share what we think. Which is great news if you’re genuinely passionate about what you do.
“It’s a good example of our collaborative, inclusive way of working and the flat structure of the business as a whole. Everyone has a voice and it can be heard at the highest levels. Our Leadership Playground behaviours of brave, curious and focussed are an enabler for this.
I think it’s fair to say my current role was the result of being brave and speaking up at such an event. Early in 2021, a new Chief Data Officer joined us. I took the opportunity to connect with him here and introduced him to a data fluency experiment I‘d started with a colleague. This led to the creation of a team focusing on Data Education, Data Strategy and Data Ethics within the Data Office department. It’s one of my proudest achievements that our work was recognised in this way.
“I’m about nine years into my career journey here now. My roles have mostly been in IT or Digital Technology but they have varied in the sense of their focus. For instance, as a Business Relationship Manager, I took on a leadership role which concentrated on driving progress in portfolio execution. Whereas my role as a Data Manager was much more functional and hands-on with data platforms. Fortunately, my latest challenge allows me to apply both these strengths while contributing to a comparatively new area of the business with lots of potential to make an impact.
“Being able to equip colleagues to go out there and make the most of the opportunities Data provides is immensely rewarding. We are obsessed in my department by creating the best possible environment for unlocking the value of data.
“As part of my team, I also get the chance to influence what we focus on in terms of the products and services we offer. This naturally involves a great deal of collaboration in overcoming the obstacles we face in creating them. On a personal level I am also an ambassador for our partnership with Women in Data. This is all about creating greater awareness about Data as a career. Being a mother of two young girls this is something that I can role model to them and others as I want to see them growing up to see a world of opportunities irrespective of their gender.
“By nature, I’m a curious person - so I’m not afraid to jump into the deep waters of the unknown. I’m a big believer in learning by doing. This was extremely useful in helping me to set up and code the initial foundation for data practitioner communities. This helps the Data Office to understand which parts of the organization to engage and support for them to benefit even more from data insights. The freedom to explore and experiment is also something I value enormously. You could say that Data is our playground. It’s our job to figure out how to play in it for maximum benefit to us all.
“Right now, I’m trialing a four-day week working pattern. This gives me a good balance of time where I need to be focused at work, while being able to spend a day mid-week to recharge myself. Being the mother of two young girls, this can be invaluable breathing space. Experiencing first-hand their play experiences with LEGO® bricks, I can see how they get carried away in freestyling their own creative builds. Sometimes, I don't see how a certain item could look as they explain, but I keep it to myself and let them express their imagination. This is the joy of what we do."
Just imagine building a digital world.
Now make it real.
Join the LEGO® team today