By: Monica Stevens
When it comes to driving successful change within a company, the journey is akin to an orchestra performing a grand symphony – each instrument must be perfectly aligned to create a harmonious melody. Dirk H Horn, a virtuoso in corporate transformation and a vital member of mab Partners, orchestrates this process with precision, utilizing a blend of strategy and human engagement that sings to the tune of organizational transformation.
In the bustling vicinity of New York City, where mab Partners calls home, and beyond, with partnerships sprawling from Miami to Zurich and Shanghai, Horn has facilitated change efforts across an array of industries worldwide. His expertise resonates not just within the local realms but echoes through pharmaceuticals, financial services, industrial sectors, food industries, and real estate enterprises globally.
“Change is a narrative that needs to be both seen and felt,” Horn insists, “It begins with a strategy that resonates, a battle cry that rallies the troops—a compelling raison d’être why change isn’t just necessary, but exhilarating.”
At mab Partners, this proven approach often takes on a persona of its own. It’s christened with a name, a logo, something tangible that people can identify with and talk about around the proverbial water cooler. But it’s not enough for a strategy to simply exist; it has to emanate warmth. “A corporate goal like ‘doubling the revenue’ doesn’t inspire,” says Horn. “But ‘making a contribution to a better world’? That gives everyone a part to play, a line in the chorus of progression.”
From leadership down, there is a systematic approach that engages everyone,and it’s known as sponsorship. Traditional leadership, as Horn describes, must evolve beyond day-to-day management to authentic change leadership—a specialization in its right.
Training these leaders, making them aware of the influential role they play, and ensuring they comprehend the nuances of sponsorship are all part of Horn’s repertoire. “Leadership in the midst of change is like learning a new, complex piece of music. You have to understand every note, every pause, each crescendo and diminuendo, to truly lead the ensemble.”
Yet, a strategy devoid of an engagement program can be likened to a sheet of music with no players. Horn emphasizes that every strategic beat must be paired with a harmonious engagement program. He has seen what it takes to plant the seeds of change and ensure they burgeon into a prosperous business landscape.
And like any enduring composition, change doesn’t flourish overnight. Horn notes, “It’s a mid- to long-term affair. Infusing more customer focus, for instance, is easily a two-to-three-year venture. Anything less and the melody of change can falter, lose steam, and ultimately, the composition—the goals—remain unfinished.”
These programs are not simply cookie-cutter blueprints. At mab Partners, the tailored approach means that while some organizations may have fragmented pieces in place, Horn and his team can compose the missing measures. From team building exercises that strike the right chord to executive coaching that refines leadership techniques, all the way to the meticulous program management (PMO), mab Partners ensures that no note is left unsung.
“mab knows change,” Horn reflects with confidence—a motto that reverberates through the very core of his work and that of mab Partners.
For businesses ready to conduct their symphony of change, finding Dirk Horn and the mab Partners team is a straightforward affair. With a footprint on LinkedIn and a presence on their website mab-partners.com, those eager to embrace transformation can readily connect with Horn and his coalition of change conductors. After all, in the grand orchestra of the corporate world, it’s the agility to adapt, the harmony of team effort, and the determination to see through the ebbs and flows of change that creates a timeless and triumphant score.
