Over the course of a long career working in both small and large companies, leading more than 700 employees, managing projects in over 25 countries worth more than 120 million dollars, founding and selling businesses, and running my own company for more than 30 years, I have met an incredible number of people. Some stand out, for better or worse.
And then, there are those who stand out so quickly that you know at once they have far more to offer than they let on. That was my first impression of Kristian. Within a very short time, I knew he was someone with unusual abilities, perhaps not even fully aware of himself of how his life experiences had shaped him into someone with a remarkable and still‑unrealized potential. Kristian managed, in his own humorous, unique, and humble way, to present himself and his background in such a way that I quickly saw that what he needed was not talent; he already had that. He needed someone who could enable him, a sparring partner, and guide to help him unlock his potential.
Our paths first crossed through music. Alongside my professional career, music and entertainment have always been passions of mine. I have spent a lifetime playing and performing, and those lessons – communicating, attracting attention, bringing people together, and doing so with credibility, have served me well in business. For the past 17 years, I have been a singer in a band where Kristian’s father, Per, plays the drums. In 2018, Per asked me to meet Kristian, believing I might be someone who could guide him. Since then, it has been a great pleasure and inspiration to coach, advise, and collaborate with Kristian, both in Denmark and abroad, and to watch how, with his own abilities and only a few nudges, he has been able to release a potential I have rarely seen. From a winding path, including a well‑executed leadership role in Barcelona in 2018, to a strong position in Riga, the founding of several companies, a successful leadership role in a large international company with travel across the globe, the completion of a PhD with highest possible distinction, and now the publication of this book on strategic leadership, it is clear to me that Kristian understands what it means to turn theory into practice. Music offers a fitting parallel to leadership. You can be the best singer or band leader, have read everything about music, and still fail if you can’t make it sound good together. To start right, keep the rhythm, and finish in a way that leaves the audience delighted requires that everyone can play and wants to play. Perfection is not necessary every time, but you must believe in the lyrics, sing them with joy, and deliver them so that the audience feels and enjoys them. And you must be willing to step up and perform whenever asked, without showing fatigue.
Leadership, in my view, is the same. It rests on personal connection, an understanding of people’s differences, and the ability to handle those differences calmly, while also daring to make the hard calls. “It is better to make a bad decision than none at all.” Turning theory into practice requires patience, talent, and experience, whether in leadership, in your own business, or in writing a book. And that is precisely what Kristian has managed to capture in these pages.
A good friend and mentor once told me, many years ago: “No one ever insulted their way to a good friendship or a good business.” That thought has stayed with me throughout my career as a business leader. I wish you great enjoyment and learning in reading this book.
– Jens Husted
