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Stockholm, 2026-01-19
By Karin Tenelius, Founders Alliance Ambassador Member and Founder of TUFF Leadership Training
Few arenas are as full of creativity, trend-sensitivity, and appetite for innovation as entrepreneurship. Founders are constantly pushing boundaries when building their businesses. Yet there’s one critical area that remains almost entirely under the radar - both in Swedish business and the wider workforce.
It’s the way we lead and organize companies and organizations.
The default model most of us fall into is one that emerged during the Industrial Revolution - nearly 200 years ago. Today, we face entirely different challenges, opportunities, and knowledge, yet too often we cling to this outdated hierarchy as if it were the only viable way to run a business.
I am fortunate to be deeply involved in a strong international movement challenging traditional management practices - especially hierarchical structures that are increasingly seen as bureaucratic and obsolete. The ideas themselves are not brand new, but the trend has gained significant momentum over the past decade. Thousands of companies around the world have implemented self-organizing structures, transforming how teams operate and deliver value.
And this isn’t limited to startups. Large corporations are following suit. Pharmaceutical giant Bayer and appliance manufacturer Haier are exploring new ways of working that break down traditional hierarchies. In the Netherlands, Buurtzorg, a healthcare company with 15,000 employees, operates without a single manager. The result? Exceptional customer satisfaction and high employee demand to join their teams.
Sweden, unfortunately, looks very different. Interest in self-organizing models is minimal. Today, only around 15 small companies in Sweden work with these principles, and most of them operate quietly, without fanfare. We are missing a vital opportunity to learn from the experiences of other countries and adapt these methods for Swedish companies.
For those interested in exploring what’s happening internationally, there are resources and case studies available. Corporate Rebels in the Netherlands (www.corporaterebels.com) has compiled a wealth of examples, and in our podcast Leadermorphosis (www.leadermorphosis.co), you can find 100 interviews with business leaders and entrepreneurs who have implemented these new ways of working.
The lessons are clear: self-organizing principles don’t just improve efficiency - they foster engagement, innovation, and resilience. And for Swedish founders, paying attention to these trends could be a game-changer.
If you’re curious and want to hear more about the experiences of companies breaking the mold, feel free to reach out to me. There’s a goldmine of insights waiting for those ready to look beyond Sweden’s traditional business structures.