Interview with Krister Gullström,
General Manager at EFF
The interview began at 11 a.m. on a June morning. It was scheduled for one hour but – to the pleasant surprise of both parties – it took two hours. There wasn’t any script or any pre-prepared questions. The aim of the interview was to get to know the person who has been the manager at Duni EFF – European Finance Center for almost ten years. The idea originated during Krister’s hospital stay. It turned out that the worldwide isolation caused by the pandemic has affected the day-to-day operations of hospitals, staff, and patients considerably. Krister agreed to talk to me immediately.
I encourage you to read the interview below.
Anna Jankowska: : In a way, COVID-19 was one of the reasons for this interview… That’s why I wanted to ask you about your view on the post-Covid reality…
Krister Gullström: We need a flexible work model. Up to a certain point the current office size is right just as it is. However, if we want to expand and need to adhere to regulations concerning social distancing, there might be a problem with sufficient office space. I think that the hybrid work model is a good solution. Working from home is a great facilitation for those who don’t live in Poznań.
I’m not sure if I’d like to work solely from home. Staying at home all the time might become boring. Moments of spontaneous conversation when you can come up with different ideas are very important. Remote work model limits the opportunity for interaction. Even team leaders’ meetings held on Teams. Formely, the discussions were much longer. Now, the meetings are much shorter. Online meetings are not conducive to long conversations. For new employees remote work model is not perfect either – it is difficult to get to know your co-workers and the culture of the company from home.
I have a feeling that without any meetings with partners or clients at their headquarters for so long you start losing your grip on what is going on there. Of course, you can always communicate via emails or videoconferences, but it’s not the same.
A: Do you think that professional competencies will change in the future? Will some competencies become more important than others?
K: From the practical perspective, the process of remote work is running smoothly. We have prepared for it. Employees are independent. In the case of working from home, work has to be organized differently. It’s not the same thing as working in the office – if you’re sitting at your desk for 8 hours it means you’re working. For me, the most important thing is what you do. Remote work should not be difficult for an experienced employee. However, proper mentoring and onboarding of new employees is crucial. If you work in the office next to someone with years of experience, you can learn a lot. If you work from home, you don’t have that chance. Day-to-day operations can be easily done from home. However, managerial tasks, coming up with new ideas or mentoring require more mobilization, which makes it more difficult. These are the competencies that need to be developed.
A: Do you think changes are necessary?
K: Of course. Some changes are easy, and some, like company restructuring, are very difficult processes. It’s important to be able to predict and prepare for future changes. When you work for a big corporation and then decide to start your own business, you need a lot of courage, time and work to make it happen. When you want to do something creative – to paint or compose music, then you need to put in a lot of time and be talented.
A: Yet, COVID was not something we were prepared for. Do you think that lockdown was necessary?
K: There might’ve been more possibilities if the society had been better prepared. First, the problem was ignored, and then, hasty and hectic decision were made. If you can’t see something with your own eyes then it doesn’t exist. Until you actually see it, you don’t want to spend money on prevention methods. When no one is ill, you think you don’t need lockdown. But maybe no one got ill because lockdown was introduced. The reality showed that despite isolation people were still getting ill.
A: You had graduated from university long before COVID-19 struck. Have you always planned on following this career path or was it all coincidence?
Krister gave up his own office space to spend more time with EFF employees.
K: I had never planned to work in management control or accounting. When I was at university I wanted to be a Portfolio Manager in Investment Banking or Corporate Finance. My career path was quite coincidental. My first job? I lwas looking for anything. My friend started a company where I worked for 4 years. We provided information services, a type of consulting. We had different data bases at our disposal, e.g. data bases connected to scholarships or other means of funding. We published books. When my friend decided to work in a different field, we went our separate ways. I didn’t want to run that company alone. I got a job in accounting by accident. I was responsible for general ledger consolidation. They quickly needed a temporary replacement. I was supposed to work there for a couple of months, but I stayed for a few years. I learnt a lot, I travelled a lot too, but the job was repetitive. I wanted to gain new competencies and learn about IT systems. I found what I was looking for in a pharmaceutical company. I was the IT systems expert. I worked there for three years. At that time some other company was looking for someone for a Financial Manager position. I thought it would be worth to try, and that’s how I got this job. I never had any long term plans, and yet, I’ve been working at Duni for 10 years.
A: Do you still want to face new challenges at work, or maybe try somewhere else?
K: Working at EFF is very interesting. A lot happens here. There are new challenges to face almost every year. VAT Compliance services are not something I would have thought of three years ago. It would be nice to try something new but I don’t have anything specific in mind yet. I’d like to visit a more exotic place, for example to live in Africa for a few years. My uncle used to be a contract engineer, so he worked in different parts of the world. Maybe I could do some contract projects for an international organization, too.
A: Did you consider living and working in another country?
K: As a child I lived for three years in the USA, so I’d already experienced living abroad. In the final year of my studies I spent a few months in Indonesia as an intern. I wrote a dissertation on sewage systems. When I googled my name, I found it on ISPN (Mentoring Initiative Navigator Program) where my dissertation was submitted. One summer I worked in France. Then I moved to Poland. An opportunity arose, so I took it.
A: Was working and living in Poland a big change for you and your family? Did you compromise or decide on your own to move here?
K: The whole family wanted to move to Poland. My wife especially. We thought it would be only for three years. There aren’t that many differences between living in Poland and in Sweden, as there are between living in the USA and in Sweden. The people and general mentality are quite similar. In the USA people behave differently. They have different values. My daughters were small when we moved, so they can’t compare it. Now, my older daughter is 19 and she lives in Sweden. My younger daughter lives here with me and she’s in high school now. She doesn’t have any fixed plans for the future yet. She keeps coming up with new perspectives and ideas.
A: Fatherhood – what kind of dad are you? Do you instil your own values in your children or do you give them space to discover the world on their own?
K: I am truly lucky to have such decent children. In general, I’m the kind of person who steers clear of conflicts. I try my best to solve problems peacefully. The most important thing is that my children are healthy and happy. What they do and how they live is their choice, they know what is best for them. If the way they live is not detrimental to their health and doesn’t put their lives in danger, then they have my blessing to do as they please.
A: “Because we have limited time” – these words, spoken in a conversation between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs could not describe our current situation more accurately. What about you? Have you rethought your values or started looking at life from a new perspective?
K: I don’t think so. I’ve learnt that life is short long ago. The last 20 years have passed very quickly. I always thought that you have to do as much as you can before it’s too late. You have to use the opportunity you’ve been given and not waste time. If you are dissatisfied with something, and you are ambitious, then change something in your life. Don’t wait for 10 years for it to happen on its own. A few months ago I had a kidney transplant. If you’re lucky, you quickly go back to your normal life after the surgery. If you’re not so lucky – you can end up being disabled. I considered various scenarios. What you can do when you can’t move freely, when you’re ill or disabled. I am very happy that I got so lucky in my life. It’s a waste of time to feel sorry for yourself and be dissatisfied with your life when you’re healthy.
A: Is this your definition of happiness? Do you think we need material things?
K: The most important thing is freedom. It’s enough that you are free to move on your own, that you are not stranded in a hospital or at home. We quickly forget about what is really important. Do material things matter? I think so. But you can’t take them (or yourself) too seriously, so as not to be perceived through the lens of your possessions. Material things do matter, but they are not the most important thing in the world.
A: What do you dislike in other people?
K: I don’t like people who are judgemental and blame others for their own failures, who think that everything is someone else’s fault. When you hold a managerial position, it is one of the worst traits you could have. The second worst trait is not taking responsibility for your own decisions. I hope I do not exhibit such traits.
A: How do you like to spend your free time?
K: Some people have only one passion throughout their entire life. For me there were several in different stages of my life. I played tennis for several years. I don’t play anymore at all. I used to play the guitar, now I rarely do so. There are moments, when I can’t stop reading for a year, and then I have a long break and stop reading altogether. When I was 20 years old, I used to work in a wine shop. My interest in wines is one of the passions that have stayed with me until this day. Nowadays, my favourite way to spend free time is to go on a boat on a sunny day, while drinking coffee and eating some tasty pie.
A: What are the places you’d like to visit, the places you miss?
K: I’d like to visit south Africa, particularly Namibia and Botswana, pristine regions with few inhabitants. Out of all the cities I’ve seen, New York has made the biggest impression on me. The people there are very open. Whenever you go to a restaurant people start conversations with you. I could see myself working there.
A: There is a Mazda MX-5 NC sports car, which you have had for some time now, parked in the underground parking lot. Do you use it only for summer road trips or maybe something else?
K: I’m in the process of modifying that car. I’m preparing to drive on a track. I’ve changed the tires and the suspension. My brother has some engine parts for me. I wanted to participate in Poznań Track Day but COVID made it impossible. Last year I drove on a track in Łódź. I don’t race. The driver drives alone on a track and is being timed. All I need is a racing helmet and a car. I like vintage cars, classics, particularly Ferrari 308 GTB – the one Magnum used to drive in the ‘80s.
A: What should I wish you?
K: For my kidney to work as long as possible and for the wellbeing of my family.
A: Thank you for the interview and for your time.
K: Thank you.