Meet Oskar Berg
- CEO of Axelent USA

With over two years at Axelent, he has been at the forefront of a fast-growing organization in the U.S. In this interview, he reflects on the differences between Swedish and American work culture, what drives him as a leader and what the Axelent spirit is all about.

How long have you worked at Axelent?

I have been with Axelent for about 2 ½ years now.

What motivates you personally as a leader?

I thrive on being the leader of a company that is expanding rapidly. Guiding and coaching all my team members through this exciting time is very rewarding.

What’s the difference between working in Sweden compared to the USA?

Where do I start? I think the biggest difference is the speed at which decisions are made. In the US, decisions are made quickly and from the top. In Sweden, since it is a consensus driven society, topics are discussed at length and then a decision is made. Also, Americans are notoriously bad at taking breaks and time off work. I tried to introduce Fika, but it failed because people just wanted to get back to their computers.

“Trust people’s skills and competencies.”

Can you share a challenge that taught you something important?

I have learned the importance of creating a good team and not be afraid of delegating tasks to people who can do it better. During my time we have grown from 13 to 28 people. In the beginning I had my hands in everything but realized that it is impossible to be part of every project or decision. You end up doing a poor job and create a sense of micromanagement among the employees. Trust people’s skills and competencies.

What do you want employees and customers to feel when they think of Axelent?

I hope our team members take pride in what we do and are energized and motivated when they come to work every day. I hope customers feel that we truly care about their challenges and that we create long term value added.

“The “One Axelent spirit” is real and something we benefit from every single day.”

What’s the best thing about working at Axelent?

The Management Team in Sweden has built a very good organization globally. The One Axelent spirit is palpable and something we all benefit from on a daily basis.

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