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What have you learned about

wise leadership,f Lars G. nordström?

Lars G. nordström is Chairman of the Board of the power company Vattenfall and Board Member of the shipping company Viking Line and the financial group Nordea Bank, among other positions he holds. he retired as President and Group Ceo of the postal company Posten Norden (now Postnord) in 2011. Te

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What have you learned about

wise leadership,f Lars G. nordström?

1WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO EXERT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON A COMPANY’S DECISION MAKING AND MANAGEMENT?

1You must have extensive

business knowledge and work experience from various

business areas and positions if you want to

contribute to the company’s success.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO EXERT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON A COMPANY’S DECISION MAKING AND MANAGEMENT?

1For me, having worked as CEO and as a

board member at the same time in different companies has helped me to

grasp the big picture. You must also have a genuine interest in the company,

what it does and what it wants to achieve.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO EXERT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON A COMPANY’S DECISION MAKING AND MANAGEMENT?

WHAT ARE THE MOST VALUABLE CAREER DECISIONS PEOPLE CAN MAKE?

Challenge yourself to change roles and

job descriptions.

Spend some time working for the headquarters and

then apply for a position in a business division or unit.

WHAT ARE THE MOST VALUABLE CAREER DECISIONS PEOPLE CAN MAKE?

It pays off to see the company, the business and the industry from

multiple points of views.

You will be a more valuable asset if you know your

craft inside and out.

WHAT ARE THE MOST VALUABLE CAREER DECISIONS PEOPLE CAN MAKE?

3WHAT HAS BEEN MOST INSTRUCTIVE FOR YOU DURING YOUR CAREER?

I changed positions

quite often. I did not have my career path exactly mapped out in advance; I took on new challenges when

they were presented.

3WHAT HAS BEEN MOST INSTRUCTIVE FOR YOU DURING YOUR CAREER?

Work itself has been one of my best teachers.

I have also always been more interested in the

content of the job description than the title

or position.

I suppose my transition in the 1990’s from one bank to its biggest competitor

raised some eyebrows, but the job

interested me so I took it. 3WHAT HAS BEEN MOST INSTRUCTIVE FOR YOU DURING YOUR CAREER?

3WHAT HAS BEEN MOST INSTRUCTIVE FOR YOU DURING YOUR CAREER?

One thing I can say, though, is that the

ability to create size and to work in environments where size, scale and scope

matter, is one of the most valuable skills I

acquired.

4WHAT WISDOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS?

4WHAT WISDOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS?

Question the conventional balance.

Plan less, do more.

Emphasize tactics

rather than strategy.

4WHAT WISDOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS?

Think more about the how, when and

by whom than the what.

Plan more for the short run; do not

obsess over the long run.

4WHAT WISDOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS? Naturally,

you should always have long-term plans in

place, but in order to reach your long-term

goals, you should start acting right now.

magazine 3/2012

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