One of the assignment during my MIT education included to ask colleagues, friends and family to write a couple of examples of how they saw me as a person and leader.
The feedback was overwhelming and a real boost. The best thing is that the feedback is aligned with how I see myself and also how I like to be perceived.
Blow one’s own trumpet is culturally not a well received thing in Sweden. But this was so humbling and heartwarming I really feel the need to share.
CEO at one of the companies I’ve worked at
Loyal
Fredrik is a person who always stands by his values and shows strong loyalty to his colleagues and the organisation. He is reliable and faithful, which makes people feel safe and cared for in his presence. His loyalty creates an environment where trust and honesty are highly valued, and he is often the one to step in to defend his team when necessary.
Positive
With his positive attitude, Fredrik spreads optimism and joy in his team. He always looks for the best in every situation and motivates others to do the same. His infectious enthusiasm means that challenges are seen as opportunities rather than obstacles, and this positive attitude helps the team to keep their motivation up, even during demanding periods.
Solution oriented
Fredrik is known for his ability to find creative solutions to complex problems. He doesn’t just see challenges as obstacles, but as a chance to rethink and develop better strategies. His hands-on approach to problem solving often produces effective results, and he encourages the team to be innovative and resourceful.
Cooperative
As a team player, Fredrik is always ready to collaborate and values input from others. He believes in the power of collaboration and is good at building relationships across the organisation. Fredrik ensures that everyone feels included and valued, and he creates a collaborative climate where everyone’s contribution is considered important for joint success.
Scrum master for one of the products I managed
Humane
Fredriks commitment to helping other people shows a great humanity, for example how he helps the people in Ukraine.
Responsive
Fredrik is a responsive person. Regardless of who/what role he is discussing with, he listens to the person’s arguments/opinions.
Enthusiastic
Fredrik is very enthusiastic when we have discussions in the team. This gives great energy to the group to want to move forward and solve the task.
Product Lead within the same suite of products as me
Introduction
I have met Fredrik in the Product team where we were navigating through challenging times of unifying several products under one flagship product and then uplifting the challenge of preparing our product for migration while continuing the company SaaS transformation. Those times are challenging and require a lot of resistance and flexibility on a personal level. During this time Fredrik has proven that he is a strong team key player and a role model to lean into. Let me tell you more
Role model
Fredrik has proven that he has a leadership style that is led by example. Definitely showing others what he was capable of inspiring the whole team which then positively resulted in fostering more cooperation across the teams.
Strategic skills
There is no doubt that Fredrik has strategic skills and strong visions about where the company should be heading to. Doubled by his rich experience in tech startups and his up to date knowledge about the martech industry, Fredrik has always had a clear vision that he could translate into tangible milestones leading to fulfilled vision.
Honesty and transparency
Fredrik is an honest leader, he plays fair and can give honest feedback. He is also very empathetic and can help other team members whenever they are struggling. Instead of playing political games, Fredrik was not afraid to speak honestly in broader forums and address the issues that needed to be addressed.
Scrum master for another product I’ve managed
Emphatic Leader
Fredrik has a natural ability to inspire and motivate those around him, always leading by example and encouraging others to do their best while still maintaining healthy and friendly environment.
Visionary
Fredrik has a clear and compelling vision for the future, guiding teams toward long-term success and uniting them toward a common goal.
Mentor with integrity
Fredrik is an excellent mentor who shares his knowledge generously and leads with integrity and with ethical values in mind, earning the trust and respect of everyone around him.
Co-founder in a software company we started in 2002
Fredrik Davidsson is…
Capable of setting goals and working towards them, despite daily interference
Able to work focused by himself, as well as a participating and contributing team member
Curious and characterized by a spirit of exploration, who finds satisfaction in being an early adopter.
Head of roadmap for a scale up SaaS company
Fredrik is a leader in many ways, but I have always found the supreme quality for a leader to be integrity, and this is where Fredrik truly shines. Every day I worked with Fredrik, his integrity, honesty, and kindness was present in every interaction.
An example of when I saw Fredrik show leadership was when he took responsibility and accountability as a manager for a team in Sweden who has been acquired by our parent company. Through his actions, he ensured that his team had a good support system, structured processes, a clear direction on what was expected of them, but most importantly he was their champion and advocate across the business. This team could very easily have fallen through the cracks, made to feel unimportant and an afterthought, but Fredrik ensured that every single person on that team felt valued, and that encouraged others to treat them the same.
Fredrik’s values, standards, and expectations on himself carry through to everyone with whom he works, and I found myself oftentimes getting excited about the shared projects or ideas we had because I knew he would follow through and ensure that our shared excitement and vision would come to fruition.
His integrity also greatly comes through in how he treats his co-workers, whom he gives respect, deference, and listens intently to their advice and thoughts, which he always gives serious consideration. As a woman, working in tech can be difficult, especially when it comes to sharing ideas, advice, or expertise and it being taken seriously, but Fredrik is truly an ally to women, he lifts women up, ensures they are treated no differently than men, and he is one of the few men who I felt a true equal of because of the respect he showed me.
I would happily work with, for, around, near Fredrik again, and would count myself lucky and humbled to work with a man who greatly values integrity, relationships, friendships, and hard work. I’ve learned a great deal from how Fredrik treats everyone around him, and I will strive to follow his example throughout the rest of my career. If I can be half as kind and true to myself and my values as Fredrik is, I will have a very satisfying career indeed.
One of my closest friends that I’ve known since high school.
Fredrik is a safe person to have on your team, almost regardless of what position he has. He has provided me and the teams we have shared with exactly that, by being approachable, available and a good listener/analyst.
Fredrik is a fair person, that listens and is open to others’ views, yet safe enough in himself to take hard decisions when he feels that is needed. Pull the plug, or rip the plaster. Important abilities that leads to more honesty in the team.
Fredrik works hard. This sets a very high bar for others and can be very inspiring.
Fredrik is authentic. To me the most important aspect of leadership, and also as a characteristic of a person.
Another one of my closest friends
Dear Fredrik,
You are extremely goal oriented, driven, and set a high standard for yourself. You believe in helping others and this is something that defines you as a person.
Example 1
When you started running back in 2012? you set a goal that you would quality for and complete the Boston Marathon at some point, and you kept at it until you finally qualified for the 2020 event, that was eventually converted to a virtual one due to Covid – so you once again put in the work required to qualify for it a 2nd time, with completion in 2023.
Example 2
You have been engaged for many years now in NGO’s, ensuring that you do your part to help make the world a better place for those less fortunate and this of course extends in recent years to the work you are putting in to, very much hands-on, supporting the Ukrainian people against the Russian oppression with donations, fundraising, delivery of equipment etc.
Example 3
In 2015 Sweden received an unprecedented wave of refugees, mainly from war struck Syria, and in the wake of this came a lot of anti-immigration and racist reactions, voiced mainly on Facebook. You decided to take them on, and responded to every anti-refugee comment you came across, which also meant you had to withstand a lot of bullying, threats and the likes – but even so you continued with this mission for (what I recall at least) several years.
Professional long distance runner
1) you are a great mobilizer especially when you want something to be done,
2) You are true to your word (whatever you have said you have done it)
3) You are mind and generous
4) You value friendship and your respect is awesome
My son
Fredrik has a strong drive to go through with things he starts, such as when he completed his run hike through the welsh mountains with a broken foot.
He also excels in “kind leadership“, where he cares for his subordinates yielding more efficient operations.
Another positive quality is his will and desire to get his hands dirty with the “day to day” work his subordinates do. This grounds him to reality, contributing to his accurate perspective.
My wife
Loyal- a proof of complete loyalty was when you went to Greece when Alex [my grandmothers “new” husband] was ill and were with him first on Leros and then followed him on the boat to Athens and were there with him. Alex has meant a lot to you and you to him.
Loving– as your wife, I know for sure how caring and loving you are, but when I see you with Erik (our son), you go one step further. It’s wonderful to see the care and priority your loved ones have, big or small. You keep track of where we are, how we feel and with small words and actions you show love.
Integrity – you have a high level of integrity. Most of it is on a need to know basis for those around you. There are a select few who get in, but very few who get all the way in. This is not only one sided but you are also protecting those who are loyal to you. A master at keeping secrets or confidences.
Stubborn / goal oriented– the most obvious proof of your stubbornness or your goal oriented is the Boston marathon. Many tries and when you finally got in covid came too. You needed to qualify again and did. A fantastic journey to be a part of.