Leadership of the future: Lars Kevsjö
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?
The core competencies - understanding the business quickly, prioritizing correctly and making decisions - are the same, but complexity has increased. Digitization and AI are accelerating the flow and pace of information. The most urgent skill today is the ability to filter all the data, set a clear direction and translate strategy into action faster than before. Without the courage to make decisions, technology development itself creates no value.
How do you systematically keep your skills relevant?
My development is mainly through practical experience and an honest evaluation of myself after each assignment. I analyse what worked, what could have been done differently, and what patterns I see in high-performing organizations. I also have an ongoing dialog with other senior leaders to bounce ideas and gain new perspectives on change management, leadership and governance.
What skills are most important to maximize your impact in today's fast-paced world?
Building trust and mandate quickly is crucial. Many organizations function well on the surface, but at the management level, today we see too much informing and too few decisions. There is often a lack of clarity and a fear of the uncomfortable. The most important task of an interim leader is to dare to address these issues, take ownership and implement a clear action plan with consistent execution.
What kind of immersion do you see as most valuable for an interim manager?
In-depth knowledge of change management, financial management and organizational dynamics is valuable. You need a long and solid experience in similar leadership roles with performance and people management responsibilities in complex environments. Ultimately, it is documented results from completed assignments that actually build your market value.
What is your best advice to stay competitive going forward?
Be selective with your missions. Make sure the mandate, expectations and problem definition are clear from the start. Choose the right industry, culture and size of company where you know you can deliver on the high expectations. Remember that in practice, you are never better than your last assignment - each completed project either builds or erodes your relevance in the industry.
About Lars Kevsjö
Lars Kevsjö is an experienced and results-oriented CFO with a long background of leadership in complex environments. With a focus on financial management and organizational dynamics, he specializes in quickly stepping into businesses to create structure, drive change and ensure that strategic decisions are actually implemented.
Do you want to move from resource to strategic problem solver?
As Lars highlights, today's missions require an ability to quickly structure complexity and drive digital transformation. On May 18-22, the Interim Management Professional Program in Gothenburg. The program is tailored to give you the in-depth knowledge of change management and strategic leadership required to create added value in the most demanding environments. Read more and sign up here.
