Everything begins with our communication and collaboration- it is the foundation for everything else. When the interaction works – in meetings, between roles, and across functions – strategy becomes understandable and executable. When we connect the heart (people, relationships, courage, trust, and joy) with the mind (strategy, facts, priorities), visible and measurable results emerge.
It starts with ourselves. When we lead from the inside out—through self-awareness and a deeper understanding of how others in the group function and prefer to work—something powerful happens. A collective wisdom takes shape, naturally helping us create, evaluate, and focus, and guiding the way forward with a stronger sense of shared responsibility for the whole—in both headwinds and tailwinds.
The next step is often a shared understanding of the leadership team’s mandate. When we clarify how vision, strategy, and goals connect to everyday decisions, direction is created. We define how the leadership team wants to work: which questions belong where, who owns what, and how decisions turn into action. By distinguishing between strategic, operational, and administrative forums, we create both clarity and momentum. The right question in the right forum, at the right time, with clear mandate and responsibility—this is when work becomes both human and effective.
Joy at work is not a luxury—it is a force that drives sustainability, learning, and creativity. And we need to have fun together. When we celebrate results, big and small, we reinforce the behaviors that create progress. Celebration makes results, impact, and value visible, builds pride—both internally and externally—and brings us closer to the mission and to one another.
Finally, everything needs to land in concrete action plans. Plans that are jointly anchored, forward-looking, and fact-based—yet adapted to reality. With clear milestones and metrics, we follow up on impact, not just activity. When the plan is communicated in a way people can relate to and recognize themselves in, engagement increases—which in turn accelerates execution.
Wishing you a continued wonderful November,
Anne-Leé Holmberg
