Björn Sjögerås is the Legal Finance Director Nordic at Capgemini. A company with 340,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Prior to this, he was the Executive Finance Manager of the IT division at Tieto with 18,000 employees in 18 countries and sales spanning all five continents. He has over 25 years of experience in Finance & Accounting with a focus on growth strategies, sustainability, consultant management, business operations and transformation.

What is the most unexpected thing you have experienced in your career to date?

Not sure that it falls under the category of most unexpected but moving from a small town and a very Nordic company to a purely global organisation was different. I was surprised to see how different cultures communicate and act. We are still formed by our legacy and culture and therefore it is important to understand how this affects behaviour.

I was surprised by the straightforwardness of some cultures, expressing their career goals with “I want to be the new CFO” compared to the number of people who aren’t direct in communicating what they think or what they want. In some cultures, it’s more common to talk about your expectations and desires quite directly. Swedes and Finns express that subtly and sometimes settle for being content.

Not expressing your ambitions can hinder your career if managers believe you are not interested in opportunities. That’s a pity. It’s important to be open and I would like the global community to have a deeper understanding of how different cultures approach dialogue.

Was there a specific time that you realised this lesson?

During one-to-ones with global groups, I became aware of the differences in communication and teamwork. For example, when working with someone from Northern Finland, after you’ve asked a question, it’s important to just stop, listen and refrain from asking more questions while they’re answering, otherwise it could create problems in the discussion and the speaker will most likely stop talking.

In the UK, people are happy for you to throw in more questions as you go, and I found in India it differs again in the way colleagues communicate. Overall, learning about cultures and getting to know your team individually is important.

What contribution has that ability to express yourself made to your success?

It has made a difference as having an open dialogue builds trust. An important part of my role is to grow employees, so it has definitely contributed there. As a leader today, you can't fully separate personal life from business, unlike in earlier times.

Now, it is more likely that you share information, not only general personal information on family status but also mental health issues, sexual orientation etc. To a large extent, I think this is a very positive development. I have had experiences where a team member had a partner experiencing mental illness. I noticed that something was not quite right , so I took her aside to talk. She was very relieved that she didn’t have to keep it to herself, allowing me to better reassess the situation and find solutions. As a large company, we can offer very good support to our employees if there is an open dialogue.

How do you foster a positive work environment during challenging times?

I am currently working on the ‘boxed-in’ processes, legal activities, consolidations, and reporting as well as one-time items such as M&A integrations, entity valuation, tax audits etc. So, to me, the first thing is to be clear on what’s important, the deliverables and deadlines for routine tasks. When that’s clear to everyone the organisation can be much more focused and happier.

The ambition is to reduce stress within the team and management by taking ownership and securing delivery on time. We plan all the deliveries for the coming year and communicate this to the team for each finance manager to incorporate this into his/her work schedule and team. Certain extra important or complicated processes are followed weekly, and progress is displayed in all-hands finance meetings to ensure that we do not have any loose ends. We harmonize tools, processes, and templates down to details and expect that you follow the instructions. Now, how does this make me happy, you might ask. Well, I think it releases so much potential for developing yourself or your team/processes, creating a positive upward spiral.

When a team member isn’t delivering, I try to be open and direct about that in a 1:1 setting. In one such case, in a Nordics market, the person responsible for statutory reporting wasn’t performing well. Initially, they were, of course, disappointed to receive negative feedback but, eventually, agreed the role was a poor fit and moved to a different one where they’re much happier. Communication needs to be open and transparent in both positive and negative situations.

This also helps your team with long-term planning. They should have visibility of what they will be doing and the ability to plan time with their families or vacations - sometimes they are happy to work on the weekends if necessary and take Monday off instead.

Do you have a strategy for finding balance and reducing stress while maintaining productivity?

The main thing is the long-term planning. When something doesn’t work, you need an organisation to take care of the problem and make sure it doesn’t reappear. Then a plan to clearly communicate that structure and solve problems. Automate as much as possible.

My approach to reducing stress in the workplace involves reducing manual work as much as possible, as that’s where you find errors and risks of fraudulent behaviour.

Thinking back to the best manager you’ve worked for, what would you say you appreciated or enjoyed about their management style?

That for me was the former CEO of Capgemini Nordic. He was social, fun, and generally a nice person. It’s important to have someone who allows you to deliver and put the right amount of pressure on you simultaneously. When you feel needed and feel valued, you tend to give more. We had fun and complemented each other.

Do you have any advice on how people could build a better relationship with their manager?

Much of it has to be driven by your own approach. Be open about what you want and help them understand what you’re looking for. In cases where things don’t work out or you feel left out, it’s essential to address that in a 1:1 with the manager. Secondly, it is important to understand your manager’s priorities and his/her expectations of you.

The current group CEO of our company was previously our group CFO. He had high weight and brought huge experience to the table, so everyone was a little bit nervous to engage him. Our Paris office has a big round table. When he sat in the middle, the chairs on either side of him remained empty in the beginning – almost like school kids with a new headmaster!

But he was very clear on what needed to be delivered and was very ‘yes or no’. He didn’t judge any questions to be silly and soon enough the chairs next to him were occupied first. Building a relationship based on dialogue helps you reach that same harmony. Try to understand each other's needs.

Is there a memorable moment in your career that stands out?

There are so many different moments, not just one, but for me it’s the feeling of belonging, driving change and meeting people that is what stands out. I feel really blessed, travelling around the world, meeting smart and interesting people.

In a previous conversation, you spoke about a fun ski trip with the CEO and his deputy. Can you tell us more?

At the start of my career, I actively took on difficult situations to get into the heat and solve issues. The leader of a company we’d acquired requested a conference in Finnish Lapland and I was asked to go skiing with one of the CEO’s trusted deputies. We had a great afternoon and got on well, then the next day he was promoted to CEO! This meant he and I would build the new strategy together for a significant business unit that had been making an annual loss of €10 million - within the year it was making black figures and became one of the company’s most profitable units. I was glad we had the opportunity to bond beforehand. Hitting it off personally undoubtedly contributed to that success.

What would you say is the secret to building a strong network?

Be curious. My network is wide as I enjoy forming relationships with diverse people, learning more about their lives, careers, and backgrounds. Having a good relationship with your manager will help. Networking is strategically important for your career, but it can also be fun and rewarding.

What’s your advice for a job seeker looking to stand out in the market?

To have a sense of humour. I’m currently recruiting for a role that is quite narrow, a lot of people have the same CV, background, experiences etc. A little humour helps you cut through and differentiate. Of course, you shouldn’t enter the interview with a clown mask but be yourself. Meeting the real person is fun and makes for an enjoyable workplace.

Also, be ambitious but keep things realistic. I’ve received a high school graduate application for a Tax Manager position once. Don’t waste time if there’s a very slim chance of success…

How did you establish your career development plan and how can people follow your footsteps?

I soon realised I wanted to be a business controller, so I moved consistently in that direction and kept an open dialogue with my manager about my ambitions. When a position became open, he suggested I apply. I experienced ‘imposter syndrome’ for awhile, exposed to different challenges including managing a team for the first time. Overall, it was rewarding, fun and a good development opportunity.

Mentoring is also something that can bring value. Not only being mentored but as a mentor – often you learn through these dialogues, and you realise how different persons perceive things.

Management training is also something which I recommend strongly.

Do you have any tips for achieving a better work-life balance?

At the beginning of your career, work-life balance is more difficult to achieve. But, as with everything else, it is a decision you must make yourself and in collaboration with persons around you. If you decide to take a highly exposed 18 hours a day job, you will experience challenges with work-life balance, but it could be right for you at a certain stage in your life.

Secondly, be transparent with your partner, manager, and team. I have team members who are open about that “At this stage of my life, I’ll work 8 hours and that’s it – I secure my deliveries, but I do not go to after-work activities or events , I want to be with my kids.” As a manager, I know that this is a person I cannot put on a time-critical DD project, but a stable person to deliver routine tasks and feel content with this. Naturally, I also need to look at long-term career paths for these individuals but as for now, it might be the best for all.

Also, some people want to create an image of themselves as always busy and stressed, suggesting that the company depends on them. As a manager, it's important to be aware of this behaviour. Often, these individuals are insecure and require support.

My experience is that it is not the work that makes people burn out, it is often a combination of several personal challenges or life-changing experiences. As a manager, you are responsible for offering support and finding the right person for the role. However, it is always your responsibility to take ownership of your work-life balance. You should have a discussion with your manager but if it doesn’t work you have to make changes.

What’s your advice for those wanting to pivot into a different industry or discipline?

My career has been IT-focussed, but across many different industries including retail and energy. All businesses have their challenges and opportunities; it’s understanding the drivers of the business that provides insight into where you might contribute. I moved into the retail business after a lot of deep analysis; when I first entered a meeting and explained the opportunities as I saw them, it led to a dialogue.

What are some of the key drivers for success at Capgemini?

Firstly, understand the global culture of communication, the does and don’ts. I would say Capgemini is a very fact-based organisation. When reporting to the group I have realised that they are more detail-orientated than you might be used to. So ensure that you have covered the bases, get the full understanding and based your analyses on facts. Even if you think that you're covering all the angles with thorough analysis, you will always receive at least a couple of questions back. Their thoroughness is a strength and prevents potential errors.

The second thing is to understand the culture; get to know the right people, be visible and ensure that you deliver. That will always pay dividends.

Is there a book or podcast you’d recommend?

I read a lot as it’s good for the brain; everything more or less but I prefer popular science books. I would recommend Sapiens or Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. And if you have not read Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, it’s a must. You should also read stories, novels and fiction to widen your scope. This summer I read among others the Swedish debutant autobiography “Djävla Karlar” – so well written and funny.

What is your favourite quote and why?

“The best way to win a war is to not fight the war.”

When my daughter was in her teens we had a number of verbal disagreements, I read a book called Nonviolent Communication, which is about removing confrontation from dialogue, written by an American psychologist, Marshall Rosenberg. Winning an argument without fighting is rewarding and that’s something I have learned and developed. Asking for and considering the opposing point of view to continue the dialogue is rewarding.

EMEA Recruitment partners with a charity called Operation Smile. What was the last thing that made you smile?

I was in a recruitment situation where one of the recruiters made me laugh in a meeting. The guy got the job!

Thank you to Björn Sjögerås for speaking to Hannah Gibson, Senior Consultant at EMEA Recruitment.

Views and opinions contained within our Executive Interviews are those of the interviewee and not views shared by EMEA Recruitment.