Meet a Nilar employee – Jon
What led you to work in the energy storage industry?
I got interested in this industry because the energy storage industry is incredibly exciting and, in general, it’s undergoing extreme progress; it is really an industry of the future. The world needs to go where we at Nilar are aiming. The grid comes with limitations, that’s where our products come into the picture. The environmental aspect is important for me; it’s also a big reason to why I wanted to apply to a company like Nilar.
What can a typical workday look like for you?
It consists of a lot of meetings with stakeholders around our project office. I spend a lot of my time involved in work with team members. I work with making sure projects proceed, trying to answer questions to move different projects forward. I have coaching sessions with my coworkers where we work on finding different methods to move forward, being solution oriented. I am passionate about proficient reports; they make it easier to evaluate the progress in different projects. In our meetings, we figure out how to get from A to B.
Early mistakes your learnt from in your career?
To always listen to feedback when it’s being given, to assimilate it. To understand that the initial plan you have may not be the best way to move forward. Sometimes it’s better to reconsider. The best outcome has usually been when I first had an initial thought and then challenged myself to rethink and to question if that is the optimal path to go down, to think completely outside the box. Even if it meant including solutions that would be outside the scope, to dare to rethink. Be critical of yourself, when you’re being challenged is when you learn.
What do you do in your free time?
I spend time with my family. I have two kids (nine and five years). A lot of my free time is spent on their activities. I train in a Swedish veteran ice hockey league; I like to play ice hockey a couple of times during the week. Now, during the pandemic, everything is closed so I built my own rink. We’re using it almost every day; it’s a fun activity for the whole family.
What’s the most important thing to consider when working with processes and projects?
The most important things are to be solution oriented and to always focus on the delivery. Planning and structure are important but a plan may need to be changed often, so it’s crucial to be solution oriented all the way. It’s essential to focus on delivery within a certain timeframe; if the scope of the project doesn’t change, it’s important to meet deadlines. You must be open to alternative solutions and rearrange the plan several times when necessary.
Who inspires you?
Good leaders. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are two examples that come to mind. A good leader is someone who is communicative, open, transparent and has the ability to inspire others.
A good book you’ve read?
Getting Things Done by David Allen has helped me a lot, both personally and in my work.
What are you looking forward to this spring?
I most look forward to being able to see friends, relatives and family again. I hope to see myself being able to hug my close ones again.
Best tip to maintain a team spirit within work groups during a pandemic?
The best tip I have is to find creative opportunities when you can’t meet up physically. Our team has met up outdoors for walks. I think it’s of great importance to have one-on-one meetings with my work team; every week we spend a half hour and talk about work as well as life in general. Creativity and communication are important for team spirit.
Best thing about working at Nilar?
The best thing is that it’s really fun and exciting every day. You always learn new things; no day is like the other. The company accelerates rapidly; it’s necessary to be solution oriented to be able to deal with all quick turns. There’s something special about Nilar employees; it’s hard to express in words. We have a strong sense of togetherness and a great spirit! I miss seeing people from across departments and look forward to when that will be possible again.