Yes, leadership matters

When I (at tender age) started out in consulting there were three main components you would evaluate before joining a consultancy. Would you be able to work on the really cool projects? Would you have plenty of skilled colleagues who could come and rescue you when you got into trouble? Would you get a fair compensation? If these three conditions were met, you would at least consider joining.?

Then as the years went by, the trio was challenged by an additional component called Leadership. Not to say it wasn’t important in the early years, but over time for me it became as important as the other three combined.?

Looking back at 20+ years in consulting I feel truly blessed. It all started at Capgemini where I joined as a trainee. From day one I got a healthy dose of guidance and mentoring, but I was too inexperienced to realize the value bestowed upon me. It took almost a decade to grasp the foundation laid at Cap, but today I often refer to that period in my career as the reason why I am still in consulting. So, thanks to the Legion of Link?ping for setting the course.?

After Capgemini I was exposed to Leadership 2.0 when I joined Acando (now CGI) under a “Sparkling Power Woman”. Back then I was just pulling in billable hours and sometimes quite a lot of them, but I felt very much seen by leadership despite being off the radar for long stretches of time.?My key takeaway from those years is the importance for leaders to establish bi-directional trust and maintain positive relationships.

The experience continued at EVRY where I had the pleasure of working with the “Most Positive Person on the Planet” for a few years and I just wish I had been half as good at mentoring my own team as he was mentoring me. It was a crazy ride but what I often think back on is the importance of creating the right atmosphere as a leader.?

My second trip to Acando saw me working closely with the “Wise Man from Westeros” who conducted his orchestra with small but precise movements. Here I was given more freedom than what on paper might seem like a good idea, but somehow, we managed to thrive and develop the brand into something I feel proud of to this day. I have the wise man to thank for many things, and what lingers is the notion of leadership through consistency and clarity.

At my next stop true leadership came from an unexpected direction. Working in a matrix organisation on steroids like Deloitte, a Mountain Man emerged as the leader that could guide you through the inner workings of he company and help you stay focused on the only thing that truly matters - the customer. It is through people like him Deloitte has emerged as such a dominant player in the Professional Services industry. For me it was also a confirmation of the importance of combining business acumen and leadership to get the organization focused on the right things.

I guess it has been smooth sailing on the leadership front all these years? Of course not. I’ve had managers who didn’t share my core values and ended up insulting me and entire teams of colleagues by racist or fascist jokes while remaining mostly ignorant of the effect they had on people. Simply proof not all are meant to be leaders, but also a reminder of just how devastating poor leadership can be for an organization.

At my current position I also hit a little snag when the two leaders I put my faith in couldn’t resist pursuing new career opportunities before I got the chance to really get to know them.?These things happen and the lesson is that good leaders are in high demand so you shouldn’t take them for granted and you better pick their brains before it is too late.

Anyway, it is now time to put some new leadership to the test as I turn the page once again. The title of the next chapter will be revealed after the holidays … sometime in early January.

Oh, and in case you wondered. In order of appearance:

Legion of Link?ping:

Lars Bostr?m

Torbjorn Sjoberg

A Sparkling Power Woman:

Eva Sandberg

The Most Positive Person on the Planet:

Anders Ladstedt

The Wise Man From Westeros:

Johan Berg

The Mountain Man:

Martin Larsson