Strengthening self-leadership for lasting high performance and a calmer life balance | Personal & professional growth | Great leadership begin from within | 25 years in Comms & Leadership

The women I work with are already successful.

Like yourself: competent, respected and trusted. You lead, deliver and are deeply committed to doing a good job - often without anyone needing to ask. 

But inside you often feel self-doubt and a sense of being out of sync with yourself.  

And, a growing sense that the way you’ve learned to succeed has come with a cost no one warned you about: 

More or less constant self-pressure, blurred boundaries and the feeling of always being “on.” 

So you keep going. 
Not because it works, but because it’s what you know.

Now imagine another way of leading yourself - one that’s grounded, sustainable and supports the life you want alongside your career.

That’s the work I do.

I help high-performing women strengthen self-leadership from the inside out — with boundaries, courage and practical tools — so you can lead yourself and your team without self-compromising. A way of working and living that both you and your well-being can stand behind.

Are you tired of feeling that you're giving everything, but has nothing left for yourself?

Are you ready to find another way to lead, work and live?

Then let's talk. 
DM me or send an email to annika.mohlin@growu.se

Or be the first to know about this:
https://annika-mohlin.systeme.io/programwaitlist


Based in Sweden. 
Working globally.
Languages: Swedish & English 🇸🇪 🇬🇧 

Annika Mohlin 🌱

This week 3 years ago I went back to work after my sick leave for exhaustion syndrome. 

Coming to terms with that word – and even worse: burnout – has been a journey for a high performer like me, with big ambitions in all areas of life. For a long time, I felt ashamed about it. 

Many of you know me as a happy, energetic and positive person. And I am.

But like everyone else, I have my dips. 
The autumn of 2022 was a deep one.

> I had worked far too much for too long.
> I was handling new demands and responsibilities without getting more resources for the team – sometimes not even a thank you.
> Life at home was intense: three active children, one was struggling a lot in high school and needed a lot of support.
> In the middle of all of this I lost my Dad.
 
What kept me going for as long as I did was that I prioritised the basics: sleep, food, exercise. And fantastic support from my husband. It was actually he who finally said: “Either you call your manager, or I will.”

The three months I spent at home made me rethink a lot of things. I reflected a lot, listened more carefully inwards and started making other choices. 

This is what helped me:
✅ Starting each day with breathing and practising taking control of my thoughts
✅ Reflecting and journaling about everyday happy moments
✅ Spending a lot of time outdoors, long walks by the sea
✅ Practicing setting boundaries with myself and others
✅ Being coached
✅ Exercising
And getting lots of love from family and friends ❤️ 
 
It can be hard to see the signs when things are becoming too much. I certainly didn’t.

So if you’re feeling low, easily irritated, unfocused or constantly on the run... please: slow down, check in with yourself and start putting yourself first a bit more. 

I was the last one to realise I had burned out.
Don’t be like me.

 📸 My ever loving support and I, on a shopping tour (can you see where?) with unconsciously colour coded outfits 😂

📧 If you like this kind of content, I have a newsletter too. Link to sign up in my profile.

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done being the good girl | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover🍿| Waitlist is now OPEN👇🏼

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What a fr***in mess. I felt sooo stupid. 

Yesterday I ran my online workshop. Halfway through my screen froze and I got kicked out from my own meeting.

– Wow, you all look very focused, I said to the participants as they came back from setting their goals, and I felt so happy about the dedication I saw. 

Then I noticed: my screen had frozen completely. 
They couldn't hear me. 
I couldn't hear them. 

$hit. 

Luckily the meeting chat worked fine, so long story short I let everyone know I'd leave and rejoin the meeting, but it wouldn't let me leave so I tried leaving again but it wouldn't let me since it was just stuck, so I joined from my phone instead trying to keep up with what I was teaching while at the same time restarting my computer hoping it would let me back in. Which it did 🙏🏼

Phew. 
(if that felt chaotic to read, you've got a little hint of what I felt)

Participants were still around 💛
We went on from there. 
Everyone got their roadmaps for 2026✌🏼

I can't help but laugh at this. This is exactly the kind of mess you DON'T want “on stage” (or backstage, for that matter).

But this is leadership too. This is facilitation too – dancing in the moment, staying present when things wobble, bringing the process forward and trusting that “good enough” is enough. And if nothing else, it's a proof of being human.

Good thing tech support isn't part of my services 😬

Here's a question for you: 
What do you do when things don't go as planned?

3 years ago I sat in my car outside my office building, just as my doctor recommended.

“Just go there once before you start.
Don’t go in. Just look.”

So that’s what I did.
I sat there watching as a way of mentally preparing myself to go back to work after my burnout.

I remember it felt like returning with a version of myself I no longer fully trusted. Rough feeling to be with for sure. 

They say some things never quite go back to how they were after a burnout... I think they’re right (my husband agrees. He says there’s a 'before' and an 'after').

And yes, I sure miss some qualities I used to have.
At the same time, I’ve gained others.

I am grateful for the learnings, but hitting the wall like I did is nothing I recommend.

One of my biggest learnings is about setting – and keeping – clear boundaries. 

Not only with others.
But with yourself.

Knowing when to pause, rest and take care of yourself is a boundary in itself. 

Especially when the inner drive to push through and "just finish this little thing too" is hard to resist.

If this struck a chord, you might want to know that I’m running a small Boundary Bootcamp.

A 2-week challenge focused on building practical, sustainable boundary skills – for those who tend to give a little too much.

Read more on the link in my profile, or send me a DM.

I'm such a hypocrate.

Teaching balance and boundaries and last night I caught myself

> Watching Sweden shred Croatia in handball Euros
> Texting with my Mom
> Catching up on news reading Mark Carney’s speech

...all at the same time. Triple-tasking. Double-screening. 

And you know what else?

Some days I forget to pause. I lose track of time and just... keep going.

Which only makes me edgy and irritated. Far from my best self.

So how dare I talk about sustainable self-leadership, if I don’t even get my own basics right...?

Because I’m human.

Which means I don’t always get it right (who does?).

Here’s the difference from when my bad good girl ruled the show:

I don’t beat myself up about it.
I catch it, stop and return to what I know works.

Who said the coach can't make mistakes?

Slipping is normal.
Finding your way back is something you practice in small ways, every day.

Grateful for the reminder last night.
And for Sweden’s win!!

PS. Tournament is held in Malmö where I live. Anyone on site last night?

I've coached Comms Managers, CFO:s, Project Leaders, Marketing Managers. Over the years, one pattern keeps repeating:

They're exceptional at meeting everyone’s needs. 
Their own come last.

The reasons are familiar:

> There’s never enough time. 
> Doing things yourself seems faster (and better)
> They're afraid they'll be disliked if they say no

Still though: this logic doesn't hold up. 

When you don’t protect your boundaries and your energy, something will slowly fade away. Your sincere smile likely goes first. Then your presence and focus. Your temper. Worst case → you'll burn out (like I did). 

Leadership isn’t only what you give to others. 
It’s also about what you give to yourself, over time.

You can't be sharp, steady and effective if you permanently exclude yourself from your own priorities. 

Meaning: making space for YOU in your calendar.

And (sorry to say), this won’t happen on its own.

The tempo will not just "slow down". No one's coming to hand you more time.

You need to plan for it. With the same seriousness as the meetings you never cancel 😉

Something new is coming for women leaders who are tired of coming second in their own lives:

The first-to-know list is open >> https://lnkd.in/dNGbMbjR

I was the teachers' favourite in school. 

I'm sure you know the type: 

> Good grades
> Didn't cause any trouble
> Raised my hand before speaking and got seated to the rowdier ones to help keep them calm (how crazy is that?)

Oh, teachers loved me.
Later, managers did too.

I can see why – us good girls are easy to work with. 
We are very good at delivering without asking for too much in return.

I can also see this: 
Being “easy” earns you safety, praise and belonging.

Keeps you safe when you're young.
But in leadership?

Success built on fear – of disappointing, disrupting or being too much – demands constant proof.

It's tiring to be a good girl. 

And this is what I mean when I talk about being a bad good girl. 

How much of a bad good girl are you?
The Bad Good Girl Audit™ reveals 29 habits that women leaders use to stay safe, liked and in control – at the cost of their power and authority.

Comment AUDIT if you want to take the audit and get your Bad Good Girl profile pattern.

How much of a bad good girl have you become 

Here’s how to get really good at expressing clear boundaries. For free.

Step 1: Pick 3–4 real (or very likely) situations where you’ll need to set a boundary.

Step 2: Open your camera or voice notes.

Step 3: Record yourself saying it as if you were talking to the other person.
Do this for all scenarios.

Step 4: Watch or listen. What do you notice?

Step 5: Choose one thing to improve – then repeat from step 2.

You’ll likely spot things like:

> Rambling or over-explaining
> Saying ummmm.... 
> Sounding unsure or submissive
> Excusing yourself too much

Remember to breeeeeathe.
Keep it short. Keep it fun! You're playing. 

Do this 5 times, then review your first recording.
I’m pretty sure the progress will surprise you 🤓

Training boundary setting is like training any muscle.
This will build strength. And as a bonus, also your confidence.

Will you try this?

💛 This is one of the challenges I give the women in my 2-week Boundary Bootcamp. We just kicked off week two, and the wins the participants are sharing already make me so proud about their progress!

In October a woman joined Boundary Bootcamp after being close to burnout for a long time.

She was doing her job really well, being relied on, stepping in where things needed to be handled. 

From the outside, it looked like competence. 
From the inside, it was draining her.

In her check-in to the bootcamp she described full days, a constantly busy mind and very little space left for herself. 

Responsibility had its sneaky way of expanding, and she had bit by bit started to carry more than her own load.

A month or so after the Bootcamp she wrote me this:

“I’ve had great help from your sessions after being very close to burnout for a year. I felt a lot better after going through your 2-week program where I learnt to say no, delegate and not throw myself at every single task just to be good.”

Nothing about her drive or ambition disappeared. 
What shifted was how she related to it.

This is often how boundary work shows up.
As a series of small, conscious choices that create more room to breathe.

That’s the kind of change I care about.

graphical user interface, text, application

Hennes team hade fullt förtroende för henne.
Men uppifrån organisationen fick hon andra signaler.

När Anna kom till första träffen i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv var hon osäker på om hennes sätt att leda verkligen var ett bra sätt att leda. 

Hon kände sig ifrågasatt och mikrostyrd. 
Inte riktigt uppskattad för det hon bidrog med, trots fina resultat och ett team som fungerade väldigt bra. 

Hon hade börjat tvivla på sig själv. 

Under programmets gång blev det allt tydligare att Anna har en mycket emotionellt intelligent ledarstil, och en inre kompass som leder henne tydligt och klart. 

Dilemmat var snarare om den här arbetsplatsen var rätt för henne. Och i att stärka hennes trygghet i hur hon leder, och hennes eget förhållningssätt till det. 

"Jag fick större tillit till mitt nuvarande ledarskap genom att bli speglad, utmanad och hjälpt av andra kvinnliga ledare i ett 100% tryggt rum." 

Hon började lita mer på sitt eget omdöme igen. Hon slutade tolka andras kontroll som en signal på att hon gjorde fel. Hon fick ord för allt det hon redan gjorde rätt.

Kort därefter tog hon nästa steg – till en arbetsgivare där hennes styrkor och ledarskap kommer till sin fulla rätt.

"Jag upptäckte att färdigheter som jag tycker är lätta och självklara, och därmed inte sett som speciella eller värdefulla, tvärtom är mycket värdefulla. Och att det inte alls är något alla gör, utan är en styrka i just mitt ledarskap."

Landa i sitt eget ledarskap, och sen landa på rätt plats. Den förflyttningen, på 10 månader – inte illa! 

Tusen tack Anna för att du valde att gå Perspeqtiv och stort varmt lycka till på nya stället! ✨

🔭 Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar i april. 
📧 Nyfiken? Hör av dig!

Who never blamed a Monday? Or January?
Easy explanations are tempting.
It takes more courage to ask why the same pattern keeps coming back.

“Oh, you know… it’s just one of those days.”

How many of "those days" are there? 

I surely had a few of them 😬
So I know they can be plenty. 

But who are we fooling? At some point, I had to ask myself a more honest question:

What if it’s not about timing at all?

What if the low energy, the resistance, the irritation keeps returning not because of the day, the hour or the colour of the sky... but because of something else?

You bet it was uncomfortable to realise that many of the habits and qualities that had taken me far in life were the same ones slowly wearing me down.

That insight came too late to me. I burnt out. 
But it can still change something for the better for you. 

I write about this in today’s newsletter.

We’ve made it past Blue Monday, the third Monday in January – supposedly the most depressing day of the year. The day when all kinds of shitty stars a

Open article: The convenience of blaming the calendar by Annika Mohlin 🌱 • 3 min read

There’s nothing wrong with New Year’s resolutions. But they won’t change a thing.

Action will.

Without a plan – and action of course! – resolutions stay what they are: thoughts, wishes, good intentions.

And you end up in the same place.

The gap between intention and action is where most resolutions fall apart.

And it’s also where clarity makes all the difference.

That’s what we’ll work on in my (free) New Year’s workshop on January 6. 

I’ll take you through a step-by-step process to help you:

>> Clarify where you want to be by the end of 2026 
>> Identify the steps and actions that will take you there
>> Anticipate challenges and how to handle them 
>> Make sure you stay on track and move forward 

You'll leave with a personal roadmap that's concrete, actionable and right for your life, your needs and your well-being. 

A roadmap for inspired, intentional action, that support your resolutions. 

If this sounds like a good way to start the year, I'd love for you to join! 

🗓️ Tuesday, January 6 (tomorrow!)
⏰ 13.00-14.30 CET 
💻 Online on Teams 
🌟 Free to join 

Sign up on the link on my profile, or here: 
https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n 

If you can't join live, I'll send out a replay to all who signed up. 

Looking forward to see you! 💛 

📸 Sweet words from previous participants... who also come back to update their roadmaps – because what we do works!

For female leaders done being the good girl | Lead yourself and others with clarity, boundaries and sustainable habits | Practice clear and kind boundary-setting in my 2-week challenge 👇🏼

Are you joining my New Years-workshop today?
Last chance to sign up... because we start at 13.00! 

This is a 90-minute workshop for ambitious women who want to keep performing at a high level + also have a life outside of work feeling happy and energized.

...which sometimes can be tricky, especially if you're stuck in good-girl-patterns that keep stealing your energy.

👉🏼 Taking time to yourself to listen inwards and get clear on what YOU want, and from there add concrete actions is a good way to start.

This workshop gives you time and structure for doing that.

So if you’re always there for others, but not-so-often for yourself: 

Here's a chance to really put yourself in the driver's seat, and create a roadmap for a year with YOU in focus. 

You'll also get some tools for energy and balance you can apply right away + a chance to join my 2-week boundary setting challenge with a little bonus 🎁

📅 January 6th = TODAY!
⏰ 13.00 - 14.30 CET
💻 Free to join, on Teams
✍🏻 Sign up here:

https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n

See you soon! 👋🏼

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Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

Certified GDQ consultant

The Daring Way - 

Co-Active Coach

ICF Member Badge

Företagsekonomi

Marketing the IKEA Way

Läst en termin i Madrid på Universidad Antonio de Nebrija

En termins studier i Madrid kombinerat med extrajobb som servitris på TGI Friday’s

Friskis & Svettis

Friskis & Svettis Malmö

Coaching female leaders to feel well, perform well and still have energy at the end of the day | Sustainable self-leadership | Personal & professional development | 25 years in Comms & Leadership | Ex-IKEA

🌱 I believe that people who feel well, perform well.
🌱 I believe that people who are self-aware, perform better and collaborate better. 
🌱 And I believe that in order to lead others, you need to lead yourself first. 

These beliefs are the foundation of what I do. My passion comes from my ability to help people grow and expand themselves beyond what they thought possible - and succeed. That's what I do best. 

🔸For you as a driven, high-performing professional or founder leading yourself.
🔸For you as a leader noticing that books, classroom trainings and TED talks don’t turn you into the leader you aspire to be.

I can help you start leading yourself in a more conscious way, 
get clear on who you are, 
where you're going and 
confident about the choices you make for yourself. 

So you can
🌱Perform and deliver — with a calmer mind and energy left at the end of the day. 
🌱Find a sustainable way of living and working — with ripple effects on both your leadership and your relationships.
🌱 Enjoy life on your terms and last in the long run. 

Why go with me? 
🔸With me you get a down-to-earth, warm and engaged partner who has been through the highs and lows of juggling a global manager role, a crowded diary and 3 kids. 
🔸You get a curious, open-minded ICF-coach who coaches by the high standards set by International Coaching Federation.  
🔸I bring energy, clarity and a holistic perspective (and a bit of playfulness). 

I am a great listener, but not afraid to challenge you. 
I have a creative mind, but can also be with serious emotions. 
I will hold a safe space, so you dare to look within for the answers I know you have. 

I can help you get to the front seat of your life and to design your unique roadmap, so that you can truly own your journey and fill it with what gives you energy and fulfilment.  

My approach mixes coaching with evidence based tools for self-leadership, stress management and well-being. The beauty is in the blend. 

All in a simple and action-oriented way - 20 minutes a day goes a long way. 
But those you need to commit to: I will give you the keys, but you have to turn them around yourself.  

📬I'm just a DM away. Let's talk! 

👋🏻
Here as HR or Manager? 
Happy to support your company and co-workers with developing (self-)leadership skills or communication skills. 

I am an appreciated facilitator thanks to my ability to create a safe, relaxed and inclusive space for participants. Talk to me about leadership development, creating effective teams or preparing your spokespersons for media engagements.

🌱Let's grow together!

An 8-week online program, available individually or in groups, in English or Swedish: 
for those of you who are longing to live life on your terms and are ready to take the driver's seat of your life. 

The program combines coaching with well-established self-leadership tools and techniques. You work at your own pace with a coach by your side to support you every step of the way.

Coaching Program: Own your Journey | English or Swedish | Next start January 2025

8 veckors online-program, enskilt eller i grupp, för dig som längtar efter att leva ditt liv mer så som du vill ha det och känner dig redo att sätta dig själv i förarsätet. 

Programmet är en blandning av coachning och väl beprövade metoder för självledarskap. Du arbetar på egen hand och tillsammans med en coach som finns med och stöttar dig hela vägen.

Coachprogram:  Äg din resa | Svenska eller engelska | Nästa start januari 2025

If you... 
Feel stuck. 
Want a change.
Search for the big meaning. 
Don’t know where to go next. 
Need action towards your goals. 
Want to grow your self-awareness.

Individual coaching online or IRL | Life | Career | Leadership | English or Swedish

För dig som vill växa i din chefsroll genom att jobba med verkliga utmaningar från din verksamhet och vara del av ett lärande nätverk med andra kvinnliga ledare: 
 
Vill växa och utvecklas tillsammans med andra kvinnliga chefer.
Är nyfiken på andras erfarenheter och perspektiv på dina utmaningar och ditt ledarskap. 
Vill fördjupa din självkännedom och hitta ditt trygga sätt att leda.
Tror på kraften i ett lärande nätverk där deltagarna stöttar och inspirerar varandra.
Har varit chef i några år.

Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv för kvinnliga chefer i Öresundsregionen | Start Februari 2025

I talk about the keys to sustainable self-leadership and how to last the long run.

Kick-off? Inspirational speaker? Action-oriented workshop? I can help.

Lectures | Workshops | Facilitation | Inspiration | Kick-offs

Welcome to browse around my website to learn more about me and GrowU. So far it's only available in Swedish. English yet to come!

Besök min hemsida för mer information |  Arbetar med företag och privatpersoner IRL och online

Jympa, Skivstång och Multifys 
Ledaruppföljare
Tidigare styrelsemedlem 

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done with surface solutions | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover 🍿 | Get on the First-to-know-list 👇🏼

👋🏼Hello dear network – hej kära nätverk!👋🏼
De flesta som följer mig bor i Sverige. Jag skriver mest på engelska. Jag är nyfiken på vad du som ser mina inlägg tycker. Kan du hjälpa mig?

Most of my posts are in English, at the same time many of you are based in Sweden. 

I'm curious about how you experience it – and I'm asking everyone, not only Swedes.

Feel free to elaborate your answer - in Swedish or English - in the comments. Appreciate your help!
💛

What's it like for you reading my posts in English? 

To share or not to share... 💀

Excited to host this Live with 3 marketers + 3 coaches debating when it gets too much... and who gets to decide what IS too much. 

Log in and join us, bring your questions too!

Build leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | I help female leaders lead themselves first | Self-leadership, boundaries & sustainable ambition | Get The Bad Good Girl Newsletter 📬👇🏼

For the people who think dangerously well. ​>​>​> Scaling Intellectual Authority / Thought Leadership 🌃 (Storyteller, raised on cyberpunk fiction.)

You’ve all seen it: The trauma-dump with a CTA. And then you wonder: Is this brave… or ...?

This audio Live is a real-time debate between people who build attention and people who protect nervous systems.

We are answering:
- Who decides when sharing becomes “over”sharing?
- When does “vulnerability” become “emotional burden” for the audience?
- Should you post while you’re still bleeding, or after you’ve processed?

We made a panel of 3 marketers vs 3 wellbeing coaches!

Team Wellbeing:
Our host Annika Mohlin 🌱 —  Self-leadership, boundaries, sustainable ambition.
Josh Perry — High Performance Coach (creation vs survival mode)
Emily Heird, LPC/MHSP — Licensed therapist & mental performance coach 

Team Marketing:
Jenni Reher — Marketing strategist, creator of Find Your Weird™ 
Sandra Macele — Identity & positioning strategist (thought-leadership infrastructures)
Robert van Tongeren — Content strategy that makes you look like a genius

Log in tomorrow, and bring your best questions ;) muahahaha ...

COO at SisuSemi | New Ideas Into Results | Expert in R&D, Product dev and Program mngt | High Tech Leader | ex Chief Eng. @ SCHOTT | ex Dir @ MSFT | Empower Others and be Better | Look Out More for Leadership & Growth

𝐼'𝑚 𝑎 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑦 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔. 
𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡. 
𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡.

That blend defines how I approach challenges: bringing clarity to ambiguity, guiding people toward shared direction, and turning complex ideas into progress.

Over 20 years across semiconductors, photonics, and AR/VR hardware, I have learned that great ideas only succeed when structure, discipline, and empowered teams bring them to life. 
Leadership, to me, is about balance - aligning vision with structure and innovation with execution.

I lead deep-tech innovation from draft to scale - turning complexity into clarity and ideas into impact.
I bridge structure with freedom, depth with progress, and people with purpose.

I build teams that move fast, think deeply, and deliver what others only plan.


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫
• 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – Built and led orgs of 36+, sustaining performance while prioritizing wellbeing.
• 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Developed roadmaps and multi-year investment strategies; embedded agile culture for long-term growth.
• 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Brought AR display innovation from R&D to market at Microsoft and SCHOTT; achieved >35% cost reductions and 2.5x process capability improvements.
• 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧 – Managed $10M+ budgets; secured multimillion-dollar investments to scale innovation.
• 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 – Delivered results across startups and global programs through resilient teams, robust processes, and scalable manufacturing pipelines.

𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 & 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
• SisuSemi – Co-founder & Board Member; strategy, investors, agile growth leadership.
• Summa Semiconductor – Board Member; governance, finance, transition planning.
• Community & Housing Boards – Leadership roles in governance, strategy, and engagement.


Today, I share insights on 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝, 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ - especially how to scale deep-tech innovation, build resilient teams, and drive lasting impact through leadership and board work.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 
Leadership • Strategic Planning • Program Management • Product Development • Operations • Semiconductors • Photonics • Technology Management • AR/VR Hardware • Manufacturing Scale-Up

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Note; The views expressed in my post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or thoughts, of my employer.

Pasi Pietilä

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝.”

I still remember one stretch goal from early in my career.

We were asked to 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜.
(For the tech-curious: increase max laser power from ~30 mW to 50 mW without drastically increasing drive current.)

It was hard. Really hard.
And as a team, we pulled it off. 🎯 At least I though so... 

When the results reached the market, something unexpected happened.
Yes... the max power was there.
But the 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭.
(In laser terms, we had 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑠... and everyone in this field knows those should be avoided.)

 I still remember our CEO looking at the data, shaking his head, and saying:
 “𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑠?”

I gave the most engineer-like answer possible: “𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑠𝑘.”

Technically correct.
Practically wrong. (Soo wrong...)

Kinks where there as we didn’t optimize those away – 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 and would have 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆.

That moment still sticks with me because it was 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞.

Deep-tech is full of these situations:
Teams deliver exactly what’s specified... And still miss what actually matters

And here’s the key insight:
👉 You can’t fix this with more control.
👉 Better specifications alone won’t save you.
When you are doing something for the first time, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

Yes - we need targets.
Yes - we need specifications.

But in deep-tech 
- Targets must evolve.
- Priorities must shift.
- Clarity must guide execution - not rigid control.
 
Engineers are trained to learn... but when execution starts, they’re often rewarded for 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐬, not 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.
Solving the real problem is hard – It needs learning and adaptability. It forces us to shoot at a moving target.

That’s why I’m writing a book on this topic: Why clarity - not control -  leads to better results.
If this resonates, feel free to DM me.

And in the meanwhile, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments

COO & Co-Founder | Deep-Tech Scaling (Semiconductors, Photonics, AR/VR) | Strategy → Execution → Growth | MSc | eMBA Candidate ’27

𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 is one of those words that sounds reassuring.

You know...
We align in meetings.
We align on slides.
We align before moving forward.

Everyone nods.
Everyone agrees.
People are happy. 

And then… 
execution starts, 
and reality hits.

People are doing different things than expected.

Not because they ignored the decision.
That’s rarely the case.

When this happens, leaders often assume:
* People didn’t listen
* People weren’t committed
* People made the wrong call
...More often, none of that is true.
 
In reality the agreement was never the problem.
The challenge is the life - 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.

And alignment built only around tasks doesn’t survive that moment.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 
 
As Mike Tyson put it:
 “𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ.”

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

I have seen it too many times.
Plans that looked solid on paper... but never turned into action.

I have seen it in plans created by others.
And yes...  I have seen it in my own plans and processes.

Here’s the key learning:
𝐀 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

The classic mistake many leaders make is this:
They create a plan and expect others to execute it.
When execution stalls, they respond by adding more details... calling that “clarity.”

But that’s not clarity. That’s control. That’s a micromanaging. 

The real issue isn’t the quality of the plan.
It’s that the plan was created in a silo... focused on tasks and details instead of the bigger picture and shared understanding.

Clarity lives at the level 𝑜𝑓 𝑤ℎ𝑦, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑑 - not in the fifth revision of a project plan.

And here’s a clear signal that something is off...
When conversations gravitate toward reviewing details instead of discussing priorities, alignment, or intent.... 
Then you can feel it - Something’s wrong.

That’s the moment to stop tightening control and start working on clarity.

How to create that clarity?
It depends. The right approach is always situational, shaped by the real friction on the ground.
That’s why I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all answers - and why I’m currently condensing these learnings into a book.
If this resonates, feel free to DM me.

And I’m curious... Have you seen plans that looked good on paper but led nowhere in practice?

Clarity rarely fails at the slides.
 
Sure... sometimes our message is not enough clear. 
Sometimes we just try to be too cleaver and fail to deliver the message. 
 
But mor often, clarity breaks in much smaller moments... Moments like:
* When we think others are heard... but never check.
* When we assume others think like we do.
* When people hesitate to ask questions.
* When we are not ready to slow down to ensure that we all understand things in the same way.
  
Then there is the other group where the failure often happens.
* When we don’t share our thinking...  because we are afraid that it won’t land.
* When decisions feel risky... because we might be wrong.
* When accountability is implied, but never clearly owned.
 
None of these are major issues on their own.
That’s why they are easy to ignore.

But when a few of these are stacked together - day to day, month to month - they create an illusion. 
An illusion of alignment...
 
Until reality forces decisions - and the gaps surface.
 
Now depending how things stack up, it might show up just as friction...
Often it shows up as frustration...
Sometimes as conflicts. 
 

Where does clarity most often break in your day-to-day work?
Comment below...

What’s the right answer when you don’t know the answer?

In deep-tech development, this is not a hypothetical question.
You are asked for answers you genuinely don’t have yet.

At the same time, you are expected to:
* build confidence with stakeholders 
* keep you managers happy with confidence and clarity
* give direction to teams
... And keep things moving forward

Honesty matters... but on its own, it rarely helps you achieve progress.
Saying “we don’t know yet” might be true, but it doesn’t help others navigate what comes next.

This is where leadership shifts from having answers to creating clarity.

Your role is not to remove uncertainty... it’s to help people move through it.

What many (especially the ones who haven’t lived this in practice) leaders do instead is add control:
* more reviews
* more detailed plans
* more checkpoints
* less flexibility
--> It feels responsible.... It feels safe.

But in uncertain environments, it usually does the opposite.
Progress slows.
Frustration grows.... 
... in the team, in stakeholders, and often in yourself.

Control doesn’t solve the unknown... It just makes it heavier.

A better approach is to use clarity as the navigation tool.
At this point, you might (rightfully) ask: 
“Yes, clarity is important... but what does that actually mean when no one knows the answers?”

That’s a fair question.
And it’s far more nuanced than it sounds.

Not because it’s complicated - but because there is no single answer.

Everything depends on the ground-level frictions you are dealing with.

I’m currently working on a book around this exact topic... how (deep-tech) leaders create progress in uncertainty by choosing clarity over control.

If this resonates, feel free to DM me.

In the meanwhile, share you thoughts in comments below...

We often say: “Less is more.”

But does that also apply to clarity?

In practice - yes...
But only if we are clear about what actually matters.

Saying everything that’s on our minds doesn’t create clarity.
More often, it creates confusion.

Over time, I have come to see clarity as something that (should) exists on three levels:
1. Clarity in our own minds: Do I truly understand what matters most... and what doesn’t?
2. Shared clarity: Does the team understand the priorities, intent, and success criteria in the same way?
3. Clarity of reality: Do our plans and assumptions still match what’s actually happening on the ground?

This third level is the one we talk about the least... and we end up to pay for the most when we ignore it.
 
At end of the day “less is more” works for clarity only when we remove noise, not meaning.
When we surface what’s essential instead of saying everything we know.
 
I’m currently working on a book exploring how deep-tech leaders can use clarity, rather than control, to drive real impact.
If this resonates, feel free to DM me.
 
And I’m curious -  Do you believe less is more when it comes to clarity?

taplio

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Pasi Pietilä

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The Battle

Annika Mohlin 🌱

Pasi Pietilä

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Engagements

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Annika Mohlin 🌱's LinkedIn Performance

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