Thank you to the 1646 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 questions! I hope reading 7 Questions with
Gote Dahlback
helps you in your leadership.
Cheers,
Jonno
Gote Dahlback
Name: Gote Dahlback
Title: Founder & CEO
Organisation: Thai Invest Properties
I’m an experienced CEO, Sales & Marketing Director, Board Member, Entrepreneur, Company Doctor and Mensa member with over 160 in IQ.
I’ve worked globally for most of my career and have 20 years plus experience of C-level management roles. I have worked mostly within the IT, Telecom, and property sectors, but also founded a number of companies.
I have a broad experience in all aspects of management, sales, marketing, business development, M&A and more. I speak and write fluent English and Swedish.
1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?
Sleeping just 5h per night so I can be first and last at the office and have time to do everything I want and need to do during the remaining 19h.
2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?
I became a leader in sport teams when I was young, in the army and very fast in my professional career.
3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?
I wake up at 5am. Take a shower, read my emails, eat breakfast and news before I leave home at 6am.
Then I try to get as much admin and other need to do things done, before my meetings start at 9am.
Then my schedule is full of meetings until normally 5-6pm. Then I stay at the office until 7-9am before I go home.
Then I eat a late dinner with my wife and spend a couple of hours with her until I go to bed at 12.
4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?
I strive and remind myself everyday that I can always push myself a bit more to become an even a better leader and person. You can never stop trying to make things even better. Fat and happy cats don’t find food.
5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?
Unfortunately I don’t remember all the great books I read when I studied and got my degree in International Marketing.
6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?
Always work harder than your employees and become a role model. You become a leader by showing the way, not telling the way.
7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?
As a Sales and Marketing Director I made the Swedish telecom operator Ventelo grow from a 30M Euro turnover to 100M Euro by organic growth in 8 years. My department during that period grew from 50 employees to around 250 and I coached a lot of middle managers. Many of them are C-level executives today.