Part 1

The first part of the summer holiday is about to start. Yoga retreat/birthday party/socialising for three days. Sounds like a winning combo. But first four or five hours in the car through summer Sweden. Time for radio and reflexion.

Is the sun supply running out?

The fast train is not so fast. Seven hours on a train in one day will never feel fast. The rest of the day spent in meetings. All this while the rest of the Swedish population seems to be enjoying the summer outdoors one way or another.

The weather hypochondria... Will the hot, sunny weather last until I start my summer hols or is this it?

The pleasure of a good airport

When there is a seafood bar there is a high scoring airport. Travelling in style as one should do.

Summer in the city

Somebody once showed me Stockholm by summer. Ever since, the city has a different meaning to me. No longer a need to escape as soon as spring turns to summer. A city to love in all seasons.

Wellies now, wedding dress soon

Four days to go until the wedding dress of the year (one of them) is revealed. Until then, Kate Moss seems to be preparing herself for the big day by walking around Glastonbury in wellies, denied entry to the backstage.

It comes with the name

Everybody wants to be unique. So when you see the list of "most popular names", you are happy to see that your name, or the name you picked for your baby, is not on the list. Right now on the list of "most popular names in the world" we can find Emma, Marie, Sarah, Emily and Anna for baby girls and Joshua, Benjamin, Michael, William, Samuel and Thomas for baby boys.

Taking names to the next level, you don't want to be named Elvis if you live in Sweden. Apparently the probability for insolvency is the highest in the country for Elvis. Erik on the other hand, he seems to be on track when it comes to paying his bills on time.

The worst that can happen

"What's the worst thing that can happen?"
A frequently asked question to put things in perspective. In the weekly newsletter from the big gym, alias my employer, one can read that the worst thing that can possibly happen is a cancelled class. A class where the group instructor doesn't turn up and there is no stand-in or other solution. Apparently it happend once in the last semester.

Compared to the answer one may get from a chef (cooking causing food poisoning?), a taxi driver (bad driving causing serious delays leading to missed plane?) or a doctor (wrong treatment leading to deteriorating condition?), the impact of a cancelled class seems petit. But I'm sure the instructor in question feels like a real failure considering how many times the mistake has been communicated to the whole group of instructors as the worst thing that can ever happen... Building company culture by promoting the good examples and name and shame the bad ones.

Midsummer gone

Yet another Midsummer to add to history. The most frequently used app in Swedish homes this weekend must have been yr.no, to have full control over the weather forecast. Even when the sun was out, we felt obliged to check that yr.no was following the positive trend with no misunderstandings.

The small biscuits and cinnamon buns consumption peaked on Friday as did the sugar levels. The lawn was occupied by various lawn games that seem to be forgotten during the rest of the year. Quiz game where general knowledge is put to test. Dancing in the name of tradition where looking like a frog is a most natural part of the moves.

Yes, a very traditional Swedish Midsummer.

Blurred by rain

The rain is pooring down and constitutes the discussion topic of today. And yesterday and tomorrow. What will the weather be like on Midsummer Eve? What will the weather be like for the summery holidays? I was probably not the only one who booked a flight to a warmer country this morning. Enough is enough.

Working hard

Sandhamn next

Weather: so so

Spirit: not sure
Where would I rather be: at home
What happened with "choose your attitude"? Seems like I have made a bad choice.

The big rush

Why is it that everything needs to happen before Midsummer? Summer lunch, closing dinner, kick-off meeting, closing meeting. The weeks running up to Midsummer also spill over on the week after Midsummer to then turn into in a complete standstill. From the second week of July and onwards the sea is calm. Nobody wants to be disturbed by anything other than "their own stuff" that they know they have to baby-sit over the summer. Everything else can wait for a month. Interesting behaviour. Very different from the UK; whether it's good or bad is another matter. Right now I'm not sure.

Things to do when the rain is pooring down

Nail therapy is almost as therapeutical as shopping therapy. And now cake therapy at Lovely L's.

Precious moment

Latte, chocolate and gossip while my trusted hairdresser does magic to get my natural colour back.

Social peak

Theme tonight: Studio 54. Theme tomorrow night: Aloha Praha. Theme Sunday afternoon: cake and baloons. But first a relaxing afternoon at the hairdresser's.

Permission to pause

The overriding theme of the two reunions we facilitated over the last two days. Being allowed to pause. Being paid to pause. It's only from reflection that we can learn. From successes as well as failures. And yet we hardly ever stop to do just that.

Reunion with the participants from 2009

Out of all models and content from the leadership programme you attended two years ago, what would you like to bring up and how have you applied it?

This was one participant's choice. Some small words with huge impact.

Business meeting

Believe it or not, but we actually worked quite hard! There is an unhelpful assumption that productivity and efficiency increase when in a conference room in the office. Wrong so wrong. Nice atmosphere, delicious meal and space for big thoughts accompanied by the sound of breaking waves do more for the end result than any traditional conference room ever will do.

What's the word?

A typical housewife day filled with clearing out wardrobes, ironing, baking cinnamon buns and jam buscuits and cooking spaghetti bolognese. What's the word for this when housewife doesn't really apply due to lack of husband and the fact that home is a flat and not a house? Flatlady... Apartmentmiss... Homedonna... Or may be Housewife Trainee

Having a bad hair day or may be just a little bit cold

.

Feel free to make any phone call you like

Everytime anyone needs to make a phone call, send a text message or check an email, we stop for a break. Those were the rules during a full day of training with a group of senior managers. The result was a shorter day with less content, but definitely filled with more engagement and presence than it otherwise would have been. And the group really appreciated it. Giving the accountability to each other and the responsibility for the use of time to the group proved most efficient.

Confused role

I wonder if something is wrong when I negotiate the salary for a new CFO with my ex boss, alias client and business partner. Surely that should be her job to do. Reminder to self: Remember who pays for your bills.

Snack time

When healthy and tasty go hand in hand.

According to Seinfeld...

Men want the same things from their wives and girlfriends as they want from their underwear: a little support and a little freedom. Simple as that.

Lack of general knowledge unveiled

I must be the only one in the crowd with absolutely no expectations. Only because I don't know what to expect. My general knowledge seems to exclude Seinfeld. I figure I'm in for a great evening out. If it's thanks to Seinfeld or my brother and sister remains to be seen.

Pretty place for hanging out

Adorable garden.

The winner takes it all

Sweetest M gave us a real match and won everything that could be won. Beautiful play and beautiful Skånish scenery.

Scenery has changed

Ugly or fascinating?

Guess my location

Waiting for Adorable and Sweetest M to fly in from the royal capital. No, not a very flashy airport but now we are after the "Skånish" countryside rather than glitter and glamour, so it's quite alright.