Why Every Leader Should be Asking: “What if the Opposite Were True?”

Encompassing 10 companies, Berner Industrier is an industrial group providing innovative products and solutions within key areas such as water and wastewater treatment, clean energy and sustainable resource utilisation. 

Caroline started her role with Berner Industrier as Chief Executive in May 2022, placed by Odgers’ Håkan Ekström. Our ‘Leading Through Uncertainty’ series brings to life powerful, real-world insights into how boards and executives cut through complexity, lead with conviction and deliver lasting impact in the face of uncertainty. We recently joined Caroline to discuss philosophy, practical actions, the human leadership perspective and what this means for leaders today. 

What does ‘Leading Through Uncertainty’ mean to you?  

Life is inherently uncertain. And trying to convince ourselves otherwise is just an illusion. Rather than resist it, leaders should embrace uncertainty and find solace in the fact that everything changes all the time.  

For me, leadership means continually assessing both opportunities and risks, acting where we can, and not losing energy on what we cannot control. As the famous proverb says, whether it’s good luck or bad luck, the response is: “We'll see.” 

In your experience, what are the key three leadership lessons?

1. Never lose your curiosity. Curiosity, especially about people and their own priorities, unlocks insight. Data and results only matter if people truly understand and act on them. 
2. Be brutally honest about your weak spots. Ensure to surround yourself with people who can cover those areas. Perfection is a dead end so use that energy to build teams that can weather any storm. 
3. Laugh, have fun and celebrate. Energy and morale are critical to performance. I have fantastic people in this group, and I know we wouldn't have come this far otherwise.  

What are the key challenges and disruptions facing your sector? 

Leading a diversified organisation means disruption is constant somewhere, but disruption can also be beneficial. The key is maintaining momentum and avoiding paralysis. 

The opportunity for leaders is to stay alert, act decisively, and turn disruption into advantage. 

How are leadership expectations changing as a result? 

Leadership is no longer about control from the top. We employ highly capable people who engage daily with our customers, partners and suppliers and so if we failed to use these incredible insights from those rich touch points, it would be a huge, missed opportunity. 

The role of leadership is to enable, not dictate: 

• Set direction. 
• Remove barriers. 
• Align priorities and incentives. 

Alignment is always the hardest part. People tend to act rationally from their own perspective, but that perspective may not always match the organisation’s goals. The leader’s job is to bring those into sync and keep everyone moving in the same direction. 

Is there an example you can share where you successfully navigated uncertainty? 

In one case, a key supplier of a distribution company, decided to go directly to market. It was clearly a setback at the time, but what mattered was our response. 

We reacted by reassessing our approach, working collaboratively and creatively rebuilding our market position and ultimately rebuilt the relationship with the supplier, emerging with an even stronger business.

These moments reinforce the value of staying adaptable and using setbacks as catalysts for improvement. We managed to turn a tough situation into something that was even better for everybody in the end. 

What do you think makes a successful leader?  

The leaders who succeed will be those who are curious, can adapt, identify opportunity quickly and build organisations that can function independently and creatively.  

What advice would you give to executive teams or company boards? 

Read widely, question assumptions, and expose yourself to new ideas regularly. 

Technology, including AI, is a powerful tool but it should support, not replace, critical thinking. You need to continue working up there. 

No matter the industry, sector or talent challenge, Odgers has the expertise, track record and global network to build the capability and resilience your organisation is looking for.  

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Odgers provides integrated executive search and leadership advisory services. We are deeply rooted in our local markets, which we combine with global perspective and reach to help organisations build transformational, world-class leadership teams.  

Get in touch. Follow the links below to learn more, or connect directly with our dedicated executive search experts and Industrial leadership consultants at your local Odgers office here.