When thinking about success and professionalism in Stockholm, I often think of a conversation I had with my supervisor early on in my internship. He spent a lot of time explaining how innovation and creativity thrive in Sweden and within Swedish work culture. One of our first shifts was actually a delegation he hosted with MBA graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania. During his talk, our supervisor explained his career path, how his business has grown and evolved, and how the Swedish government and culture support creatives and innovators. He also discussed with us personally how the governmental safety net allows professionals to take certain risks. He said this may seem counterintuitive: that people won’t try their best to succeed if they know they have something to fall back on, and can always start again. But he told us this actually helps with the opposite, that people can take risks in ways that truly benefit them in the long run, risks that they may not take without being given the opportunity financially. This has led to feats of creativity and innovation, with globally well-known inventions coming from Sweden. 

As I learned about Mikael, before I started working for him and throughout the first few days of work, I was almost intimidated by his many accomplishments and all of the different avenues he was working in at once. But as I got to know him, I saw that he didn’t reflect this at all, especially not in the way I was used to at home. Though he was serious about his work, he was not a very serious or stern person. He was very welcoming and super friendly; he had friends and acquaintances coming in and out of the office all the time. He didn’t carry much with him to the office; his work seemed quick and involved many different forms of communication, and he spent lots of time in different places. It was a bit more sporadic and interesting than what I knew to be corporate success back at home. This may have to do with his specific business model or just who he is as a professional, but the vibe I got from him and some of his other collaborators in the business was a lot more laid back and personable than what I expected. 

Also, from what I discussed with other interns, since we all had such different experiences in the office, I realized that success presents itself in a lot of different forms. Obviously this is true in the U.S. as well, and I haven’t been incredibly involved in the professional world yet. But it seems to me like success in Sweden involves a lot of different personalities, including a sense of humanity and personality in the workforce. Individuality and unique perspectives are valued, as well as self-motivation and initiative.