Under 35 Changemaker - Leadership Award

I recently received the Under 35 Changemaker Award 2025 in the Leadership category from PMI Sweden.

According to the award statement, I am being awarded for my outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication, and ability to inspire both individuals and teams, driving excellence through clear communication, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to professional growth and collaboration.

It’s funny—I’ve spent years reading books about leadership. I’ve followed authors who share brilliant insights about how to lead teams, organizations, and even yourself. But the more I learn, the simpler my own view becomes.

Inspiring leadership isn’t complicated, it’s deeply human.

Simon Sinek famously wrote about leaders who “start with why.” For him, leadership is about clarity of purpose—helping people see meaning in their work. Brené Brown talks about courage and vulnerability, arguing that the best leaders are those brave enough to show their real selves. Even older classics, like Dale Carnegie’s timeless “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” remind us of the power of genuinely listening, caring, and connecting with others.

Yet, after all this reading and reflection, my own experience has shown me something even simpler. Inspiring leaders are just people who truly care.

Think about the best boss or mentor you’ve ever had. It’s unlikely you remember every detail of their strategy presentations or perfect emails. But I bet you remember how they made you feel.

How they encouraged you when things got tough, how they listened when you needed support, and how they believed in your potential even before you did.

For me, that’s exactly what leadership boils down to. Showing up. Being consistent. Caring deeply.

I remember when I first started leading teams. I was excited but also a bit overwhelmed. I thought leadership was about having all the answers. Pretty quickly, I learned the hard way—that approach doesn’t really work. One day, after a particularly challenging meeting, one of my team members approached me and asked how I was feeling. Honestly, at that moment, I felt lost. Instead of hiding it, I admitted I was unsure about what to do next. To my surprise, this simple moment of honesty brought us closer together. It taught me an important lesson: people don’t expect perfection; they respect authenticity.

I stopped trying to always have perfect answers and started focusing more on creating an environment where everyone could openly share ideas, frustrations, and solutions. Leadership shifted from giving orders to asking good questions, listening deeply, and building trust.

But there’s another piece to this puzzle that we often overlook: consistency.

Here’s the thing—consistency isn’t flashy. It rarely earns applause in the short term. But I’ve come to believe it’s one of the most powerful factors behind real leadership success.

James Clear, in his book “Atomic Habits,” says something I truly resonate with: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”

Under 35 Changemaker Award 2025 Leadership Category

Leadership, in many ways, follows that same idea. Big achievements aren’t born out of one-time heroic acts.

Instead, they’re built through small, consistent efforts made day after day.

Consistency means being reliable. It means your team knows exactly what to expect from you—your values, your priorities, and your behaviors.

When you’re consistent, you build trust, and trust is the glue that holds great teams together.

I think back to moments when I felt stuck, tired, or unsure of what direction to take next. In those moments, staying consistent wasn’t easy.

Sometimes it meant pushing myself just a little further, even when no one was watching.

Other times, consistency simply meant showing up for the small things—keeping my promises, following through on actions, and being someone people could count on.

Receiving this award from PMI Sweden feels deeply meaningful precisely because of those quiet, consistent moments. It’s a reminder that consistency pays off—not immediately, but steadily, and often in surprising ways.

And being among so many incredible finalists—professionals genuinely changing society through their consistent efforts—makes this moment even more special. It’s humbling to stand alongside others who are equally committed to making a difference through leadership.

So, if you’re still reading this, let me share one personal reflection with you: Leadership isn’t about having a fancy title or making grand gestures.

It’s about inspiring others by consistently showing them that you care, that you’re listening, and that you’re committed to growing together.

Be authentic, be consistent, and care deeply.

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