‘We want to provide our leaders with tools and preconditions to feel comfortable in their role. In a growing company, leadership and culture is an ongoing work that evolves with the organisation’, says Charlotte Lundgren. ‘One very important goal, or maybe from my perspective the only goal for a manager, is to develop their team. Managers have a big impact on the culture, and being aware of that and having selfawareness in general is crucial to develop the culture and the teamwork we see as sustainable’.
It is vital to implement TePe’s cultural intelligence, view of leadership and teamwork across borders. Thus, the HR function in Malmö works closely with the subsidiaries in Europe, the USA and Australia. ‘It’s important to be humble and understanding of cultural differences, but we also need to go beyond that and build on the fact that we are all people with the same basic needs. That's when leadership becomes truly powerful across cultures’, Charlotte explains.
Good leadership involves both heart and mind. Charlotte and her colleagues in HR emphasise both skills development and discussing the company values – respect, dedication, responsibility and cost-efficiency – as key factors. ‘Meeting the eye and saying hi to our colleagues is an easy way to show respect, and dedication is not silent, it shines through in discussions and through voicing opinions. Respect is also about being broadminded to each other’s differences in personality, knowledge and experiences. Guided by good people and good leadership, we will succeed in collaborating and exchanging knowledge company-wide. That’s long-term sustainability to me’, Charlotte concludes.
