I grew up and spent many years of my adult life in Sweden. It had a big impact on how I make decisions: what is important to me, what relationships I have with my business partners, clients and employees. Undoubtedly, in this process, a term popular in Sweden – ‘lagom’ – matters. In English it means: just in time, exactly, not too much, not too little. We tend to strive for ‘lagom’ during talks at meetings. It is a commonly used way in Sweden to reach a compromise, to find a solution that will satisfy all the parties.
Of course it is not always easy. However, as I have experienced it myself many times, it allows us to understand better the decisions that we make and to identify with them. It also gives a sense of participation and impact on matters and solutions that are important to the company, its employees and clients. I try to apply this principle in my business activity. And it has been happening for more than 30 years. I am satisfied with the effects.
Waldemar Tevnell
Waldemar Tevnell graduated from the University of Gdańsk and IESE Business School - University of Navarra. He is the initiator and co-founder of the Puls Biznesu [Business Pulse] daily and the Puls Medycyny [Medicine Pulse] biweekly. He co-organized a series of conferences in Poland, organized by the Bonnier Business publishing house. Such personas, among others, as Bill Clinton, Al Goore, Madelaine Albright, Steve Forbes, Cherie Blair and Robert F. Kennedy JR. took part. In 2003 Bonnier selected him the Manager of the Year among all managers in this concern. In the same year he won the title of Manager of the Year awarded by the Home & Market monthly magazine.
Since 2007 he has been running a consulting business, WTC Strategy Consulting, in the fields of: management, public/media relations, strategy, mergers, acquisitions, business development and crisis management principles. Among his clients are: Ringier Axel Springer Polska - an international media company, EY - a global concern providing professional advisory and auditing services, Comp S.A. - a technology company. Waldemar Tevnell was a member of the supervisory boards of stock-listed companies: ABG Ster Projekt S.A., BIOTON S.A. and a chairman of the Board of Directors of Reinhold AB. Currently he is a member of the supervisory boards in Elzab S.A. and MMS S.A. He founded and for many years remained the president of Ogólnopolskie Stowarzyszenie Wydawców Prasy [the National Association of Press Publishers], co-created Izba Wydawców Prasy [the Chamber of Press Publishers]. He was the owner, published over 20 press titles. He is married, and has three children. He plays tennis, he was a player of the 1st chess league in Sweden.
”Waldemar Tevnell was responsible for bringing the Bonnier company into the Polish market through the project of ‘Puls Biznesu’ business paper. Thanks to his involvement and professional competence the project was a success. Waldemar Tevnell demonstrated creativity, great negotiating skills and the knowledge of the Polish publishing market and economic realities.”
Vibjørn Madsen – former Chairman of the Bonnier Business Press Council, Stockholm
