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Field Notes

The latest analysis and insights

article 1 September 2024

Welcome to Sum Space

It was on Independence Day, the 4th of July 2011 when Carolina and I founded sum. 1'500 workshops in 40 countries on all 6 continents, 50 leadership conferences later, and probably 25000+ leaders that we had the honor to ’touch’ and work with, it was time to reflect on the experiences and the current state of the world. What does the world need? How can business be a force for good?

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Lightning strike

article 3 March 2023

Have you ever been struck by lightning?

On February 21 at 5.15pm Brazil time, our sailing yacht, an X4.3 from the Danish shipyard X-Yachts, got struck by lightning.

A sailboat anchored in clear blue water, with ropes extending from the boat to the shore in the background under a clear blue sky.

article 6 July 2022

What did I learn during my sabbatical?

This year I celebrated a big birthday, and in addition, our firm recently had its ten-year anniversary, so it occurred to me that it is time to realize a long-time dream: going for a two-month sailing sabbatical

A group of people sitting on cushions under a large white canopy tent in a grassy area, with mountains and buildings in the background.

article 16 September 2021

What did we learn in 10 years of sum people?

Dear friends of sum people, on Independence Day, 4th of July 2011, we founded sum people. After 20 years as a corporate employee and coming from a family of public servants founding a company was a big step

A group of people sitting in a circle on the grass outside a historic building with yellow and white walls and red-tiled roofs.

article 28 June 2023

What can we learn from Parzival?

Parzival is an epic poem composed in the 13th century by Wolfram von Eschenbach in 16 books and a total of 24'000 lines.

A collage of three images: the left image shows an elderly man in a suit smiling and waving; the middle image shows a tennis player in a red shirt holding a racket and waving; the right image shows a man in traditional clothing and glasses waving.

article 22 June 2021

Who do you admire? and why?

One of the exercises we run during the Mountain Wisdom format asks you: who do you admire? and why? and what are the qualities that you admire of this person?

A collage of six charts with colourful sticky notes, text, and images, each addressing different topics related to team performance and leadership. Each chart is labelled with a number and a question or topic.

article 15 July 2020

Can you shape a high performing team – online?

Over the last decade at sum people we have facilitated 1000+ High Performance Team (HPT) workshops in 40+ countries on all continents (with the exception of Antarctica; even though Tasmania, Patagonia and South Africa got relatively close)

Mum holding baby

article 19 March 2020

Choosing Optimism in the face of crisis

During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, also known as swine flu, I helped lead the efforts at Novartis to develop and distribute a vaccine for the world.

3 Leadership reflections while mountaineering with my 82-year old father

article 3 April 2024

I recently turned 50, and to mark the occasion my father and I decided to spend a weekend at the foot of the Großglockner Mountain in Austria

big little lies image

article 8 January 2020

How many big little lies are in your life?

I can’t remember that I ever recommended to watch a TV series; so this is a first. ‘Big little lies’ on HBO is a master piece, and it is not by accident that it won 4 Golden Globe and 8 Emmy Awards.

A black hat, brown coat, and striped scarf hanging on a white wall-mounted coat rack.

article 8 November 2019

Ever been grounded? What can we learn of it?

It was diligently planned as a typical week in a busy period of the year when many clients define their priorities for the coming year, sharpen their purpose, address team dynamics, or celebrate recent achievements:

A person cycling on a pathway leading to a large, red building with a grey roof and dormer windows, surrounded by trees and manicured gardens.

article 24 October 2019

Did you give your company an inspiring purpose?

During a recent workshop with an executive team we spent significant time on spelling out a compelling and relevant purpose.

A large wooden structure engulfed in flames at night, with silhouetted figures watching in the foreground.

article 12 September 2019

What can we learn from Burning Man?

A year ago a Mountain Wisdom friend invited me to Burning Man.

Harvard speech

video 5 June 2019

Which wall could you tear down?

Commencement speeches are a beautiful source for wisdom, and I am sure many of you drew some insights and guidance from Steve Jobs’ speech at Stanford or Steven Spielberg’s at Harvard or others that you might have watched.

A small water stream flowing through grassy terrain, reflecting the sky above.

article 30 April 2019

Have you started to climb your second mountain?

The below article in NYT caught our attention. The author speaks to my heart when he introduces the concept of the two mountains in our lives.

Four men standing together, smiling at the camera, with one man holding a sign that says 'Mountain Wisdom'.

article 20 February 2019

What can we learn in Africa?

In a previous blog I wrote about brain wave cycles and ways to calm our busy minds to give space to creativity, intuition, empathy and potentially breakthrough ideas.

How busy is your mind

article 4 January 2019

How busy is your mind?

As you read these lines are you fully focused on its content or are you somehow distracted with a lot of other things in your mind?

confernece

article 1 November 2018

Do you do small talk or are you having deep conversations

Please ask yourself: How many of your social interactions remain on a relatively shallow small talk level?

article 12 February 2018

And where are you on purpose

This suggests that a more holistic view on stakeholder values, customers, employees, society, community, and shareholder is becoming mainstream.

article 12 February 2018

A Sense of Purpose

'BlackRock is trusted to manage more money than any other investment firm*. Our business is investing on behalf of our clients — from large institutions to parents and grandparents, teachers, nurses, doctors and people from all walks of life who entrust their savings to us.’

A detailed painting depicting a scene from a historical or mythological battle, with two large armies facing each other. In the centre, a chariot with two figures and horses stands, surrounded by soldiers.

article 11 August 2017

What can we learn from Bhagavad Gita

And are you aware that you are both, the wave and the ocean?