Highlights from Days of Play 2026

At Days of Play 2026, we were not merely discussing change; we were actively experiencing it. In Copenhagen, we spent four days and 18 engaging sessions with peers, clients, and partners who are reimagining how organisations lead, learn, and evolve.

What stood out wasn’t just the tools or case studies presented, but rather the spirit behind them. Since last year, the world has faced so much uncertainty, but there is still a collective belief that change occurs not through exertion or spectacle, but when individuals feel involved, connected, and trusted.

For those who attended, the breadth of our discussions can be found in the sessions listed below. For those who did not, please read about the ideas that inspired our thinking and guided our efforts in developing this annual event.

For some of the sessions, slides and other materials are also available for download.

Designing meaningful engagement

Can design spark connection and engagement? Ane Bang and Julie Feldthaus, both Senior graphic designers at Workz, explored this question through selected client cases, showing how thoughtful and playful design can encourage people to participate rather than simply observe. The session included hands-on work, where participants developed an interaction-focused visual concept that turned design into dialogue and curiosity.

Stakeholder engagement with Gamechangers®

We had the opportunity to introduce a redesigned version of Gamechangers®, an award-winning leadership training tool. Facilitated by Svend Ask Larsen, Lars Roswall Vilhelmsen, and Jeanette Louise Rasmussen, the sessions had participants explore the new version and attempt to carry out a project across an organisation without having full control. The focus was on mastering the art of driving change in complex stakeholder landscapes while building the trust necessary to engage key stakeholders.

Change leadership with Wallbreakers®

In this session, participants had the chance to experience a demonstration of our flagship change leadership simulation, Wallbreakers®. Led by Klaus Meier Olsen, Amanda Koppel, and Yasmin Johansen, the session focused on creating clarity, motivating colleagues, and addressing organisational resistance. Moreover, the session included its design principles, the theoretical foundation, and best practices.

Geopolitical insights through wargaming

Over the past years, geopolitics has moved to the centre stage of management and boardroom discussions. Ask Agger and Edoardo Montenegro hosted a collaborative session with guest Sanna Suvanto-Harsae, Chair of the Board Finnair, etc., who shared her knowledge about the role of geopolitics in company decision-making and how wargaming can be used to test strategic options and explore “what if…?”

Leadership that matters

Geopolitical uncertainty, fast-moving technology, and tougher competition put new pressures on leaders. Ask Agger was joined by Jacob Aarup-Andersen, CEO of Carlsberg, who talked about what is really on the CEO agenda right now, how expectations of leadership are changing, and what this means for organisational culture. The session also explored the role of values and shared purpose in uncertain times, and how CEOs are working on their own learning and development to stay relevant and effective.

Leading through intent

Kristin Staveli Pettersen and Ask Agger, invited guest speakers, Simon E. Schultz-Larsen, Commander, Royal Danish Navy and Stephen Bungay, Author, Speaker, Teacher & Strategy Consultant, who shared how today’s leaders can learn from old Prussian military doctrines and the British Royal Navy in the era of Lord Nelson. Drawing on ideas from our collaborator Stephen Bungay, author of the seminal book ‘The Art of Action’, they highlighted how trust, a clear sense of purpose, and simple communication can help managers balance direction with autonomy and get organisations moving effectively.

Hands-on leadership development for hands-on leaders

Not all leaders come from business school or university. In this session, Klaus Meier Olsen and Max Møller focused on leadership development for those with diverse backgrounds who started on the shop floor or were first hired for their technical expertise to explore approaches for leadership. They invited a panel of experts; Kübra Bolay Özemre, Nordic & Baltic Regional HR Director, Aalborg Portland, and Carina Cappelen Arup, HR Direktør / CHRO, Bravida Danmark, who shared approaches for designing experiences and reflections that stick and can be applied directly in real-life leadership.

Culture in the making

In this session, Anders Skovgaard Winther and Jeanette Louise Rasmussen explored what it really takes to turn company culture from words into everyday behaviour. The session focused on co-creating change between the Communication and People teams, turning core narratives into experiences that people actually feel and live every day. At the centre of the session was the case from TV 2, which Workz has helped with during the last few years, with their efforts on bringing their organisational culture to life. Ursula Holton and Marina van den Brekel Kulmbak presented their exemplary work on co-creating, launching, activating and anchoring the new values.

Collaboration across culture and distance

In a multicultural organisation, employees will be from diverse cultural backgrounds and will have different perspectives. This session was hosted by Edoardo Montenegro and Amanda Koppel, featuring guest Salli Hara, CEO of Prysmian Nordics, who explored how organisations can build a shared identity and create a sense of unity across teams, departments, and distances. The sessions highlighted how effective collaboration and inclusion can boost performance and support the successful delivery of the company’s strategy

Leading under pressure

In this session, Svend Ask Larsen, Lars Roswall Vilhelmsen, and Anders Frost Bertelsen invited Ditte Svendsen, Lead Learning & Development Partner for Bankdata, to lead us in an engaging session as we explored our Leadership Bridge Simulator™. This simulation offered an alternative approach to our style of leadership training with an intense, high-paced experience. It was a hands-on challenge which involved spaceships, laughter, and lots of insights into leading under pressure.

Change that matters

Ask Agger took us on a trip down memory lane in honour of Workz’ 25th anniversary. He looked at the people, projects and tools that have made Workz what it is today. Much can happen in 25 years, and he explored the changes in the role of change, leadership and involvement in the organisations we have had the honour to serve. We peeked into the crystal ball to see what the future will bring for Workz over the next 25 years.

Post-merger integration: Capturing the value of M&A

Mergers and acquisitions often promise added value through intellectual property, technology, talent, and other strategic assets, yet realising this value requires careful integration. In this session, Morten Jaeger and Amanda Koppel invited Jack Radford, Corporate Integration Project Manager and Mikael Wedell-Wedellsborg, VP, Corporate Development from Novo Nordisk, to explore key challenges in post-merger integration, including safeguarding value drivers, determining the right pace of integration, retaining critical talent, and ensuring Day 1 readiness. The discussion highlighted practical insights for successfully capturing value after a transaction.

Designing leadership academies for impact

In this session, Klaus Meier Olsen and Jeanette Louise Rasmussen invited Josefine Kampmann, People Solutions Owner, Leadership Lead at A.P. Moller–Maersk, to share how global companies can rethink their leadership academies and programmes to make them more relevant, impactful, and directly connected to strategy execution.

Strategy activation that works

How can culture and strategy thrive together instead of clashing? In today’s fast-changing organisations, constant transformations put pressure on leaders, culture, and the shared sense of purpose. In this session, Ask Agger and Edoardo Montenegro, brought special guest Anne Grønbjerg, CHRO at Grundfos, explored the key dos and don’ts of activating strategy and managing change effectively.

Summits that turn strategy into shared action

How do you design a leadership summit? We covered this question in this hands-on session. Hosted by Kristin Staveli Pettersen, Anders Skovgaard Winther, and Rebecca Harvey, we looked at real-world cases and used practical tools that the participants would be able to use later on. Guest speakers Ditte Namer from Novo Nordisk, Livia van der Pant and Simon Lund-Jensen from Genmab shared their takes on why leadership summits are worth the investment and what makes them effective. We even did a speed run through the process of designing an engaging summit, from setting the right ambitions to creating shared experiences.

Culture that matters

Ask Agger hosted an informal talk show with our guests, Christina Gadeberg, EVP, Chief People Officer, Nordea, Dorthe Rønnau, former EVP, People & Culture, Coloplast, and Anne Grønbjerg, EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer, Grundfos, focused on the crucial roles of people, leadership, and culture in strategy execution and business performance. Many perspectives were explored. These included how changes in the world and in organisations are affecting leaders and the skills they need, how culture can be used as a real competitive advantage, and how the role of P&C/HR is changing. They also discussed whether the people function is truly part of the strategic conversations that matter.

Wrap-up

With all the uncertainty in the world, Days of Play 2026 felt especially meaningful. It offered insights and a space to step back, exchange ideas, and see how others work through the same challenges. It was a reminder that, even as we face change and navigate complexity, we are still ultimately drawn to the human side of that journey.

Whether the focus was strategy, leadership, culture, or learning, the most effective efforts had something in common: they were built with people, not just for them.

We hope everyone left Days of Play with practical insights, thoughtful tools, and a renewed belief in the value of designing change with care and clarity.