Jan Marklund

Lead Like a Swede

In a managerial world often dominated by command and control, this book champions the Swedish leadership paradigm, offering a fresh, solution-focused approach that harmonises power with empathy, innovation with tradition, and individualism with collective responsibility. With 35 years of successful leadership, empowering coaching, and training experience, Jan Marklund brings to the table an unparalleled depth of insight into what makes leaders thrive in new and challenging terrains. This book is a testament to the Swedish leadership style, a beacon for new leaders, and a pragmatic toolkit for those eager to adopt a solution-focused leadership style that aligns with modern values of inclusivity and work-life balance. This book dives into the subtleties of leading in uncharted territories. By leaning on the Swedish leadership ethos, it highlights collaboration, inclusivity, and work-life balance. It offers a pragmatic blueprint to transform organisational challenges into growth opportunities, advocating employee empowerment and proactive problem-solving. This solution-focused leadership approach resonates closely with the Swedish style, accentuating practical solutions over problems. This book not only details Swedish leadership nuances but also suggests strategies to nurture a solution-centric mindset. Drawing from Sweden’s rich history of egalitarianism, innovation, and sustainable ethics, this book provides a comprehensive guide for leaders and managers seeking to navigate the complexities of new settings, be they in a different country or culture or simply a new role. Using renowned examples from Swedish corporate giants like Volvo, SKF, and Spotify, to the public sector’s triumphs, this book is a repository of over 100 actionable insights from the crème de la crème of Swedish leadership.