Leadership of the Future: Gunnar Wormbs
How do interim managers navigate a constantly changing landscape? In the series “The future of leadership”, we talk to industry professionals about the skills needed for the future. The conversations take their cue from the top-level academic training for interim managers to be held in Gothenburg in May 2026, where theory meets practice to equip tomorrow's leaders.
What requirements do you see for interim managers' skills right now?
You need a general understanding of AI—if only to be able to explain why it might not is appropriate in a given situation. You don’t need to know the details, but you must understand the theories and how it works at a high level. In addition, a basic understanding of change and improvement initiatives—such as Lean—is often a prerequisite for handling challenging assignments.
How do you systematically keep your skills relevant?
I use digital platforms like LinkedIn Learning to stay up to date, mainly because they’re easily accessible. I also try to attend seminars organized by various industry players. For me, it’s about having a clear idea of what I need to learn to remain relevant in my role.
What skills are most important to maximize your impact in today's fast-paced world?
Curiosity and humility. As an interim manager, you rarely get an orientation, and you don’t have as much time as a permanent manager. You have to be willing to admit that you don’t know everything in detail and find the information yourself by asking the people around you. Then you have to be able to carefully sift through what is Need to Know and Good to know. Dare to question complex internal systems and be clear about what actually makes an impact in the short term.
What kind of immersion do you see as most valuable for an interim manager?
Actually, I believe most strongly in courses where you actually meet in person. The collegial exchange is invaluable. The seminars I appreciate most are the ones where I get to discuss challenges and problems with people in the same situation. It’s in those conversations—rather than in the subject matter itself—that the greatest growth often takes place.
What is your best advice to stay competitive going forward?
Trust your core expertise and don’t jump on every new trend. But at the same time, be curious enough to learn the basics of new phenomena like AI. Attend various events and networking gatherings, even if they aren’t necessarily right in your area of expertise—it broadens your perspective and keeps you relevant.
About Gunnar Wormbs
Gunnar Wormbs is an experienced leader based in Stockholm who has worked successfully as an interim manager for the past nine years. With a solid background in navigating complex and regulated organizations, he most recently served as interim Chief Quality Officer at Apotekstjänst, and prior to that as head of the project office at Cytiva in Uppsala.
Would you like to discuss leadership challenges with colleagues who are in the same situation?
As Gunnar points out, personal interaction and discussion of shared challenges are among the most important aspects of in-depth training. This year’s session of Interim Management Professional Program in Gothenburg has now been completed. Here you can see photos and videos from this year's training program and help shape next year's edition.
