Our society is moving faster than ever before and the combination of the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, the rapid change in peoples’ life styles, new preferences and other socio-economic and demographic factors is resulting in major disruptions to the labour markets and how we think of the concept of working. New categories of jobs are and will continue to emerge and partly or wholly displacing others. The skill sets required in both old and new occupations will also change in most industries and transform how and where people will work in the coming years. In the World Economic Forums report “The Future of Jobs”, it is estimated that 65 % of all children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist. Many of the major drivers of transformation currently affecting global industries, technological and societal, are ultimately expected to have a significant impact on job creation, job displacement, labour productivity and skill gaps. This might seem like frightening news to many; however, this is nothing new to us. When thinking about it, we have been in this changing climate for a while now. In many industries and countries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties today did not even exist ten or five years ago, and it is said that since the internet was born it has created about three new jobs for every one job taken away. And already today, many of us can look back at our childhood dreams of what we wanted to be when we grew up, with the knowledge that our dream job today wasn’t even possible to imagine when we were kids. Even tough we have been through a rapidly changing labour market, it is now accelerating and will go in a much faster speed going forward. Many predict that we will just within a couple of years, have to have multiple careers, re-educate ourselves more than once in our life time and that it will be absolutely necessary for us to change both roles, employers and disciplines continuously over time in order to stay relevant. "Lifelong learning is the ongoing pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons." Therefore, the concept of lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important in the knowledge-intensive, complex and global world in which we are living. So what is then “lifelong learning” all about? Lifelong learning is the ongoing pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. A concept that has been around for a long time but have perhaps now become more relevant than ever before - since we know that it will be absolute key for us to fast and easy learn new things and fields going forward. "This will require changes in everything from how the education system works, what human resources functions looks for in a candidate, how we think of talent scouting and how companies work with internal learnings, coaching and talk about career plans." Lifelong learning is in many ways harder and more complex than one would think of, since it not only requires us to have an open mind-set and willingness to learn, but also the right access to gather new knowledge. Therefore, all parts of society need to start mobilizing and prepare for how we will be able to ensure that everyone have the possibility to be relevant also in the future and having the chance to discover new trends and be aware of the different options that will emerge while the market is continuing to change. This will require changes in everything from how the education system works, what human resources functions looks for in a candidate, how we think of talent scouting and how companies work with internal learnings, coaching and talk about career plans. But what can you do already today in order to start adapting to the concept of lifelong learning and being prepared for the fast shifting future labour market? Here are 6 tips that can be a starting point on your path of continuous learning: Set a plan for your learning Start off by setting your intentions for what you want to learn and if you have any milestones or goals related to it. Ask yourself: What areas are you interested in? How much time are you ready to spend every week on new learnings? And how could you use your new learnings in your everyday work? Make "learning new things" a part of you daily work routine An efficient way to integrate learnings in to your daily routine, is to schedule it in your work calendar. It doesn’t have to be any large sacrifice in time, a 10-minute TED Talk every Monday or a 30-minute reading or watching a Youtube clip on a new topic per week, the most important part is that you make it happen and see it as important as other tasks at work. Have fun while learning new things It is absolute key to bring the fun into learning new things. Making this into something that you feel motivated and driven by and want to continue with. Therefore, make sure to reward yourself every time you reach a goal or a milestone. You could also bring your learnings into your private life, by arranging “theme” dinners and invite friends to discuss a specific topic or arrange a book club with others around a theme and thereby learn together. Involve others Involving others is a good way to stick to your goals. Reach out to your network and share your journey, your new learnings and make them involved by welcoming suggestions of things you should look into or people you should meet. Another way is to start arranging trend sessions at work, encouraging others to share new knowledge with you. Challenge yourself by working in new ways and at new places It is very easy to become comfortable and doing things as you always have. But just by changing the atmosphere or work space once a week or month, new ideas will come to you. Another effective way is to be curious of other functions and colleagues at work. This can be done by desk shadowing a colleague at another department for a day or schedule lunch with someone that works with something else than you do. Meet people from another industries or areas A great way to be more motivated and inspired by a new field or area is to meet and talk to others that are already in that field. Make sure to look for meet ups or conferences that involves the areas you want to learn more about. You could also get a “knowledge” mentor; someone that you meet and only discuss that specific field with. Annie Lindmark, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Annie Lindmark is working with innovation and funding for innovative projects within companies and research. She has received the title as “Innovator of the year” at Universum Excellence Award and is often a key note speaker and a panelist on topics as Open innovation, Social innovation, Emerging technology and Entrepreneurship. She is a Steering Committee Member for Hack for Sweden, a government mission raised to increase the awareness and use of open data. She is also the founder of the female network W.Empowerment that aims to promote self leadership and entrepreneurship and supports many other initiatives that want to encourage more women in to entrepreneurship.

Written by: Ashutosh Mahamuni Digital twin technology is revolutionizing pharmaceutical manufacturing by enabling real-time simulations, predictive modeling, and enhanced process validation. This article explores the role of digital twins in biopharma, their benefits, challenges, and future potential, emphasizing their impact on efficiency, compliance, and cost reduction. 1. Introduction The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a digital transformation, and I, Ashutosh Mahamuni, see digital twins as being at the very core of this evolution. From my perspective, digital twins—virtual replicas of physical processes—are revolutionizing how we simulate, monitor, and optimize biopharma production in real time. Their adoption is reshaping process validation, moving it away from traditional trial-and-error methods toward a more data-driven, predictive approach. This shift is not just about efficiency—it's about unlocking a new level of precision and reliability in manufacturing. In this article, I explore the key drivers behind the growing integration of digital twins in the industry, while offering my perspective on their long-term impact. 2. Literature Review: How Digital Twins Work in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Digital twin technology operates by integrating Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) into biopharma production. These technologies enable: Real-time data monitoring: Sensors collect data from equipment, providing real-time feedback on performance and deviations. Simulation and predictive modeling: Digital twins simulate different production scenarios, predicting potential failures before they occur. Process optimization: Manufacturers can test modifications virtually before implementing them in the physical environment. Case Studies Pfizer and Digital Twins: Pfizer has incorporated digital twins to optimize bioreactor conditions, reducing batch failures and improving yield. Implementing digital twin technology in biopharma manufacturing presents multiple challenges, including the need for highly specialized engineers proficient in data analytics, process modeling, and automation. These systems require precise calibration to ensure virtual models accurately replicate real-world bioreactors, necessitating continuous data validation. Additionally, integrating digital twins into existing infrastructure demands significant investment in IoT-enabled sensors, cloud computing, and AI-driven analytics, all of which must comply with GxP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and stringent regulatory standards. Overcoming these hurdles is essential to fully leverage the potential of digital twins in enhancing biopharma production efficiency. GSK's Implementation: GlaxoSmithKline uses digital twins for continuous monitoring of vaccine production, ensuring quality control and compliance. The implementation of digital twins at this scale requires significant capital investment, including high-performance computing systems, IoT-enabled monitoring devices, and advanced AI-driven analytics platforms. These costs can be substantial, covering specialized hardware, software development, staff training, and regulatory validation. Additionally, the company must hire specialized engineers with expertise in data science, bioprocess modeling, and automation integration to ensure accurate system calibration and real-time responsiveness. However, despite the high upfront costs, the long-term benefits far outweigh the investment. By reducing batch failures, improving process predictability, and enabling real-time optimizations, GSK is able to significantly cut down production losses and regulatory delays. This not only streamlines vaccine production cycles but also enhances the company's ability to respond quickly to global healthcare needs, ensuring a higher return on investment through operational efficiency and cost savings. 3. Technical Analysis: Key Benefits of Digital Twins in Biopharma 1. Enhanced Process Validation Predictive analytics improve batch consistency by utilizing real-time data modeling and AI-driven simulations, allowing manufacturers to anticipate and correct process deviations before they occur. Advanced Process Analytical Technology (PAT) tools, such as Raman spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) sensors, continuously monitor critical process parameters to ensure uniformity. Companies like Siemens and GE Healthcare have integrated digital twins with predictive modeling software, such as AVEVA Predictive Analytics and Dassault Systèmes BIOVIA, to optimize drug formulation and bioprocessing workflows. However, implementing these systems comes with challenges, including high initial costs, specialized workforce requirements, and regulatory compliance hurdles. Biopharma firms must invest in engineers skilled in computational modeling, AI, and bioprocess automation to fully leverage predictive analytics and digital twins for manufacturing optimization. 2. Real-Time Decision Making which results in cost savings. In my experience, one of the most powerful aspects of digital twins is their ability to enable real-time decision-making. By continuously monitoring parameters like temperature and pH, these systems can detect early signs of process deviations—often before they escalate into full-scale issues. I’ve seen how teams across engineering, data science, and quality assurance come together to act on these insights, identifying root causes and ensuring all corrective steps meet regulatory standards. This cross-functional responsiveness not only minimizes downtime and waste but also elevates overall product quality. From a cost perspective, the impact is just as significant. By optimizing formulation and minimizing raw material waste through predictive modeling, digital twins contribute directly to sustainability and bottom-line savings. They also support predictive maintenance, which I find especially valuable. Monitoring equipment health—like tracking agitator vibrations to predict wear—allows for timely servicing, preventing costly breakdowns and production interruptions. Ultimately, digital twins drive smarter manufacturing, where efficiency and quality go hand in hand. 3. Regulatory Compliance One of the most compelling advantages I’ve seen with digital twins is their ability to enhance traceability and data integrity—something the FDA has been strongly advocating for through its Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) Program. By integrating digital record-keeping directly into the manufacturing process, digital twins enable secure, real-time tracking of every critical parameter. This not only strengthens compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) but also creates a transparent, tamper-proof audit trail that significantly simplifies regulatory inspections and documentation. In my view, the FDA’s support for digital twins is a clear signal of where the industry is headed. These systems allow manufacturers to simulate and validate processes before actual production, reducing batch failures and ensuring consistency. With AI-driven analytics and automated reporting, digital twins reduce human error and accelerate both internal decision-making and regulatory approvals. It’s a transformative shift—one that brings us closer to a smarter, faster, and more reliable pharmaceutical manufacturing model. 4. Challenges and Considerations 1. Data Security and Privacy:  In my experience, securing sensitive production data is absolutely non-negotiable—especially as digital twins depend on real-time cloud-based infrastructures. The FDA has consistently emphasized the importance of data integrity and compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), particularly under 21 CFR Part 11. To meet these expectations, I’ve seen companies invest heavily in robust encryption protocols, detailed audit trails, and tightly controlled access systems. Without these safeguards, the very foundation of digital manufacturing could be compromised. Cybersecurity risks are very real in biopharma, and the Merck ransomware attack in 2017 is a case I often reference. With losses estimated at $870 million, it was a wake-up call for the entire industry. That’s why I advocate for integrating AI-powered cybersecurity tools and real-time encryption into every layer of a digital twin system. It's not just about protection—it's about ensuring ongoing compliance and resilience in a highly regulated environment. 2. High Implementation Costs Implementing digital twins is a capital-intensive endeavor, no doubt. From high-performance computing systems and IoT sensors to AI platforms and workforce training, the upfront costs can be steep. But in my view, it's a smart long-term investment. GE Healthcare’s case study is a great example—despite the significant initial expense, they achieved measurable ROI through fewer batch failures, optimized workflows, and reduced downtime. Once systems are in place and aligned with regulatory expectations, the cost savings and efficiency gains speak for themselves. That said, success depends on seamless integration with existing IT infrastructure. Without that alignment, even the most advanced systems can underperform. 3. Regulatory Adaptation Regulatory frameworks are evolving, and I see this as a positive sign. The FDA’s Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) Program is actively shaping guidelines to accommodate innovations like real-time monitoring and AI-based validation. For instance, in continuous bioprocessing, digital twins offer a viable alternative to traditional batch validation. But this shift demands new clarity around data integrity, model transparency, and system validation. I believe clear, adaptive regulation will be key to fully unlocking the potential of digital twins in pharma. 5. Future Trends and Industry Innovations 1. AI-Driven Advancements From what I’ve seen, the integration of machine learning with digital twins is one of the most promising advancements in biopharma. These algorithms can learn from massive datasets, fine-tuning manufacturing parameters and identifying patterns that would be impossible to catch manually. With AI-assisted digital twins, we’re entering a new era of self-learning systems that adapt to real-time production variations. This capability boosts batch consistency, improves predictive maintenance, and supports automated quality control—all of which significantly reduce downtime and enhance decision-making on the manufacturing floor. Personally, I believe the self-learning nature of AI-driven twins will become essential as production environments grow more complex and dynamic. 2. Expansion in Personalized Medicine I’m especially excited about the role digital twins will play in the rise of personalized medicine. Imagine simulating a patient’s biological response to a drug before administering it—that’s where this technology is headed. By integrating genomic and metabolic data, digital twins can help tailor therapies for maximum efficacy and minimal side effects. In oncology, for example, they’re being used to model responses to chemotherapy, potentially leading to more personalized and effective treatment plans. I also see a major opportunity in cell and gene therapies, where high manufacturing variability demands precise, real-time process control—and digital twins are uniquely positioned to meet that challenge. But to fully realize this potential, collaboration between regulatory bodies and biopharma companies is essential. From my perspective, the success of digital twins depends on proactive alignment with evolving guidelines. Without it, regulatory uncertainty could slow innovation. I believe that joint efforts will be key in establishing digital twins as a mainstream tool for ensuring quality, speed, and compliance in the future of drug manufacturing. 6. Conclusion Digital twins are revolutionizing biopharmaceutical process validation and manufacturing optimization. By reducing batch failures, increasing efficiency, and ensuring regulatory compliance, they are setting new standards in the industry. While challenges remain in data security, implementation costs, and regulatory alignment, the future of digital twins in biopharma is promising. From my perspective, the adoption of this technology is not just about improving operational efficiency, but also about reshaping the way pharmaceutical companies approach innovation. Companies that embrace digital twins today will pioneer the next era of pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring faster production cycles, enhanced product quality, and greater adaptability to industry challenges. References BioProcess International. (2019). The role of digital twins in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.  BioProcess International Journal, 17 (3), 45-58. FDA. (2018). Emerging technologies in pharmaceutical manufacturing.  U.S. Food and Drug Administration . Retrieved from  https://www.fda.gov/biopharma-digital-twins EMA. (2019). Guidelines for digital validation in pharmaceutical processes.  European Medicines Agency . Retrieved from  https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/digital-validation Pfizer. (2019). Case study: Optimizing bioreactor performance with digital twins.  Pfizer Manufacturing Reports, 24 (2), 89-97. GlaxoSmithKline. (2018). Continuous monitoring and real-time control in vaccine production.  GSK Research Bulletin, 15 (4), 33-49. Author’s Bio I, Ashutosh Mahamuni, have been steadily building my career in the biopharmaceutical industry with a strong focus on research and advanced manufacturing technologies. My passion lies in biopharmaceutical production and process optimization, where I constantly seek ways to improve efficiency and scalability. While working on  Spherofast —an innovative method for continuous and efficient pellet manufacturing—I explored strategies to enhance throughput, minimize material waste, and streamline pharmaceutical workflows. This research naturally led me to a deeper exploration of single-use systems (SUS) in bioprocessing, as their principles closely aligned with the efficiency and sustainability goals I was already pursuing. My engagement with SUS has further expanded my understanding of modern biomanufacturing trends. I am committed to driving innovation in this space, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in biopharma through smarter, more sustainable production technologies.

By: Brainz Magazine “If you evaluate situations, yourself and other people based on what truly drives humanity forward, you lose all traces of doubt, dishonesty, victimhood and inactivity. It sort of becomes binary; either you create and push forward, or you observe and criticize from a far.” - Oscar Eriksson When we meet Oscar Eriksson, it’s not without any previous knowledge or rumour. We knew about his past achievements and skills. We knew he likes to cover a lot of subjects and almost “surf” between philosophy, strategy and super-specific tactical execution within the same minute. Often with four analogies in parallel, making it a challenge keeping up with his train of thought. When we met him at Diplomat in central Stockholm however, we didn’t know we were going to enter altruistic arguments in such a tight mix with our business-focused discussion. – I’m sorry for that… I wander off sometimes. But discussions become so much more valuable on deep purpose-levels. We met with the serial super-entrepreneur and what some call “Sweden’s superior digital strategist” to talk a bit about his adventures, his views on building organizations, efficiency, creativity, inspiration and the future. What are you currently focusing on? – I’m a bit here and there to be honest. I’ve spent the last year building a portfolio-like setup of cases together with my main partner. We’ve launched a new digital lifestyle solution, transparently solving the brand’s needs for authentic reach and engagement. We’re beta testing a global platform for sports fans, getting them closer to their favourite teams and players through content, challenges and match-like gamification. We’ve also built and launched brands within luxury beds at non-luxury prices. And a few cases in the exciting wine industry, focusing on sustainability and the “secondary market” for wines. The newest addition to the portfolio evolves around the rapidly growing sport of padel. I also run my own growth agency L7G which is a modern data science partner helping CEO’s at large companies to create predictive, cutting-edge algorithms solving complex business problems in new ways. These algorithms and models often create new takes on advanced marketing, hyper-personalization, assortment modelling or end-to-end distribution optimization. – Apart from that, I’m a board member for a few apps and digital brands. That’s a responsibility that adds another stakeholder perspective than to be the entrepreneur and creator. I really enjoy those opportunities. That sure sounds like a mouthful. How do you stay above it? – I guess you mean how I manage time or stress. For me, it’s always been about pushing limits and discovering what we’re capable of. My experience is that you magically get more time as you take on more responsibility, not the other way around. I am also ridiculously structured and systematic when I need to be. Working out daily helps setting the frame and focus for what needs to be done. Practicing and developing real self-awareness also helps recognizing when you experience “good” and “bad” stress, because there are both versions. How did you get to this point in life - any specific event or have you had a plan all the time? – Wow, I’ve had so many plans. They change all the time. I think plans are secondary to vision and end-state… The plan will work itself out. “Just get going and adjust course along the way”, has always been my strategy. I can’t stand inactivity or decision paralysis. But I guess one very deciding event was some 10 years ago while having lunch with my first-ever “mentor”. Back then, I was in the finance industry, working my ass of at a large bank when faced with a serious discussion about how I wanted to live my life, what actually means something and the difference between time, money and freedom. I remember he gave me the book “The Four-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss - and I was hooked. Not necessarily by everything that Ferriss talks about, but rather the general attitude of analyzing input/output relationships, efficiency, and most of all the concept of freedom in all levels of life. I’ve been very passionate about what they call “lifestyle design” and creating the “work” life that you really want. You build several digital businesses and you have helped some of the largest companies in the world with growth strategies. What are the main trends you see? – Those are many… But to add value here and now, I would say “polarization”. Polarization of customer purchasing patterns, which means we see a clearer gap between “boring buys” such as subscriptions or commodities, and “inspirational buys” which are more value, identity and tribe-driven. Polarization of available platforms is real too. We know that Amazon-like platforms eat the world on all “boring buys”. Why would they not take 99% market share on commodity purchases in a connected society? Then, the other end of the spectra becomes niche, D2C, value-based brands taking market share in the digital transformation. The giants in between this spectrum will die off in a rapid pace, at least with current business models and operations. “The shallow, "+1" influencers will die out as brands finally start to measure this in a sober way as any other marketing initiative. The polarization is everywhere and will have massive effects on how we work with positioning, strategy and market fit.” – The polarization of market channels is there too…. Let’s just look at the phenomena of “influencers”, or “opinion-leaders” as we called it back in 2008. This field will be polarized such that the authentic, strong power nodes will get even more power and eventually pivot into creating their own brands with a lot of help from Facebook/Instagram’s shopping functionalities and the live video shopping trend finally making it from Asia to the west. Instead of making brand deals, they’ll become the brands. The shallow, “+1” influencers will die out as brands finally start to measure this in a sober way as any other marketing initiative. The polarization is everywhere and will have massive effects on how we work with positioning, strategy and market fit. Any particular trends within e-commerce or retail? – I would look out for the diffusion of the storefronts. We’re in many ways past basic “e-commerce” now. We’re living in “social commerce” where there can’t be any differences between a social live video, story, picture and a “shop button”. It’s all intertwined and if your business is not built for letting go of your traditional point of conversion, you’re in a bad place. Let go of trying to control the actual shopping moment, it’s not in your hands anymore. I think voice tech takes some time to really establish in the Scandinavian markets, but it’s a hygiene factor for the future. Why are viral and organic strategies crucial? – I’m simply passionate about creating viral or at least organic brands because it’s an absolute necessity. Whenever you have a monopoly or duopoly in society, things become expensive. And that’s what we have with Google and Facebook in the game of paid traffic today. It simply becomes too expensive being addicted to these platforms, and this is why viral loops and strategies are so vital for creating recurring and organic users of your brand. You’ve said that we don’t live in an age of data; we live in the age of talents. What does that mean? – Well, that means many things. But mainly it’s so obvious that everyone has all the data one could ask for. But we’re starving for talents and artists that actually can create value from data. “I think we see too many "experts" simply leveraging the digital- and data anxiety out there and trying to make things really complex. Solid intuition and talent are as important as quant and data.” We can build algorithms, fancy UX or automate any customer journey to the end of time. But at the end of the day, it’s about being talented and using artistry on top of data streams. I think we see too many “experts” simply leveraging the digital- and data anxiety out there and trying to make things really complex. Solid intuition and talent are as important as quant and data. How does retail and consumption look in 50 years? – I don’t think we have that much consumption at all to be honest. Except for fast-consumer and perishable goods of course. But in general, I don’t see ownership as a concept. Not even houses, apartments or cars. Why would you aim to own things in an age where you spend 90% of your time in virtual places and virtual realities? We will be much more fluid as individuals and the concept of owning materialistic stuff will be gone as we know it. You have built several organizations. How do you motivate your employees? – Actually, I don’t. I try to recruit solid people, and those people need to be self-motivated. I’d rather focus on being the hardest worker in the room and lead by example in that way instead. If employees or partners aren’t on the same level, we solve it from there. Working actively with motivation feels like covering up for poor talent recruitment or bad overall company culture. You have mentioned “alpha waves” in a couple of keynotes related to creativity and efficiency. What does that mean? – That is basically a wavelength frequency at which our brains optimize for creativity and problem solving. The last few years I’ve been working a lot on setting the brain up for those conditions. It completely re-defines what “work” and “free time” means and should mean for most companies. We actually solve most problems in a creative way when we are relaxing or stepping back from intense work or pressure. During a hot shower, a steam sauna, while exercising, playing video games or in certain stages of sleep. In short, it’s like working a muscle. Naturally, you need to put tension and effort for it to adjust, but it’s during recovery or rest you get the benefits. I’ve sort of created techniques and routines for myself and the companies I help to maximize performance by brain waves. Wow, that sounds really weird saying out loud to be honest. What are you planning for the future? Any dreams or new projects? – Great question. Short-term, we’re expanding a few projects to new countries focusing on USA, Germany and parts of Asia. Those are always interesting adventures where everything that could possibly go wrong, will go wrong. Generally, it would be fun to start working on projects within a field of passion. Retail or e-commerce is so extremely boring. I just happen to have been working with it, but I have zero passion for this field. I have some vague ideas of projects out in space, but now we’re talking 20-30 years horizons. For now, however, working with fun people and having a global workplace with total freedom will do. You get to invite 3 people to a dinner. Who would be your dream guests? – Ricky Gervais has a spot of course. The most brilliant guy alive. Elon Musk needs to come as well. And of course, my girlfriend Fanny. She just makes everything better. Favourite books or podcasts? – Anything with Andreessen Horowitz, like the “a16z” podcast. I’m always big on written autobiographies and keynotes by role models, could be athletes or entrepreneurs. I try to come back and re-read the works of Tim Ferriss, Jordan Peterson and stoic philosophers like Seneca every year to refresh perspectives. If I had to recommend a single individual of whom to consume all content, I’d say Naval.

In today’s digital world, we are busier than we’ve ever been before. Between managing stressful jobs, running businesses, maintaining a social media presence, working out, cooking, cleaning, looking after families etc. it’s no wonder we are exhausted by the time the weekend comes around. “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort.” – Paul J. Meyer. It’s equally important to note that we make time for the things that are important to us. As Debbie Millman said, “busy is a decision.” We are now living in a society that uses busy as a badge. It has become a cultural cache to use the excuse “I am too busy” for anything we don’t feel like doing. When we use busy as an excuse for not doing something, what we are really saying is that it’s not a priority. It’s important to be honest with yourself, determine what’s important to you, and simply make the time to do it. There are a few tips and tricks to ensuring you make the most out of your day, week and year. If you want to make 2020 your most productive year yet, you are going to have to start by understanding exactly where your 24 hours are going each day: 1. ASSESS HOW YOU ARE SPENDING YOUR TIME Keep a record over the course of the next week to determine how your are spending your time each week. For example: Monday 7:00am- 7:30am: Wake up, check emails and scroll through social media. 7:30am: Shower, get ready. 8:00am: Commute to work whilst looking at media sites, catching up on the latest gossip. 9:00am- 5pm: Work. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Commute home whilst scrolling through instagram. 6:00pm: Prepare dinner. 7:00pm: Eat dinner whilst watching Netflix. 10:00pm: Get into bed and look at social media and emails on your phone. 11:00pm: Go to sleep. Does some or all of this routine sound familiar to you? Sure, you may engage in some other activities such as going to the gym, bathing and putting your kids to sleep etc. but just how exactly many hours in the day are you wasting? It’s important to understand exactly how and where your time is being spent. 2. DIGITAL DETOXING How many hours do you spend absorbed in your phone each day scrolling through instagram or binge watching the latest Netflix series? I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with those things. However, if you want to make 2020 your most productive year yet, you are going to have to assess and determine exactly where your 24 hours are going each day. Once you have an understanding on how and where you spend your time, it’s not difficult to see that a majority of our time aside from work and sleep is spent consuming media. Anything from social media, to watching random videos on YouTube, to reading gossip articles on the web counts. Recent research from BankMyCell demonstrates that the average time spent on smartphones is 2.51 hours per day. Could you imagine what else you could accomplish in that 2.5 hours? Both Apple and Android have now released software that will help you monitor your addiction and minimise your phone usage. Instil discipline when it comes to your digital consumption and set some parameters as to who and when you check social media. 3. LIMIT EMAIL CHECKING Emails are another big factor when it comes to time-sucking activities. With the volume of emails I receive at work, I could spend my entire day checking and responding to emails, and accomplish nothing else. Allocate a couple of times in the day where you check and respond to emails, for example between 12-1pm, and then again between 4-5pm. This way, you are able to focus your time on the other, more important tasks of the day. ​Turning off email notifications is another important aspect when it comes to managing your time. We can not resist the ‘bing’ or ‘whoosh’ sound when an exciting new email appears in our inbox. Do yourself a favour and turn off all app and email notifications on your computer and phone. Not only will it significantly increase your productivity levels, however reduce anxiety levels as well. 4. UTILISE CALENDARS & TO-TO LISTS Ensure you plan out your day and week by utilising a to-do list and writing down the tasks and projects you absolutely must finalise or accomplish. What are the top 1-3 priorities you absolutely must achieve that day? Ensure you block out time first thing in the morning to tackle the harder, more important tasks whilst your mind is fresh and free from distractions. Schedule in all meetings and appointments using a diary or your phone / outlook calendar. This will ensure you don’t miss any important dates or deadlines. 5. AUTOMATE DECISIONS How much time do you spend each day, thinking about what you’re going to wear or what you’re going to eat for dinner? We waste valuable time and energy each day asking and agonising over these seemingly simple questions. Arianna Huffington leads the way when it comes to outfit repeats and being more productive with our time. She ways “Men have a competitive advantage. They don’t have to waste the kind of energy we waste.” This concept has been owned by many successful men over the years. Steve Job’s black turtleneck, Mark Zuckerberg’s grey t-shirt and Barack Obama’s grey or blue suits are all ‘uniforms’ that have taken the guesswork out of deciding what to wear. In a 2012 Vanity Fair interview, Obama said “I’m trying to pare down decisions… I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing, because I have too many other decisions to make.” By batching and automating certain tasks, such as food prep and choosing outfits for the work week, you can save a significant amount of time and energy which can be invested into achieving your goals and dreams for the year. MAKING 2020 YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE YEAR YET What are some of the tools and strategies you’ll be implementing to make 2020 your most productive year yet? By: Lara Nercessian, Contributor Brainz Magazine Lara Nercessian is the brains behind Boss in Heels. What initially started as a passion project after receiving tonnes of queries and requests for advice, has turned into a personal branding blog. Lara is a psychology graduate and has spent the last 10+ years establishing her career as a Head of Human Resources. Through investing in her own personal development and dedicating years to self-learning, she aims to share her insights, experiences and lessons through her blog and speaking engagements. Her passion and purpose in life is to help people realize their full potential and become the best version they can possibly be.

By: Madeleine Mofjärd Are you doing more to avoid fear than to get pleasure? We all have fears. It isn't necessarily something negative unless we become a victim of them. The questions is: how would your life look like if you made more decisions based on your desired outcomes than on the emotions that you fear feeling? There are two primal fears that we feel as human beings. The fear of not being loved and the fear of not being good enough. These are both fears that can diminish our experience on this planet if we make decisions based on how to avoid them. I am here to inspire you to a new thought pattern and change your relationship to fear. ”If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, then what you want becomes the sacrifice” Step 1: Identify the thought that is creating the fear The fear that you feel in your body doesn't come from nowhere. Every feeling that you feel is a result of a thought that you've decided to think. 50% of all change is awareness, when you become aware of the thought that triggered the emotion you also have the power to insert a new thought. To give you an example from my own life: whenever I fear speaking my truth in front of a group of people I am triggered by the following thoughts: “I am too young” “I am not experienced enough to talk” By being aware of the limiting thoughts and questioning them I'm able to choose my new truth. I truly believe that they way we live our lives is a result of the story that we believe about ourselves - like the one and only Les Brown once said. This gives us the power to choose whatever story to believe. My new truth is: “My voice empowers others” “I am chosen to spread this message” What thought is creating the fear that you're feeling? Is it really true? Step 2: Interrupt the thought pattern with a compelling question The easiest way to change a thought pattern is to ask yourself a new set of questions. This will take your mind on a ride of trying to find an answer, so make sure to ask a compelling question. Here are the questions that I ask myself in moments of fear: “If fear didn't exist, would I want to see myself do this?” “What would it make me feel to overcome the fear?” Step 3: Take one step of action When you've identified and interrupted the thought pattern you're ready to take the first step of action. Make sure to carry the new thoughts with you, the new story of what you're capable of and why. Leave the old story behind - it doesn't serve you no more. You will be scared and you will feel fearful, just allow yourself to feel the emotions that flows thru you. What is one step of action that you could take to move forward, in the direction of your fear? Schedule it and get started! How would your life look like if you made more decisions based on desired outcomes than on the emotions that you fear feeling? Madeleine Mofjärd is a podcast host, producer and social media manager. Listen to The Mofjrdtalks Podcast or find out more HERE.

By: Serena Mon de Vienne Navigating the power dynamics in a workplace can be hard. If you want to be a valued leader and colleague at the same time, you need to focus on your style of communication. The most valued leaders are the ones who communicate so that the employee always feels respected, no matter how much power they possess. Many leaders tend to get stuck in constant listening and seek consensus–no matter the task or subject. Here they lose both speed for the group and trust from the group. The key to a happy workplace is maintaining a balanced dialogue in the group, and it demands that you as a leader communicate in a way that is perceived as equal. What I mean to say by that is, that all your colleagues need to be met on the same level. No matter what phase the group is in, or what situation might arise, the way of communicating should be constant. The equal dialogue happens when everyone is aloud to think and feel whatever it is they do–whenever they do. How does one do this? Well, the equal dialogue happens when everyone is aloud to think and feel whatever it is they do–whenever they do. An open minded atmosphere might be another way to put it. Where everyone’s feelings and thoughts are important, but you are not always allowed to act on them. As a leader you will sometimes have to try to handle people's behavior when it crosses a line. Just know that you should never question or downplay that person's feelings or thoughts. This sounds easy in theory, but can be very tricky in the daily dialogues. So here are some practical examples: 1. When giving directions, clarify who made the decision. If an employee says: ”I don't understand the plan, I feel like it’s a bit unclear", be careful not to say something like ”You’re wrong, it’s clear". In order to have a constructive dialogue, the best thing is to clarify who is behind this decision. You could say ”The management team has made this decision, what is it that you feel is unclear, maybe I can explain?”. 2. Make room for negotiations. If an employee says "I don’t want to do this project”, it would be bad for a manager to give an impatient answer like ”This project really isn't boring nor hard!”. Often, this type of response comes out because managers themselves become uncertain cause the employee is uncertain. However, if the manager can lean into the emotion and put words on it, the discomfort will decrease (up to 50 %) and it will be easier to handle the issue constructively. So to make a situation like this clear, you first have to know if it’s at all possible for the employee to say no to the project. If there is no other alternative, and it needs to be done this way, the manager needs to be firm but understanding. You could say ”I really see that you would prefer not to do this project. Unfortunately we will have to lead this project for the next six months and it isn't something we can change. Now, how can we make this project feel better for you?” 3. Accept any feeling, but don't accept any behavior. People have feelings, this isn’t something we need to change. Rather we need to learn to handle the result of those feelings. As a manager you can promote certain types of behavior and let employees know that other types of behavior is unacceptable. Example 1: An angry employee screams: "I don't understand how you can ..." Manager (wrong answer): "Don't get angry now." Manager (a better answer may be): "You get to be as angry as you want, but I don’t want you to scream at our office." Example 2: Employee: "I know I got a pay raise last month, but I’m not happy and I want to revisit the conversation again." Manager (wrong answer): "How can you even ask for that? What are you even thinking?" Manager (a better answer may be): "I hear you would like a raise again, but there will be no more salary discussions until next year.” The key is never shying away from a hard discussion. Don’t close the door on your colleagues when he or she is giving emotions or thoughts that are odd or provocated. Keep it open and instead repeat something they are saying, give your observation on their reactions or ask them a question that will go deeper in their emotion or thought. When they feel heard and respected by you they will also respect you as a leader. If you succeed in this you have set the foundation for a culture that encourages openness and responsibility, and you will be a popular leader. Good luck! About the author: Serena Mon de Vienne is Vice President and a Rhetoric consultant at ”Snacka Snyggt” She has a bachelor's degree in rhetoric from Södertörn University, as well as a degree from the Ballet Academy in Stockholm.

To remember and honor Kobe Bryant, we celebrate his life and legacy through his own inspiring words. You don't have to be a basketball fan to have been hit by the shocking and sad news about the tragic death of five-time world-champion Kobe Bryant. Kobe had a 20-season career with the Lakers, earned the title of Most Valuable Player in the NBA in 2008, became an 18-time NBA All-Star and a member of the All-NBA Team 15 times. But Kobe wasn't just a wealthy high-profile athlete, he was also an inspiring role model, leader and entrepreneur. To celebrate Kobe's legacy, we honor him by collecting 10 of his most inspiring quotes that will live on forever and help inspire people everywhere. DREAMS “Those times when you get up early and you work hard, those times when you stay up late and you work hard, those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream. That’s the dream. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. And if you guys can understand that, then what you’ll see happen is you won’t accomplish your dreams, your dreams won’t come true; something greater will.” — Kobe Bryant From his jersey retirement speech, 2017 SUCESS "When you make a choice and say, 'Come hell or high water, I am going to be this,' then you should not be surprised when you are that. It should not be something that is intoxicating or out of character because you have seen this moment for so long that ... when that moment comes, of course it is here because it has been here the whole time, because it has been [in your mind] the whole time." — Kobe Bryant HARD WORK "I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses." — Kobe Bryant TEAM WORK "The important thing is that your teammates have to know you're pulling for them and you really want them to be successful." — Kobe Bryant LEADERSHIP "The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great at whatever they want to do." — Kobe Bryant FAILURE "When we are saying this cannot be accomplished, this cannot be done, then we are short-changing ourselves. My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I have to sit there and face myself and tell myself, 'You are a failure,' I think that is almost worse than dying." — Kobe Bryant FEAR "The last time I was intimidated was when I was 6 years old in karate class. I was an orange belt and the instructor ordered me to fight a black belt who was a couple years older and a lot bigger. I was scared s--less. I mean, I was terrified and he kicked my ass. But then I realized he didn't kick my ass as bad as I thought he was going to and that there was nothing really to be afraid of. That was around the time I realized that intimidation didn't really exist if you're in the right frame of mind." — Kobe Bryant WINNING "I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot." — Kobe Bryant INFLUENCE "Use your success, wealth and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose." — Kobe Bryant LIFE "It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly." — Kobe Bryant Always remembered, never forgotten.

By: Sara Nyström Lennqvist Did you know that most people attend their business meetings blindfolded? Of course, not literally, but metaphorically speaking. We tend to focus on what is being said and miss many of the non-verbal signals that are constantly given to us and that are of great value. We all have some sort of gut feeling that tells us whether something is positive or negative. For some of us it is easier to read other peoples’ emotions than for others. If you belong to the latter group there is no need to worry as everybody can train this skill. Actually, most people need to practice in order to be able to distinguish the very brief facial expressions that we all have, called micro expressions. Micro expressions – a good way to recognize emotions Micro expressions are involuntary facial muscle movements that last for half a second or shorter and reveal hidden emotions. Research has been conducted for over 50 years and show that micro expressions are universal, meaning that we all have them no matter where we come from. They are also subconscious and innate. This means that small babies don’t learn this skill. They know already from birth how to show emotions (even when born blind or deaf). Micro expressions are distinct from facial expressions in general in that they are universal, spontaneous, tough to fake, and last for only a fraction of second. As a consequence, they represent a very good way to recognize human feelings and emotions. Emotions play an important role in negotiations Most of us see ourselves as rational decision makers. However, research shows that emotions play an important role in negotiations. To be able to negotiate well we need to be able to deal with those emotions and utilize them to our advantage. For example, people may become afraid during negotiations that they will be outwitted by the other party. They may become anxious about the consequences of the negotiations should they go against their goals. They may be hopeful that they will get what they want or surprised when they discover an aspect they were not aware of before the negotiations started. They may experience elation that they have prevailed through the negotiations, and equally, disappointed if they didn’t get what they had hoped for. When we are able to recognize those emotions, we will gain an advantage as we are able to base our negotiation on the real needs. Therefore, we also increase the chances of finding a common ground. As a matter of fact, if you can’t read what your counterpart is feeling and instead focus only on what he or she is saying, you’re highly unlikely to achieve everything you could have. An honest window into how your counterpart is feeling Experienced negotiators have learned how to mask their true feelings. They choose their words, tone, body language, and expressions carefully. To most observers, they often appear neutral. Or they are able to convincingly fake an emotion if they think it will help them advance their own interests. However, there is a way to read what your counterpart is feeling even if they are deliberately trying to hide it from you. The secret is to pay attention to the spontaneous and involuntary micro expressions, that rapidly flit across everyone’s faces at times of intense emotion. If you know what to look for, they can provide an instant, honest window into how your counterpart is feeling. Here are some examples of common micro expressions: It is quite easy to recognize the meaning behind the expression on a still photo. However, in a real-life situation, when the stakes are high and the micro expression lasts for as little as one 25th of a second, it’s an entirely different game. Effective negotiators are naturally good readers of micro expressions One might theorize that one of the key differences between exceptional negotiators or salespeople and those who are merely average is the ability to read these micro expressions and strategically steer them toward a preferred outcome. Studies conducted in various companies, in different countries, have shown precisely this. Those who score high on a non-verbal recognition test sell 20% more. In an international pharmaceutical company, the top three sales representatives scored on average 50% on the first Micro Expressions Test, while the lower-end sellers scored on average 5%. The persons who scored the best on the Micro Expressions Test also sold on average 25% more products compared to low scorers. In a top insurance company, it was found that the top-half of sales representatives had a 20% higher Micro Expressions Test score than the lower-half sellers. Furthermore, a study conducted at a BMW showroom in Rome, Italy, showed that high performers (who had sold more than 60 automobiles in the most recent quarter) scored almost twice as high on the test as low performers. From all these studies we can conclude that effective negotiators seem to be naturally good readers of micro expressions. "Emotional Intelligence is twice more important for success than technical and cognitive skills combined." – Daniel Goleman The ability to read other peoples’ emotions can be improved What if you don’t have this natural ability to read others? There is good news! Reading micro expressions isn’t an ability you either have or don’t have. Just like riding a bicycle or driving a car, you can learn it, practice, and get better at it over time. Actually, studies have shown that interactive training in reading micro expressions can increase your emotional intelligence (EQ) by an average of 10% in just four hours! The IQ you were born with remains the same throughout life, but your EQ can be increased. 3 Tips on How to Excel in Negotiations: Pay attention to the face of your counterpart. When you ask an important question in a negotiation, make sure to pay attention to your counterpart’s face for at least four seconds, instead of just listening to the words. This is often a moment of surprise which the client is not prepared for. Your client must first decipher the meaning of your question before giving a verbal answer to it. By then, he or she has, subconciously, already shown a first true emotional reaction with the facial muscles. Make your counterpart listen. During a negotiation it is easier to control our expressions when we are talking. So, don’t ask too many open questions. Instead, make your counterpart listen by describing what you want or share an anecdote about another negotiating partner who shared similar concerns and watch the response as he or she listens. The guard will lower a little and you’ll be able to see the honest reactions to what you’re saying. Make use of these reactions to plan the next phase of the conversation. Give your counterparts alternatives to choose from. As you present a list of choices to your counterparts, their micro expressions will reveal which they like and which they don’t, sometimes even before they’re consciously aware of their preferences. Watch closely to see what their faces tell you about each option and use this information as you proceed in the conversation. "I sincerely believe that humanity is in great need of upgrading its ability to communicate. We need to understand each other better. Our world needs more emotional intelligence." – Sara Nyström Lennqvist How might this work in practice? Imagine you’re a consultant who has proposed a certain fee for your services: “Based on your requirements, we can propose $100,000 as the consultancy fee for this project.” If you see your potential client show the micro expression of disgust, you can calibrate accordingly and lower your price without skipping a beat: “But because we anticipate a longer term collaboration and are excited about the direction your business is heading in, we can offer you 25% discount.” What if you instead recognized an expression of happiness or contempt after the initial offer? Maybe your counterpart expected a higher price, or doubts that you’re offering the premium level of service. You could quickly adjust your price in the opposite direction: “That’s the basic fee which covers X and Y. For your project I also recommend our entire suite of services including A, B and C, which means the total price would be closer to $150,000.” By reading other peoples’ body language and micro expressions we are simply able to respond to the feedback they don’t even realize they are giving. This way we stay in control of the dialogue and achieve better outcomes during our negotiations. Sara Nyström Lennqvist is the Executive Director of the world’s leading certification training organization in Body Language for business and also runs her own business within the same field. Sara is a certified Body Language Master Trainer and Micro Expressions Trainer, Certified Impact Coach and Licensed Mental Trainer. She has an extensive experience in communication from various sectors (tourism, diplomacy, government, leadership), has an abundant international life and working experience and speaks 8 languages. She regularly conducts Body Language trainings around the world and has also given a training at the UN.

Talent attraction and retention will continue to be some of the biggest work-place challenges in 2020, so selling a positive Employee Experience is essential for helping to solve these problems. Employer Branding is one of the newest and most promising ways for companies to promote themselves, their culture, and their values, to potential employees. With very little cost, a company can present its workplace, teams and activities, by simply using the growing power of social networking sites – bringing in a steady flow of new talent ‘fans’ who want to work at a company that matches their own personal values and goals. At WorkLife Arena, Employee Experience will be a major focus. Until then, here are 5 useful tips, so you can get started with Employer Branding in your company – big or small. 1 – Low Cost Action Companies do not always need to build a dedicated website in order to communicate what amazing employers they are. This makes Employer Branding, through social media, a great and affordable communication strategy for companies that need to attract talent, grow fast, and keep their teams onboard, at a low cost. You can see some amazing examples of companies, such as Starbucks Jobs on Instagram, showing their teams at work – and play, which gives a great insight into the culture and values of the organisation. 2 – Plan Ahead Creating a plan before you start your Employer Branding communication is essential. Decide on what message you want to present – and who do you want to see it. Think WHAT, HOW, WHERE and WHEN. You must also think about who will manage the social media pages, what kind of posts are best for getting your message across, and the amount of time that needs to be invested in the tasks, so that you reach your goals. As with any marketing campaign, you should also set a timeline, track results v goals – tweaking, and improving, the messaging, as you go. 3 – Research Trends When looking into building a Facebook or LinkedIn page for your company, research how similar companies to yours, are using their pages on social networks. Find out what videos they’ve created, promotions they’re running, and what other kinds of content they’re using. Make sure that your page is unique though, don’t just copy them! 4 – Be Relevant Consider sharing other people’s content, related to your industry. Being a resource for the curation of the latest industry news, shows that you are in touch with current trends and have an opinion on the things that matter in your sector – be known as a “Thought Leader”. 5 – Tell your story You must communicate on a regular basis, WHY people work for your company. Share genuine stories from your teams; let them show how they work day-to-day, what motivates them, and what common goal they are working towards. It’s clear that a positive Employee Experience can actually start from the moment someone discovers your company and starts to follow you on social media. Their opinion of your company becomes more intense once they apply for a job, become employed, and then lasts right up until the moment they leave the company, on their final day. Or does it really just stop there? Some people even become alumni and ambassadors for their former employers – so perhaps the Employee Experience never really ends! Listen to experts such as the Rock Star Professor, Micael Dahlén from Stockholm School of Economics talk about improving Employee Experience on April 24th. You can find more information and sign up for tickets here: WorkLife Arena event page!

By: Kristina Närman Self-leadership, a necessity to stay relevant in today’s and tomorrow’s fast and ever-changing professional life. But self-leadership 1.0 is no longer enough, it’s time to upgrade to self-leadership 2.0. Self-leadership is something that more and more organizations talk about and start implementing. And no surprise, as self-leadership is a key to keeping up with today’s and tomorrow’s fast and ever-changing professional life. Studies at Harvard University has found that the most important reasons to increase self-leadership is faster decision-making and to unleash the employees’ full potential. Fast decision-making is crucial to stay relevant in a changing market; the person who sees the need has to be able to implement the solution. If not, the organization will be too slow. Unleashing the employees’ full potential is closely connected to engagement. And we’re facing sort of an engagement crisis, with less than 20% engaged employees according to Gallup. Self-leadership is one way to increase engagement as it includes important aspects of human motivation. Autonomy, Belonging and Competence is the ABC of highly motivated and engaged employees according to one of the most well-recognized theories on human motivation, the Self-determination Theory. Autonomy means you do something because you want to, not because you have to, and is the basis of self-leadership. Belonging, or relatedness, means to feel that you’re being cared for, respected and connected to people around you. In my opinion this occurs when you’re true to your values and work with people with similar values, one key ingredient in successful self-leadership. Competence is about your talents and contribution being recognized and appreciated by the organization. Developing self-leadership includes gaining awareness of your unique strengths and how you want to use them, which strengthens the sense of competence. I would argue self-leadership as a win-win-win for individuals, organizations and society. Why? Increased self-leadership can make us happier, healthier and help us unleash our full potential. A win for us as individuals (no further explanation needed). A win for our organizations both in terms of increased relevance, benefit and profit but also declining sick-listing frequency etc., and for the same reason also a win for society. Self-leadership So, what is self-leadership? Well, there seems to be as many answers to that as there are people and organizations working with self-leadership out there. For some, self-leadership means planning your own work and no more. For some, self-leadership also includes goal-setting, making budgets, deciding whom to recruit (or fire) etc. Consequently, self-leadership has no firm and common definition but each person and organization need to identify their common understanding of the term. "It’s about self-awareness – to understand what’s important to you and what you want to achieve in life". Developing self-leadership is in my opinion no different from developing leadership. Might be even clearer in the case of self-leadership that leadership starts with yourself. It’s about self-awareness – to understand what’s important to you and what you want to achieve in life. It’s about knowing your unique strengths and talents and what you need to develop these. It’s about growing our self-belief, realizing we can do so much more than we think, so that we dare to use our creativity and full potential. But with the speed of change and the complex challenges we’re facing today, self-leadership 1.0 is no longer enough. It’s time to upgrade to self-leadership 2.0! Self-leadership 2.0 If self-leadership 1.0 means taking responsibility for your own growth, self-leadership 2.0 means taking responsibility also for our common growth. For developing the organization, the business, how we work, what we do, where we’re heading… This is important because we need all our brains and our collective power to find solutions to the complex challenges we’re facing. Everyone’s talents and skills have to be utilized in the very best way. We then need self-leaders 2.0 that are aware of their unique strengths but also have the ability to see how they complement each-other and contribute to the organization’s evolvement in the very best way. Another aspect is idea generation. Research has found that the relation between the total number of ideas and the number of good ideas is constant. Thus, to get a good idea the best we can do is to generate many ideas. Ideas also tend to get better when we add different perspectives, competences, experiences, backgrounds etc. In an organization with self-leaders 2.0 everyone is involved in idea generation and innovation. Because making sure the organization stays relevant is everyone’s responsibility. The recipe: Time, love and action How can we level up the self-leadership to 2.0? I’ve found three key ingredients, just as relevant for you as an individual as for a whole team or organization: Time, Love and Action. Time We have to prioritize developing and growing our self-leadership, and I’m sorry to say it’s no quick fix. Rather a never-ending story… We have to continuously clear spots in our calendars when we give ourselves the opportunity to gain self-awareness, grow our self-knowledge and expand our self-belief. We also have to remember nothing is constant so our self-leadership will change over time. Love Development and growth per se mean entering the unknown. Unfortunately, our brains are hardwired to equal the unknown and danger. Great back then at the savanna, not so helpful in today’s professional life… Furthermore, we’re often trained to be super critical. Critical thinking is great, but sometimes we would benefit from pausing it for a while. For example, when trying out new things and generating ideas. New ideas need love and warmth to grow. So instead of immediately focusing on the problems (what will not work, what we haven’t figured out yet) my recommendation is to start with actively seeking for the good; What’s great with this idea, why is this good, how can we build on that? And remember, this goes for your own ideas as well as your colleagues’. An attitude of love creates a culture that allows experimenting and not least important, failure. Which brings us to the third key – action. Action If you should remember one thing from reading this article it’s this: Action Changes Things. We can have the most brilliant ideas and make the smartest strategies but you know what? Nothing will happen before we act. As Walt Disney said: “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing”. But again, our brains can cause some problems. It turns out our brains are really good at overrating risks. And acting mean taking a certain amount of risk. Again, I recommend to add some love to the equation. Instead of spending loads of time creating the worst-case scenario, use some time to create the best-case scenario. Help your brain get the risk analysis right. It’s also very easy to become a bit overambitious when it comes to action and try to do everything at once. But the hardest thing is to start. So, by making the start as easy as possible by identifying one tiny little action you could easily take, you’re giving yourself great conditions for continuous success. Time to level up! After all, leveling up the self-leadership comes down to this: courage. Courage to believe in ourselves, our ideas and our vision for the future. Courage to unleash our creativity and good craziness. Courage to let go of control and the illusion of safety that hierarchy brings. And last but not least, courage to act. It’s not easy but if we get it right, we’ll have a future proof, sustainable organization with happy, engaged employees that together make sure the organization evolves. Kristina Närman, self-leadership and change consultant, runs a company that helps organizations grow and develop self-leadership, including innovation and “interpreneurship”.

By: Pontus F. Christoffersen Pretty much anyone you ask could share a couple of pointers regarding presentation techniques. Thing is, most of the advice you’d get are not only things you probably already knew but are more often than not also fundamentally incorrect. So, to kill some of the myths and correct some common misconceptions, here are three prevalent mistakes we tend to do before or during a presentation - and what you should do instead to get better results. Misconception No1. You need to prepare and memorize your body language. This is amongst the dumbest advice out there. You never prepare or rehearse any gestures before a regular conversation yet they come to you naturally, but for some reason we’ve started to think that we need to do so before a presentation. Weird. Result - you will appear 50% insecure and 50% fake. "Anxiousness is your body’s response to not knowing how to deal with a specific situation." Instead, what I want you to do is spend some time managing your nervousness. That's the main reason your body language freezes during presentations. We easily get uncomfortable and think more about how we are perceived than what we want to say. Here is something most people don’t know about nervousness, it’s actually quite easy to overcome. Anxiousness is your body’s response to not knowing how to deal with a specific situation. It’s not standing in front of a crowd per se that gets you uncomfortable, it’s the nightmare scenario you picture in you mind: ”What if I forget what to say and look like a fool?” The best way to overcome your nervousness is to answer three simple questions that’ll solve the following problem: if anything happens - what do I do then? Ask yourself this: What could go wrong during the presentation? How can I prepare to make sure that doesn’t happen? If it does happen anyway, what do I say or do in order to deal with the situation? When you know what to do when something goes wrong you’ll kill your own insecurity - and with no insecurity, nervousness cannot exist. Misconception No 2. You have to use all the time you’ve been assigned. You've got 10 minutes to present, so you absolutely need to give a 10 minute presentation, right? Wrong. You only need to say what you need to say to get your message across. If you can do it in 6 minutes instead of 10, then do it. I promise you the audience will thank your it. Misconception No 3. Your goal is to appear as professional as possible when talking to your managers or clients. It doesn't matter who the person is or what position they hold, we tend to much rather listen to someone who is being themself and who’ll use simple words or explanations, than a professional robot who does everything in their power to appear professional. Presenting a topic as yourself is powerful not only because of the relatability but because you’ll believe in what you’re saying - giving your presentation a more grounded feel. Pontus F. Christoffersen is a rhetoric consultant, lecturer and communication trainer at the bureau Snacka Snyggt. Find out more at www.snackasnyggt.se

Carolin Solskär is a former sailor who after nine years at sea - and crossing the Atlantic nine times - changed direction by entering the world of technology. In 2017 Carolin initiated and co-organised me too Sweden - a demonstration against sexual violence and harassment - as a response to the global me too movement. The rally was organised in 14 different cities with thousands of people attending and millions watching live on TV. Today, Carolin is a sought after lecturer and podcaster who talks about equality, sustainability, empowerment, the power of dreaming big and how to permanently position yourself outside your comfort zone. Due to her engagement and proactivity in encouraging more women to work in the tech industry - and her overall fight for an equal society - Carolin was awarded the title "IT Woman of the Year 2019". In addition to this she has been named "Super Communicator of the Year 2018", "The Great Communication Honor Award 2018", "Challenger of the Year 2017" and finalist for "Future Leader of the Year 2017". Carolin has a double major in Computer Science and Business, and during her studies she founded a nationwide organisation for entrepreneurship at all universities in Sweden - Unipreneurs Network - as well as initiated Sweden’s biggest entrepreneur hackathon for students, Create Squared.  We caught up with Carolin for an interview. Tell us a little bit about you goals, what would you like to accomplish? My goal is to save the world. That might sound silly, but that's what I'm aiming for. I don't know how yet, but everything I do is a step in that direction. "Saving the world" is a big mission, and looking at the world and our society, there is a lot of things that needs to be saved. Environmental issues, poverty, animal cruelty, inequality and the list goes on. I want to be part in solving at least one of these issues. I know that won't happen today or next week, but by always having that mission in the back of my head, I know that all my decisions will lead me in that direction. If you wouldn’t have chosen this job and business, what do you think you would work with? I've always wanted to become an actress or an author. I like to think, and hope, that if I hadn't been working in the tech industry, I would have followed one or both of those passions. What would say are the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in your journey? I'm suffering from depression and that is something I've been struggling with all my life. Sometimes I'm the happiest woman alive, and then there are episodes of my life where I can't see the meaning with anything. When I have that "down time" I find it very hard to motivate myself to keep doing everything that I'm doing, and most of my energy goes to coping with myself and my feelings. I think this is why it is so important for me to work with something with a true purpose, and that's why my goal is to save the world. Because I know that even when I'm depressed and not feeling great, my motivation for making the world a better place will never disappear. What are the top three factors you would attribute to your success? Firstly, surprisingly maybe, my depression. Because of it, I always seek happiness. Whatever I do in life is a result of me trying to find something that makes me happy. I see so many people trying to be successful by all the wrong reasons, some of them succeed, some of them fail. But in the end, they're not happy. Not all the money or acknowledgment in the world can buy you happiness. Due to that, I feel that I can't fail, because as long as I do things that makes me happy, I'm doing the right thing. Secondly, as a result of being driven by happiness, I've always been quite daring. I've done a lot of stuff that has had a high risk of failing (and many have). You can't win big if you not take high risks. I think that if you're to focused on your career and "making the right strategic choice", you'll most likely be less risk averse. If you want to be successful, you have to find a way to stand out from the crowd, and that means doing things that no one else has done before. Thirdly, I've never been afraid of getting my hands dirty. I got my first job when I was 12 years old, and have been working hard ever since. Working as a sailor for 9 years taught me a lot about that. When you're on a boat you have to do your job no matter what the circumstances. Even if the weather is horrible and your caught in a storm for weeks, or if you're having a bad day or feeling sick, there is no one else there to do your work for you. When I want something done, or see something I want to change, I'm not waiting around for someone else to fix it, I take matters into my own hands and make stuff happen. What do you do to get ”in the zone” if you feel out of focus? I take a break and go for a walk, on a run or goes to the gym. To be outside getting some fresh air and some sunlight is the best way for me to find my focus again. What is your best memory? When I was 22 I lived in a Maya village in the jungle of Belize. There I met a woman named Fredrika. She was 27 at the time and a mother of 3. She invited me to her home and asked me all types of questions about my life. "How does it feel to ride a train?" "How does it feel like flying an airplane?". She told me of her dream of building a second floor on the hut she was living in, which felt like such an innovative thought to have while sitting there in the middle of the jungle. She took out a big piece of paper on which she had painted her business plan, which she told me about. In the village where she lives, the Indians made a living by the cacao field they owned. Fredrika had realised that the cacao beans they sold, was then made into chocolate. So she thought; why not make the chocolate myself? She had started making her own chocolate bars and told me that she had a friend living 2 hours away that had a computer and internet. She was gonna make a website and distribute her chocolate all over the world. Is there something you would like to get better at? Taking time to celebrate and enjoy the present. I always run very fast, and sometimes I find myself not even taking the time to enjoy everything great that is happening around me, because I'm so focused on what will be happening next. But I'm working hard on being better at that. I actually resigned from my work this week - as Head of Innovation at Nordic Tech House - and will now take some time to just figure out my next steps and focus on my well-being. As mentioned, my main focus is to be happy, and I feel that I need some time for reflection and to understand what makes me happy right now. Humans are not permanent, we're always changing and developing. What made me happy a year ago is necessarily the same as what makes me happy now. Do you have any fears? I'm afraid of being involuntary alone. I'm a true individualist and enjoy my own company as much as I enjoy being with a small group of friends or in a big crowd of people. I have no problem spending a Friday night by myself just reading a book, but that is something I chose. Everytime I hear a story of an old person who died in their home and they didn't find the body until the smell went into the neighbor's apartment, I get so sad. I feel sad for that human and I feel very scared that I will end up like that. That no one will love me or miss me. How are you as a leader? I believe a lot in ownership and taking responsibility. I'm not the type of leader who tells you what to do. I tell you what I need from you, and the rest is up to you to figure out. Whenever we start up a new project at work, we start of with a meeting where I ask everyone with the specific domain expertise how much time they need to solve their specific task and what they need from me and the rest of the team in order to make that happen. By doing so, I give everyone the freedom to work in the way they as the expert finds most effective, but I also put the responsibility on them to keep their word. Everyone own their part of the process. I'm of course always there supporting and helping out when anyone need me. I always make sure to hire the brightest and most talented people I can find, and see myself as the person who just need to make sure we're all moving in the same direction. 10 Quick with Carolin: Work alone or with a partner?  - With a partner Movies or Series? - Series Sour or salty?  - Salty Pizza or hamburger?  - Pizza Morning or evening?  - Morning MacBook or PC? - MacBook Cat or dog? - Dog Beach life or City life? - City life Apartment or House?  - Apartment Winter or Summer? - Summer