Sara Hermansson is Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Power Solutions, the creator of a popular Swedish innovation podcast, and the founder of a female leader award. She was also named Female Engineer Leader of the Year in Sweden in 2015. She dresses with intention and confidence, her signature look is a full orange suit.
1. Today is International Women’s Day, a moment when we highlight women with great ambition and purpose. As part of this, we would love to showcase your story. Can you share with us a specific ambition or goal you’re currently pursuing, and how you’re taking steps toward it?
I don’t have any specific measurable goals other than make the most out of my time in this life. Both in relationships with my husband, my daughters, other family member and friends as well as being able to lead and make an impact. Well I have one goal: that my impact is big enough and my leadership valuable enough to become a ”welcome to my hometown” portrait at Arlanda airport.
2. We talk about “Carry Your Ambition” as a play on words. It is both a literal bag and a symbol of the weight of ambition. In your life, have you ever felt that ambition as a burden, something that drives you but also puts a lot of pressure on you, weighing you down and sometimes making you doubt yourself? If so, how do you navigate that tension?
Ambition is for sure a blessing and a curse! And I have tasted both sides… I got a burn out in the past due to too stressful environments and too high pressure which helped me really see value in also recover. So you can see I both have ambitious plans for execution and for recovery.
3. We’ve seen how icons like Margaret Thatcher used color in their outfits to stand out and project power, making a strong statement. In a similar way, how do you use color in your outfits to elevate your confidence, assert your presence, and help you rise above self-doubt as you pursue your ambitions?
When clothes talk, people listen. I heard that the first time for Anna at Kvinnokompetensen. She taught me that clothes is part of my personal brand and I have embraced that to the fullest. I chose clothes in the morning based on my agenda for the day: will I deliver a tough decision it needs to be serious and a bit dressed down. Should I deliver an inspirational speech I need something powerful. Going on a trade show or exhibitions with lots of people: I pick a colour that stands out. Like my power orange suit. To be honest, that suit I bought on vinted for 100sek just for fun, but it makes so many happy when I wear it and also very rememberable so I’m pretty sure we have had some extra business traction thanks to it. Great example of that clothes really can talk!
Curious to meet the next bold woman in our mini-series Carry Your Ambition? See the full publishing schedule here.
