NBF 2022 Insights – Focus on Culture, Values, and Curious Adaptability

During the darkest time of the year, it’s the perfect moment to revisit energizing memories from Nordic Business Forum 2022. The event offered an inspiring selection of insights tied to the future of leadership and working life. From this rich “buffet,” we have selected a flavorful combination of ideas to inspire your thinking.

Let us take care of your ERP and financial management—so you can focus on enjoying these curated insights. Here’s some inspiration and practical takeaways for your everyday work.

We’ll focus specifically on the importance of culture and future work-life skills. Our inspiration comes from corporate anthropologist and entrepreneur Jitske Kramer, investor and hotel owner Petter Stordalen, and historian and author Yuval Noah Harari.

Culture Is the New King – Turning Culture into a Success Factor

In the rush of everyday life, time can feel like it slips away as quickly as sand on a tropical beach. In the midst of busy schedules, we often forget that our daily behavior shapes culture. We may also overlook how strongly values influence our actions.

Jitske Kramer captured this perfectly: people define the values that guide their behavior. She emphasized that cultures are not static—they evolve and change. We shape culture, and culture shapes us.

Values influence everything we do, both in work and beyond. Yet in daily routines, we rarely stop to ask whether company values are still relevant or reflected in practical actions. It is essential to identify values that no longer serve the organization—and to plant and cultivate new ones.

Kramer encouraged reflection:

• How do your company’s values show up in everyday actions?
• What actions reinforce those values?

She also highlighted the importance of shared rituals within teams, which can accelerate cultural change. What could your team’s ritual be?

A compelling example of culture’s role in success—and crisis resilience—was shared by Petter Stordalen. In January 2020, his Strawberry Group was the largest hospitality chain in the Nordics. They had also acquired the iconic Kämp hotel group in Finland and invested heavily in the travel industry.

Then COVID-19 hit.

According to Stordalen, their culture prioritized personality over CVs. During the crisis, they relied on strong planning, fact-based decisions, transparency—and the ability to embrace chaos. Their culture became a key driver of survival.

Hotels were not closed—they were kept open. Guests were not turned away—they were welcomed.

Stordalen summarized it powerfully: “Culture is the new king.”
He also emphasized a simple but powerful principle: KISS – Keep It Super Simple.

This raises an important question:
Are your company’s values still relevant—or are they outdated? Is it time to refresh them?

Curiosity and Adaptability – The Most Important Skills of the Future

Automation—and especially artificial intelligence—is transforming our jobs, whether we like it or not.

Yuval Noah Harari explained that many knowledge-based professions are more easily automated than jobs requiring manual skills. He also challenged a common assumption: while creativity is often seen as a uniquely human strength, AI is increasingly surpassing humans in creative capabilities—particularly in pattern recognition.

According to Harari, AI excels both in data processing and in identifying and responding to human emotions. He encouraged building a “safety rope” for the future based on curiosity and continuous learning. This mindset helps individuals stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Adaptability, he emphasized, is one of the most critical skills of the future.

At Proseduuri, we have also observed how essential adaptability is—especially in ERP systems and business process management. We always aim to adapt ERP solutions to the customer’s needs. The Jeeves ERP philosophy reflects this: the system adapts to the customer—not the other way around.

So consider this:
How will AI impact your role? Your company?

Change has always been part of the world, but its pace continues to accelerate. Just like the industrial revolution reshaped work, AI will create both disruption and opportunity.

Instead of fearing the future, embrace curiosity and adaptability.

Make Space for What Matters

But where do you find time for reflection and self-development in the middle of a hectic workday?

When your ERP and financial management are running smoothly, you have more time to focus on meaningful development—updating company values, aligning actions, and growing your own skills toward the next level.

Let our expert team and solutions take care of the complexities of ERP and financial management—even if they sometimes feel tedious—so you can focus on what matters most.

And remember, whatever you do: Keep it super simple.

Let’s make your operations and financial management truly excellent—together.

Proseduuri Oy