Stop. Think. Then speak.

That’s the advice my best friend Arife gave me.  

We met in Malmö 16 years ago, when we were both young and bright-eyed – and it’s stayed with me ever since.

I’m from a culture where people are pretty direct. On top of that, I spent years in the football world, where straight-talking is just part of the game. So, when I moved to Sweden in 2010, my way of communicating didn’t always go down well.

But that one piece of advice not only helped me avoid a lot of communication slip-ups in Sweden – it also made me more curious about people and what drives them.

These days, I lead a team of 25 people, and no two are the same. What motivates one person might discourage another. To help them do their best, I’ve had to really pay attention to what makes each of them tick.

I’ve done plenty of leadership training, and I’ve learnt a lot from it. But I still talk things through with Arife – and she’s still the best people coach I know. 

Besnik Vataj
Team Leader

#Personalmatters is about the people who inspire us in our lives and careers through their passion and knowledge about what they do. 
#makeitpersonal #pioneeringpositveimpact 

Mechanical engineering will open far more doors for you. 

That’s what Professor Todorov, the dean of my faculty, told me when I asked to switch degree programmes.

I had my heart set on studying aviation – it seemed so exciting! But my entrance exam scores weren’t quite high enough, so I started in mechanical engineering instead, planning to transfer after the first year.

I worked hard, got good grades, and finished second in my group – usually enough to make the switch. But Professor Todorov wanted to understand why I was so determined to leave, especially as I was doing well.

I told him about my fascination with aviation and my dream of working at the airport in my hometown.

He listened, then said no.

I was SO disappointed. But today, I’m grateful he did. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing R&D at Alfa Laval – and honestly, I think that’s what I’d be dreaming about if I’d ended up working at the airport back home. 

Aneta Stoyanova
CAD Design Engineer

#Personalmatters is about the people who inspire us in our lives and careers through their passion and knowledge about what they do. 
#makeengineeringpersonal #makeitpersonal #pioneeringpositveimpact