“Today's massive challenges with sustainability, geopolitics and new technology demand holistic solutions that transcend individual, organizational and national boundaries. It's a time that calls for more compassion, building real trust, and ambitious visions capable of making a significant impact on the world we live in.” Gunnar George
Gunnar George, author of the book Aha... Wow! Yes : how to accelerate learning, collaboration and transformation - towards a "world of hope and joy, and leadership development expert believes that the most effective leaders are those who are compassionate, inspirational, and have a vision that promotes hope, joy, and sustainability. Gunnar challenges the notion of transactional communication in business and personal interactions, advocating instead for authentic and emotionally engaging exchanges. By developing others and maintaining a vision that encompasses societal and global impacts, compassionate leaders can play a significant role in creating a better world.
Stephen Matini: How did your idea for the book Aha... Wow! Yes. come about?
GG: It's a long journey, actually. It started many years ago when I thought I wanted to write a book. I worked in a company that had a unique approach to leadership. We were consultants working with strategy and large-scale transformations. We had a different way of leading change compared to most traditional consulting companies at the time. So, we said to ourselves that we needed to document this approach.
One thing I realized is that the more you share, the more you receive. Sharing knowledge, experiences, and views is at the core of leadership development. I’ve met many fantastic people and have been part of extraordinary events in meetings with companies and transformations in large organizations. I felt the need to share what I’ve experienced and observed—not to give advice, but to share my observations and reflections.
Another important aspect is the people around you. Once you start talking about the book, people want to contribute. I have a friend who likes Paulo Coelho and often quotes him, saying you have to be careful what you dream of because the universe will conspire to make it happen. We joked about this, but when writing a book, it feels true. People appear out of nowhere, offering help and support.
SM: When you thought about writing a book, what was your initial biggest wish for it?
GG: I wrote it in English, in a simple, easy-to-read style. I wanted to reach as many people as possible worldwide. That was one of my main thoughts.
Another wish was for people to start thinking more about Aha... Wow! Yes, which is the title of the book. We need more emotions in business, more positive emotions in society. Often, when we structure things like strategy or communication work, we use "why, what, how" as a framework to ensure we cover all bases.
My idea was that Aha... Wow! Yes would become the new "why, what, how." So, in the book, I discuss this Aha... Wow! Yes concept many times, hoping it would become a new way of thinking.
SM: One thing that struck me when you and I met was your emphasis on contributing to create a world of hope and joy. These days, that seems especially important, considering all the negativity. How do you keep that hope and joy within yourself?
GG: I try to find it in the people I meet. I focus on the positive things. I heard an interview with the previous foreign minister of Sweden the other day. He said he had hope because we still have a significant transformation to undergo with women's roles in society.
He saw a lot of hope in this, as we need to transition from a man's world to a balanced world with both men and women. Messages like these and people who think this way bring me hope.
Additionally, the younger generation amazes me. Every time I talk to them, I’m struck by how clever and insightful they are. When I think back to when we were young, I wonder if we were as perceptive and engaged as they are now.
SM: What does “transformation” mean to you?
GG: For me, transformation is a concept many people talk about, each with their own definitions. I see transformation as a more significant change than just improvements.
Transformation, to me, is a radical change. You often start by envisioning the future and then look back to determine what needs to happen to achieve that vision. Transformation covers the mindset, the system, and the culture of a company or society. It's a very thorough change.
In my book, one of the longest chapters is about learning—specifically, how to learn faster than the speed of change.
SM: A lot of people say they don't have time for learning because they're too busy. How can you keep a learning mindset, despite being super busy?
GG: I think we need to add inspiration to learning. We need to talk much more about inspiration. When we're inspired and curious, we learn much more and create the time.
For example, you might have many emails and messages to go through, but suddenly one catches your interest, and you spend quite a long time on it. Why? Because it inspires you or attracts you, and suddenly you create time for it. You didn't plan to spend half an hour on it, but something triggered your interest, and you did.
We have a limited amount of time each day, so we need to set aside time for learning as part of our work. Just like answering emails is part of your daily tasks, you also need to allocate maybe one or two hours a day just for learning. Many writers, for instance, spend time reading before lunch and writing after, or vice versa. This process is about learning and getting new inspiration and perspectives.
In business, we've forgotten to take time to learn, so we need to schedule it into our agendas. I have many examples and tips in my book on how to speed up this process.
SM: Is the intention of your book to resonate on an emotional level?
GG: Yes, I put in a lot of stories in it and a lot of quotes, because many books on leadership and change and transformation, they are written in a very transactional way, in a sort of square mechanistic engineering type of books. I don't believe that you can explain leadership to leaders. You cannot, but many do.
Many think that if you explain a model or something, then people will say, okay, and then they will sort of get it. But I think you need to go the whole circle. “Aha...” is the learning and “Wow!” is the inspiration. And “Yes.” is the action. So you have to go do all the whole circle in either way.
SM: In your book, you discuss three ingredients: sustainability, technology, and global political discourse. From your perspective, what do you believe is a healthy, positive approach to these three?
GG: The more you learn about these issues, the better you understand them. It helps you feel like you're not necessarily on top of everything, but you're keeping up with what's happening.
Having a positive vision for the future is also crucial. Without a positive vision, you may find yourself constantly engaged in problem-solving, feeling stressed and overwhelmed. A vision colors the actions you take.
I once heard someone describe visions as "memories of the future." The idea is that our memories influence how we select information and think. Similarly, having a vision influences what we see and how we perceive new possibilities.
For instance, if you have a vision of going to the Moon or Mars, you start noticing everything that could contribute to that goal. If your vision is about a sustainable future, you focus on positive aspects that align with that vision. Of course, you also see the barriers, but I think it's essential to focus on the positive aspects to navigate the stress of today's society.
Sustainability, new technology, and geopolitics are indeed the major forces shaping our world today. It's like a perfect storm with these three elements reinforcing each other, and they are interconnected.
SM: How do you build a vision when you don't have a vision?
GG: It involves painting a picture of the future you desire. In business, many companies are accustomed to envisioning futures solely centered around themselves. Today, there's a strong focus on shareholder value and becoming market leaders or unicorns. However, the true vision extends beyond the company itself to encompass the customer and society.
A meaningful vision asks questions like: What will the future customer experience be? What kind of society do we want to create? Who will be the future leaders? This broader perspective shifts the focus from internal metrics like market share and profitability to external impacts and societal contributions.
Most companies begin with the wrong question—what they want to be in five years—without considering the broader implications. Instead, they should start by envisioning the desired customer experience and societal impact. A vision aligned with purpose connects beyond the organization, influencing the world at large.
On an individual level, developing a powerful vision involves considering not just personal ambitions but also the network and the wider world. My book integrates these three levels—the individual, organizational, and global—because addressing major challenges like sustainability requires comprehensive thinking across all levels.
Today's massive challenges with sustainability, geopolitics and new technology demand holistic solutions that transcend individual, organizational and national boundaries. It's a time that calls for more compassion, building real trust, and ambitious visions capable of making a significant impact on the world we live in.
SM: Do you think you could have written this book earlier in your life?
GG: Maybe not. Many young people have strong visions, but as you grow older, you gain a broader perspective and more experience. For this book, a significant part is about sharing experiences and observations, which requires accumulating a lot beforehand. However, there are indeed young people with remarkable visions that are quite inspiring to witness.
SM: In your life, were there any experiences or people who, looking back, influenced the way you think today?
GG: As I began writing the introduction to my book, I listed those individuals who had profoundly impacted my thinking. Sorting through these names was an enlightening exercise, revealing insights into who I've chosen to learn from and why.
If I were to single out a couple of individuals from that list, one would be an Irish expert in cross-cultural communication named Sean Gaffney. His philosophy, encapsulated in his love for people, greatly influenced me. Another notable figure is Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian explorer, whose perspective on society — measured by the number of smiles seen on the streets — left a lasting impression.
I've also learned immensely from my wife, whom I deeply appreciate meeting, as well as numerous colleagues and peers encountered in challenging work environments. Learning from curious minds in demanding situations continues to enrich my understanding. The list of influential people in my life could go on indefinitely.
SM: You've been involved in leadership development for quite some time. If you were to share a crucial point with a leader right now, what would it be?
GG: For me, it would be to encourage leaders to take initiative and focus on developing their people. Leadership isn't about oneself; it's about nurturing capable leaders within your team. If you can develop strong leaders, that's the ultimate mark of effective leadership.
In my book, I explore key questions like how we can foster leaders who genuinely care about the broader world. This, I believe, is one of the fundamental questions we need to address today: How do we cultivate leaders who prioritize the well-being of the entire world? Developing such leaders would be truly transformative.
There's much more to discuss on this topic, but I often think of a famous Einstein quote: "If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes."
This quote resonated with me as I pondered the essential question for a leadership book. Ultimately, I settled on: How do we ensure our leaders genuinely care for the world as a whole? This, I believe, is the pivotal question moving forward, essential to shaping a vision for effective leadership, especially given the current state of affairs in many cases.
SM: Is this also why you named your consultancy Compassion?
GG: Yeah, exactly. Because I believe it's a key to the future. Interestingly, it was my wife who actually suggested the name for the company. She has a background in yoga, and compassion is a fundamental concept in yoga philosophy when envisioning the future.
The word "compassion" itself combines "passion," which resonates with my work in communication, and "compass," which ties into my focus on strategy, visions, and values. So the name "Compassion" encapsulates many elements that are central to what I do.
SM: Is there anything specific you'd like our readers to focus on?
GG: I believe the key takeaway is our discussion on compassion, which I've highlighted as the cornerstone in the final chapter of my book. Compassion shapes how we interact, communicate, and lead. It's remarkable how much impact this single word can have.
I encourage listeners to explore more about compassion, adopt more compassionate behaviors, and observe the positive ripple effects it brings to their surroundings. When you inspire others, you'll find yourself inspired in return.
SM: From your perspective, does compassion begin with our relationship with ourselves or with others?
GG: I believe it starts with yourself, wanting to perceive the positive, being curious, and listening with your heart to do good. When you actively listen and strive to find positivity in all interactions, you nurture a positive atmosphere and foster stronger relationships. I see this as the essence of compassion.
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Check out Gunnar George’s transformational book, Aha... Wow! Yes : how to accelerate learning, collaboration and transformation - towards a "world of hope and joy. It is often the leaders of change who need to change their own mindset and behavior the most. The book explores nine mindset shifts essential when facing the future. It also outlines ten marks you need to make when leading transformation of organizations, systems and culture.
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