Portrait: Michael Schilling
Michael Schilling is a Director at Interim Search. In his private life, he lives in Gävle and prefers to spend his winters in the mountains, both snowmobiling and downhill skiing.
How would your loved ones describe you as a person?
Helpful, caring, determined, a problem solver who always tries to find solutions to the most impossible problems and challenges.
Tell us about a passion you have.
I like the winter and then also most of the activities that go with it. Downhill skiing is something that has been with me since early youth, since we have had a house in Lofsdalen for many years, it is easy to keep that interest alive. But the mountain world offers a varied range, so snowmobiling is also a good way to get closer to nature in winter. Since I am quite good at carpentry and renovation, I can get stuck in a lot of such assignments as well. I think it's quite fun to dig a hole and cast a post too - somewhere where it's needed!
What does a perfect Sunday look like?
Weeks of work and other activities can make days quite busy, so I try to keep weekends free for spontaneous things and initiatives. I definitely don't want to fill my calendar far in advance - although some events need to be booked in advance, I try to avoid that as much as possible.
When was the last time you tried something new?
I have just started golf again. I'm not very impressed with myself when I say it's something new, but at least it's a relatively new activity. Started playing golf and got a green card in 2008, but couldn't keep it up due to a new house build, mountain house renovation and two kids at the same time. Started taking private lessons this June to make sure I get it right from the start, so we'll see if I can keep it alive this time.
Tell us about a person you look up to.
I think Winston Churchill left a good mark on history. He was a man of rebellion, stubbornness and defense of the West, a man to be admired.
What keeps you motivated?
If you're healthy and so are your children, that goes a long way. And if you have a motivating and stimulating job in harmony with your free time - you've come even further.
What is the most beautiful place you know?
There are so many beautiful places to mention, of course, but Denver in Colorado is fantastic. In 1997, I was working at Coca-Cola and we were on a tour of the US to learn about best practice in Coca-Cola. I woke up one morning in a hotel overlooking the Rocky Mountains. I immediately got the feeling ”I want to live here”, it's almost like Lofsdalen in Sweden!
What would you like to have more time for?
Time is pretty much the same for everyone and I think I allocate it pretty well today. A prerequisite for finding a balance between work and leisure is that you can control your time and I can really do that today as we have very flexible conditions at work, both from where we work and how we spend our time.
Age: 60 years
Raised: Gävle, more specifically Brynäs
Family: Two adult children and a separate house
In the headphones: Primarily music, especially Gino Vanelli and Steely Dan
On the bookshelf: I am currently reading Greedy Sweden by Andreas Cervenka
Recommend: The book The art of being kind by Stefan Einhorn
Life motto: Do things now - there's no need to wait
