You have worked as a leader in several countries in different cultures. How do you think the Swedish leadership model can be "spiced up" with other perspectives?

I strongly like the Swedish leadership model. For me, it's inclusive, with a lot of "consensus" where you make sure that everyone is involved before a decision is made. This means that it takes time to come to a decision, but once the decision is made, it becomes very strong in the group. You know which direction to run towards and it becomes easy to stand behind the decision.
What I experience is that the Swedish fear of conflict becomes the weakness. We tend to take conflicts more personally than objectively. I feel that it is more difficult in Sweden to distinguish between fact and person compared to other countries. One consequence of this is that it becomes difficult to hold a really robust dialog. It becomes easy to defend oneself instead of turning and twisting the argument.
I have been involved in really good dialogues where people had diametrically different opinions, which led to heated discussions, angry comments, questioning of arguments and proposals to then land in an incredibly good decision. When the meeting is over, you move on and leave the hot energy to socialize with those you have just argued with. I find that in many other cultures there is a more natural approach to this, and that is also when the magic happens in the decisions, when you dare to take the turns, be brutally honest about the issue without being afraid of "being punished" in the next meeting. It is okay to show emotions around what you believe in and argue for or against fully, in order for the decision to be as good as possible.

Some time ago you made an exciting career move from "industry" to "health". What made you make that decision?

That's a good question. I think the decision emerged slowly but surely. I recovered from a chronic illness 12 years ago. A disease that was not going to be cured, but I did it with diet and lifestyle. Since then, I have witnessed several people make a similar journey. I was fascinated by how you can make big changes to your health with relatively simple measures.
It came to a point where I saw how I could work with this and support others to a healthier life, then I went back to school and started studying physiology and pharmacology at the Karolinska Institute and functional medicine at the Institute of Functional Medicine. I had "found home".
Now I have opened a clinic with some like-minded therapists and doctors in Stockholm where I receive clients half-time, while I have chosen to continue my studies half-time. Meeting the clients is so incredibly rewarding, like the 74-year-old lady who came in during Corona and wanted to make sure her immune system improved, as she had started to develop rheumatism in her wrists. After three months, her symptoms were reduced by changing her diet.

What can we do to create healthier organizations?

Compared to today? A lot! As an employer, it is not enough to pay for a gym card and check off that you have done your part. Those days are over. You can ensure that the organization's employees have the knowledge and tools to work proactively with their health. Invite speakers to explain and provide information, tools, advice and tips. You can measure how staff feel today - BEFORE they get sick, so you can work proactively.
What will set the really sharp organizations apart are those that take the next step. You should regularly measure the level of stress in your organization - identify what is creating stress in the lives of your leaders and employees and how well they are recovering, and act on it.