Manager material !

VOLVO - IT

 My summer work.

It is my first job ever ( Its a first real job, in the field I like a lot - Business Intelligence ). I was to meet my line manager at ARU ( Arendal - beautiful seaside office) after several days of confusion and waiting. It is my first day at my first job; of course I was excited, thrilled and worried. I was hoping that I was competent enough for the job and also swore to myself that I would give it my blood and sweat to do so ! (these lines were repeating in my head like an old broken tape recorder).

With all of this running in my mind: I wore a blouse with neutral cream colour which I was saving for an occasion like this. Before I realized, the time was clicking by. I rushed to the tram stop ( thankfully I had wore comfortable shoes) and changed to a bus which passed through several parts of the Volvo Industrial Area and finally I arrived at Arendal. It was sunny and good weather ( weather is always important when you are starting anew, I feel). I had reached 20 minutes early to the meeting as I got off at Arendal Skans (he had sent me a map and very clear instructions, which proved to be so convenient). As I got off and walked, I recognized the place. I had been there before to the Volvo museum (felt good - not sure why, maybe the familiarity). I decided I would get some 'glass' (There's always time for an ice cream) and wait for him outside the museum and call him almost at the time we had decided. On making this decision, I walked close to the museum entrance. 

There was a fairly young and handsome man with sparkling eyes, sitting on the wooden bench facing the direction in which I was walking. He was on his phone and also had an acquaintance expression on his face as he saw me. I was pretty sure that I had never met this person ever before. There was an internal conflict: should I smile at him since it was already an awkward eye contact or should I be Swedish about it and ignore. Before the thought process completed, he walked towards me and introduced himself as Stefan ( Stefan Lökholm) and asked me if I was me  (:P) I nodded a yes and he explained that he was expecting me and that's the reason he waited there. We walked to his office, picked up my computer bag and we drove to the place where we make an ID. I am unsure what had gotten into me - I spoke non stop until we reached the ID making office. I spoke about the weather, about how much I like Sweden and about all the places I went to and want to go to and how I froze to death by camping in March. He listened to me- he listened to me with genuine interest ( I still wonder how he could be so nice, even when I was boring him to death). We reached the ID office, waiting in line to make the ID, and once done, checked if it works as expected, so that I wont have issues in the future; and al along, I had continued to talk.

We reached Torslanda- from where I am supposed to work. He  taught me to open my computer, to log in, to use the email, to use the internal communicator (Lync), treating me like a little child (which I was). The kindness beamed inside of him. He, along with me, walked to my desk, showed me how to use a docking station, himself went under my desk just to fix the electric wires and also showed how locking the computer system is done. It was the simplicity and humility I saw. He remembered to show me the coffee machine, the toilets, the printing places, the stationery location and even the emergency exit. It was the practicality that he had. He called the functional manager and discussed with me the tasks I am supposed to do and helped me think. He was being a teacher and guide. He discussed with me on how to ask questions, how to plan my work and explained what to expect- he taught me to be professional. He was always clear on what was possible on his side and what was not. He reflected to me that being clear on one's thinking and letting others know about it is important ( I realise that one must never be left on the leash) .The next day he visited to see if I was doing ok - again, I witnessed the soft side of him. He showed me that being human is important. He discussed with me about work, deliverables and payment in a clear and understandable way. It felt like he had a check-list to do everything for a new employee. As a line manager he justified all of his duties soo efficiently. He sets an example for all managers.

That night, I lay in my bed thinking - if I ever become a manager, I WOULD LOVE TO BECOME LIKE HIM!