Fredrik Härén
Fredrik, you are our keynote in Kuala Lumpur. How would you introduce yourself to our audience?
I’m an author and speaker on business creativity. My niche as a speaker is to be global, and I love speaking at international events in front of an international audience — I’m even called the “Global Conference Speaker” and one of my personal goals is to work in 100 countries in total. I have 67 done, 33 more to go.
My most recent book is called One World One Company: How Some of the Best Companies in the World Are Becoming Global and Why You Should Too. This book has been published in 17 different languages. Another of my goals is to publish my books, not in as many languages as possible, but in as many different alphabets as possible. As an example, this particular book has been translated into Mongolian and has become a best seller in Mongolia, but it’s not even published in Spanish yet. Maybe at LocWorld I can find some good translation providers or suggestions on new languages to translate into!
What can our audience expect from your presentation in Kuala Lumpur?
The presentation will be a combination of two topics: change and global mindset. The message will be about one significant change that will have a global effect.
I will stress the importance of understanding that our customers’ worlds are in constant change, as well as our own — how do we balance these changes to create maximum value?
Also, we need to work on our ability to accept change. Change can happen anywhere, at any time. And you might miss the change unless you have a global mindset.
So, it’s a lot about change. What is important to know about change?
The change has to happen within the individual. It’s not the technology itself that creates the change. The people — the individuals — in companies need to understand that they bring the most value to the company when they are ready to change and adjust to the changes that happen in the world.
It’s connected to the concept of idea perception — your ability to see that the world has changed and how you need to adjust to that change.
Our audience is in the language industry. What’s your relationship to language?
I’m fascinated by how the same word has totally different power in different languages. I’m a native Swedish speaker, but the common language in our family is English. Depending on the situation, I can chose a word in Swedish, English or Filipino. All depending on the message I want to convey.
In my book One World One Company I use the example of Volvo, whose official corporate language is bad English. It’s about getting understood, not about using the right grammar. This is not, of course, applicable to a translation service, but it’s valid in communication.
Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler.
One last note before we go?
One of my inner themes has to do with humanity and the power of idea — I believe in the potential of humanity and the power of ideas.
And I do have many ideas; another of them is to visit 100 islands in 100 months.
What can our audience expect from this presentation?
On my website you can read that I have “an unusually effective speaking style of combining humor and audience interaction with useful content that inspires new thinking and a willingness to change.”
I know how to craft a speech so that, let’s say, an American, a Brazilian, a German and a Chinese person will be inspired and laugh and the same time. What could work better for an international audience such as ours?
We are looking forward to Fredrik’s keynote address on February 27, 2019, at #LocWorld39.
