Ylva, you yourself have long experience as a leader in a rapidly changing industry; how has your own leadership changed over time?
A lot! And I recognize myself in so much when I now coach other managers from different industries and with different lengths of experience.
At the beginning of a management career, it's often about leading according to instructions from above, following the organization's stated direction and policies, and ensuring that everyone in the team "does the right thing". That's how it was for me too.
But the more experience you get and the more responsibility you are given, the more important it becomes to actually initiate initiatives, to point out mistakes and shortcomings, to challenge and experiment in order to optimize the organization, increase competition, strengthen collaborations... or whatever it may be. Senior managers should not always follow instructions. Quite the contrary. Instead, they should dare to question and propose changes. I was probably like that to a large extent during the latter part of my management career. V
Another thing that is becoming increasingly obvious - and also increasingly important - is self-awareness. I find that I am reminded of this every day. The leader who doesn't know himself and can't lead himself, can't lead others either. And because we are hopefully constantly working on our own development, we also deepen our self-knowledge and can more consciously lead others.
How have you found inspiration for your leadership?
From many sources, not least from all my own managers over the years. Both those (few) who have been really good, but above all from all those who did not succeed in their role. "I'll never do that", I've often thought.
I also like to read biographies of various leaders, both in politics and business. It's exciting and educational to go behind the scenes and understand how they reasoned when they made certain decisions.
Today, I am also greatly inspired by all the managers I meet every day in my role as a professional coach.

Everything indicates that the pace of change in society is accelerating! What is required of today's and tomorrow's leaders to be successful in their leadership?
All the sudden shifts, technological leaps, changing behaviors and values mean that we need to constantly develop unique ideas and original concepts to face all possible and impossible pressures.
I believe that three things go a long way: creativity, collective intelligence and communication. It is a trinity that is absolutely necessary to meet the constant need to adapt. The leader and organization that succeeds in unleashing the innovative skills of its employees and translating them into concrete business benefits will do reasonably well in the future.
Photo: Sören Håkanlind