Navigating the unpredictable business landscape
Navigating the unpredictable business landscape
The complex challenges of our modern era demand leaders with the ability to balance the urgent with the essential, to navigate the intricacies of a rapidly evolving world. The pressing issues of today, such as climate change, global health crises, geopolitical instability and technological disruptions, necessitate leaders who can transcend short-term gains and envision solutions that resonate across generations. So how can leaders strike this balance and build resilient organisations that not only survive but thrive in these turbulent times?
We are honoured at Alumni to have once again been able to host our summit in the region of Öresund. In gathering a distinguished panel of leaders representing experiences from both private and public sectors, to engage in dialogue about the challenges we face today, we aim to share knowledge and help organisations better prepare for the paradigm shift ahead. The challenges ahead are interconnected, and it is the synergy of diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to the greater good that will pave the way for sustainable and transformative solutions.
Our panel consisted of:
Leif Johansson
Business executive with extensive experience from industries such as home appliances (Electrolux), automotive (CEO Volvo Group), telecom (Chairman Ericsson) and pharmaceuticals (Chairman AstraZeneca, Member of the Board Meyers Squibb). Today, he is active in several board roles, including Chairman of the Board at Ecolean, headquartered in Helsingborg and board member in Autoliv and Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse (KAW).
Monica Lingegård
CEO and Group CEO of the Swedish train operator SJ. Previously CEO of Swedish state-owned company Samhall, working to ensure job opportunities for people with disabilities and she has also been CEO of international security company G4S’s Swedish subsidiary. Throughout her career she has worked across numerous industries including IT, telecoms, strategy consulting and finance.
Johan Malmquist
Business executive with experience in various sectors, notably the medical technology industry. Among others he served as the President and CEO of the Swedish medical technology company Getinge and before that, he held various positions within the Getinge group and Electrolux group. He is Chairman of the Board of Trelleborg, Getinge, Arjo, as well as Member of the Board of Mölnlycke Health Care, Chalmers University of Technology Foundation and Stena Adactum.
Karin Rådström
Member of the Board of Management at Daimler Truck Holding and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. Prior to this, she held various managerial roles at Scania.
Solutions that help pave the way
We are currently experiencing an extraordinary situation, with many crises occurring simultaneously in combination with rapid technological developments. Looking to the past for lessons learned is not a viable option when we now need to find entirely new solutions and oftentimes without being able to fully gauge the potential outcome. Leaders today need to have strategic foresight and are required to not only adapt to the here and now, but understand what is coming down the road, to better prepare their organisations for the future. The complexity of preparing their organisations for the future, relies on leaders that have the ability to involve multiple key stakeholders in the decision-making process and who can empower their people to contribute to finding better solutions. Heading into the coming two years we are likely to see ongoing and overlapping global crises. Planning for the unknown will require us to work more with scenarios in preparing for not just the one future but multiple future outlooks.
Leaders today must find ways to foster a culture of agility and adaptability within their organisations. This involves encouraging continuous learning, being open to change, and quickly adapting to new technologies and market conditions. Agile organisations can pivot in response to disruptions and seize new opportunities faster than their less flexible counterparts. Listening to Monica Lingegård, this can be particularly challenging in a company such as SJ, with complex ownership dynamics. Add to this an over 100-year-old legacy and a company positioned to always be scrutinised by the public. SJ is rethinking their entire structure to stay in tune with times, and keep its market position and strong social commitment. Monica Lingegård’s role as leader is very much focused on getting the whole organisation on board, integrating sustainability as a strategic imperative and navigating the many stakeholders of the business.
Businesses must focus on strategic foresight and risk management
Talking to Leif Johansson and Johan Malmquist about their experiences from non-executive boardroom work, it is increasingly important for them to help their company management be effective and prioritise strategic foresight. Part of their responsibility as company board members is to support in continuously scanning the horizon for emerging trends, technologies, and potential risks. When integrating risk management into strategic planning, company management alongside the board can more proactively address challenges and minimise the impact of geopolitical instability and technological disruptions to future-proof the business.
People and company culture are best placed at the heart of transformation efforts
A key to thrive and be a resilient organisation in today’s business context starts with the people in any organisation. To cultivate a resilient and inclusive workforce, leaders should focus on creating a diverse and inclusive work environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute. Investing in employee well-being, and professional development, and fostering a strong sense of community can help maintain morale and productivity during turbulent times. Karin Rådström shared with us her experiences of having to find one’s own leadership style and true convictions, to really engage with the people in her organisation and empower her teams to contribute to the company’s success. Working to re-position Mercedes-Benz Trucks in the market, it was necessary to transform the company culture. Moving away from a strong hierarchical structure and decentralising decision-making to successfully achieve innovative efforts and instil a more collaborative approach has been a key focus on her agenda.
Good leadership today is all about having an agile outlook, being authentic, having an ability to drive growth and development as well as being able to demonstrate humanity. Possessing these competencies is what we at Alumni have chosen to call being a Sustainable Leader. Sustainable leadership not only acknowledges the complexities of our times but also offers effective solutions for the multifaceted challenges that businesses encounter. Sustainable leadership embraces a holistic approach that addresses environmental, social, and economic dimensions while fostering collaboration and driving transformation.
Our Alumni Sustainable Leadership solution provides a foundation that covers key areas that enable a successful holistic transformation. From giving advice on how to integrate our Alumni Sustainable Leadership model into your organisation’s Talent Management processes, to providing evidence-based leadership assessments and working to evaluate and develop your existing leadership.
If you would like to hear more about our Alumni Sustainable Leadership solution do get in touch.
Did you know that Alumni in addition to working with top Executive Search, Interim Management and Recruitment, are also experts in the field of Leadership Assessment and Development? We are happy to help if you are looking for ways to select and grow the leaders that will boost the success of your organisation.
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