Rikard Forsberg … on harmony

He likes forklift trucks and hates whips – and his goal is that everyone feels comfortable at work. “The group here is magical”, says Rikard Forsberg.

It’s a bit of self-torture. Having a need for control while encouraging employees to solve problems without you. Rikard Forsberg knows. As a production manager at the service centre in Örebro, he insists on giving employees freedom under responsibility, while at the same time he himself has to practice letting go.

At the end of January 2003, he was on his way to a conference while a shift leader was on holiday. While Rikard restlessly paced up and down in the hotel room, the 18-man team solved everything themselves at home in Örebro. With flying colours.

“Excuse the language, but I am really bloody proud of how they managed the two days. They took their own responsibility and showed what good cooperation they have in the group. When we’ve trained hard and all the pieces fall into place … it’s a nice feeling,” says Rikard Forsberg.

Sometimes it is nice to feel “what am I doing here?”, as he puts it. Not needed, being able to contribute to a self-paced team.

“The group here is magical. They know what they have to do and when. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I just need to give them the right conditions and be able to do a good job.

And I don’t doubt our two shift leaders for a second, I just need to be a sounding board.

Right conditions. These are two words Rikard has brought with him from his time in team sports – first as a practitioner and later as a handball coach for 20 young guys. The team are of different ages, come from different places and have grown up in different ways.

“I knew how talented they were, my task was to prepare them as well as possible. Making demands on each other in the right way. It’s the same at work.”

Rikard Forsberg once worked in the same team he now leads. It means he can work outside and inside. Though his two shift leaders manage the group more regularly, he himself is often out and about among his co-workers. He prefers this to an office chair.

“We also do a pulse survey every month which we discuss together. We have good figures, which is nice, but what is needed is that we do some activity. Otherwise, the focus is on maintaining what is good. “

When you are engaged the job often branches out. Takes completely new paths. Rikard has for example become an expert on forklift trucks over the years. Today he trains others at the company and is responsible for around 100 forklifts and the contract with the manufacturer Toyota.

“I set the requirements and am in constant contact with our service technicians at Toyota. My old boss gave me the chance to develop and I was able to take on the task because the group is so self-driven.”

The English football team Arsenal’s motto is ‘Victory grows out of harmony’ – a philosophy Rikard Forsberg tries to live by. If you feel good then you perform well.”

“We spend quite a lot of hours here every day and my goal is that everyone will feel comfortable and like to come here. I hope everyone feels that they can be themselves at work. I don’t force people to open up, but I can open up to encourage others.”

“It’s important that everyone contributes to the working environment and respects each other. I don’t stand with a whip and say to people to work harder. It is important to use the time in the best way, then we achieve the goals.”