MONDAY

DENTIST APPOINTMENTS, gym bags and who was it who needed extra clothes? Note to self: I should have studied logistics. Phew, everybody’s were they should be and I arrive at the office. The week begins with a process mapping together with Stena Renewable. We meet CEO Peter Zachrisson, Anders Ryhlin and Dan Sandros at Renewable’s office in Gothenburg. Also at the meeting is Anna Dybeck from Stena Fastigheter, who is there to learn more about how we do process mapping. The exchange of experience between the companies is good; we could do more of it.

A process mapping is an efficient way of creating a common picture of how a business activity is functioning. From start to finish, we map the activities that together create value for our customers, a “current situation”. By the end of the day, the walls are covered with brightly coloured pieces of paper that describe tasks and results of different processes.

When the picture on the wall emerges, it’s easier to find bottlenecks and unnecessary activities. The next step is usually to work out a “new situation”, i.e. a more efficient way of working. After the meeting, we take down the plastic film and all the pieces of paper and later during the week, Erik Möller will document the processes electronically.

TUESDAY

TIME TO TAKE THE TEMPERATURE of Stena Line Onboard Services, SLOBS. How are their IT solutions working, what do they want to invest in in the future? What are the biggest challenges and how can we develop their business activities? These are some of the questions we discuss at an IT Council meeting, which we have with every company at least once a year. We also look at how the operation of the existing systems is functioning. What type of business matters is involved when contacting Stena Service Center and can we do anything to improve things? Sometimes it’s training/education that’s needed. The subject of today’s meeting with Stena Line Onboard Services and Per-Ola Jönnerheim is their old onboard system, which we will need to replace during the year since support for the checkouts has expired. They also have many old and complicated solutions that we can make more efficient.  Process mappings are decided on and the plan for replacing the old systems begins to take shape. It’s a long way to an optimum solution, many challenges to tackle, but there is a positive atmosphere around the table. With the right ability and attitude, anything is possible! Always fun meeting these people. Widely differing activities, business models and digital trends and then on to something completely different, but just as important. Fetching the children from school and preschool, food for the little ones and then off at full speed to the football pitch, daughter chasing a ball and I’m chasing a 2-year old – we’re both getting exercise.

WEDNESDAY

“THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF”, what an attractive picture! I heard this at a lecture a year or so ago and to me, that’s just what personnel responsibility is all about. How can we as leaders develop our employees into being the very best version of themselves at work? The annual performance appraisal is a tool in this aspiration. The discussion moves from motivation, challenges and ambitions to goals for the next year. For me, feedback is an important part of personal development, which is why I collect feedback for my colleagues on the team from people they have worked with during the past year, from both colleagues at Stena IT and other companies. The model is a strength-based model where I ask questions about what the person is good at today and what he or she can develop or start doing to be even more successful in his or her role and even closer to that best version. It’s spring and the sun is shining so after work there’ll be a bit of gardening. The garden has begun to wake up after the winter, weeds have begun to appear and my fingers are itching. Is it too early to prune the roses? The same question every spring.

SATURDAY

PRUNING THE ROSES in the garden, taking a chance; either they die right away or I’ll have the best in the neighborhood. Never say die, that’ s my motto!