Almedalen, the world's largest democratic meeting place

Exciting I thought before my first visit, but what is it like? 3719 events during the week, how do I know what is most interesting and what gives the best opportunities for good meetings? It's important to be efficient and take time, right? Loaded with good tips from colleagues, I booked my calendar to listen to current discussions and future thoughts in the real estate industry, healthcare, the municipality and what tangents all industries, digitization and thoughts on what the future leadership should look like.

Now my first visit to Gotland and Almedalen is over. It spins in the skull of questions. How revolutionary will digitalisation really be in our everyday lives? Everyone seems to agree that business models will change, we do not buy products without services, aftermarket becomes the main market and health care moves into our living rooms. We will swim around in an even bigger ocean of information and the key will be to understand and use it to develop products and services even more. Today's whales are challenged by fast-moving and dangerous pirayas. Collaborations become important in order to cope with the pace of change, alone is weak and if you are a choice you do best in finding small fast moving partners to partner with. How exciting it will be to be on the journey ahead!

The challenge in the housing market is avoiding nobody who sets foot in Visby's core this week. The large brushstrokes are mixed with concrete examples and political messages. The challenges are many, how can we build so that people can afford to live? What role should public benefit play in the future and how do we create sustainable living environments where people want to live and not just live? There is talk of sustainability and it seems that there is actually a concrete meaning that can mean a lot. Brexit, this year's joker in the game, is taken up in some way in most seminars here in Almedalen. The property arena mentions, among other things. the potential for our capital to attract headquarters and what does this mean for new needs for workplaces and housing? Since I am an incurable optimist, I would like to think that we at Almedalen next year will still face major challenges, but that we have come a little closer to the 700,000 housing needed.

I do not think that the Holy Grail will manifest itself and solve the challenges in the housing market, show us the benefits of digitization or solve the integration issue that is fiery now. I believe that what is needed are many concrete initiatives to put balls in the roll. We must dare to let ideas leave desks and heads and be tested in reality. All ideas will not be good and it must also be okay. I am convinced that the businesses with a climate where many employees dare to do much are the ones that succeed.