11 Leadership Learnings from Oslo Business Forum 2024

What makes a leader courageous? It's tackling complex problems that nobody else has been able to solve. It's thinking forward, even without knowing what the future holds. It's remaining optimistic, even in chaos. The true spirit of leadership isn't about managing risks; it's about welcoming change, reimagining the future, and leading the way where others are hesitant to go.

The world we're working on today needs leaders who dare to innovate and make a difference. We must not be afraid to adopt new ways of thinking, behaving, and leading. It's a call for courageous leadership.

Oslo Business Forum 2024 gathered 13,000 CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers from more than 30 countries over two days. Eager to take their leadership to the next level, these executives embraced insights from some of the greatest minds in business today. The event illuminated challenges, shifted ways of thinking, and inspired change. 

Here are 11 of the most impactful leadership learnings from this year's Forum to help you own the chaos and make it your company's superpower.

Learning #1: Don't overestimate the speed or underestimate the size of the revolution.

Mikko Hypponen is an expert in cyber security who examines how AI is transforming the ways we live and lead. At Oslo Business Forum, he revealed why AI is reshaping leadership and how it's empowering innovation. 

"We are building something that is pretty exciting and also a little bit scary."
– Mikko Hyppönen

"Nothing changes the world as much and as quickly as technology revolutions," Mikko said. He beckoned leaders not to overestimate the speed or underestimate the size of the revolution we're facing—it may take longer than we anticipate, but it's sure to be bigger than we can predict.  

AI offers leaders many tools, but implementation comes with challenges and ethical dilemmas. It's driving unprecedented change of the likes we've never seen, from generative art and music to self-driving cars. These advances raise tough questions about ownership, reliability, safety and security and will force leaders to grapple with ethical challenges as they integrate AI into their organizations. Despite that, Mikko said leaders must face their fears. Organizations that fail to adopt AI will be left behind. 

Learning #2: The threat isn't AI. It's our mindset.

Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer of Google [X]. At Oslo Business Forum, he helped leaders understand where AI is headed, which ethical questions to consider, and how to ensure they train it to drive positive change.

We all know change can be painful, and the transformation AI has initiated will be no different. Mo warned leaders that we can minimize the pain and its duration by changing one thing—and it's not technology. 

"There is no threat to humanity as a result of AI. There is something wrong with our mindset."
– Mo Gawdat

We need to shift our mindsets from scarcity to abundance. Once we realize the abundant intelligence of AI, we can create anything. "We'll be living in a world of abundance where the way to compete will not be by stealing from others, but by creating more for all of us," said Mo. 

Mo asked leaders to reflect on one thing: "If you abducted Superman, which ethics would you teach him?" His message is clear: We need to teach AI to be the Superman and not the Super Villain.

Learning #3: Understand cultural differences to ensure every voice is heard. 

Erin Meyer is a bestselling author and professor whose work specializes in cross-cultural management, organizational culture, and multicultural leadership. At Oslo Business Forum, she helped leaders master the art of transforming cultural challenges into strategic opportunities.

Cultural differences in communication extend beyond words—our comfort with silence can also vary significantly. In some cultures, silence in meetings or conversations is awkward and uncomfortable. In contrast, others see silence as a natural part of dialogue or even a sign of thoughtfulness and respect. Erin's research highlights how understanding these differences can help leaders ensure every voice is heard.

Erin noted three distinct dialogue patterns that vary by culture: constant overlap, serve and return, and deliberate pauses. What happens when multiple cultures working together fall into all three patterns? The third group loses. Look out for these varying patterns, and "Then you can hear the voice of diversity," Erin said. 

Learning #4: There is no courage without vulnerability. 

Brené Brown is one of the foremost thinkers on vulnerability, courage, and leadership. Her bestselling book Dare to Lead encourages leaders to build brave, daring cultures. At Oslo Business Forum, Brené explained why daring leadership is an essential skill for the future.  

"There is no courage without vulnerability" – Brené Brown

At the core of Brené's message is the idea that courage cannot exist without vulnerability. In her conversations with leaders from various fields—including military Special Forces and NFL athletes—this point became undeniably clear. Brené's research challenges the traditional view that vulnerability is a weakness, presenting it instead as an essential component of courage.

To be a daring leader, Brené said you must recognize the "armor" you wear. Daring leadership means discarding that honor in favor of being grounded, vulnerable, and brave in the face of uncertainty.

Learning #5: The entrepreneurial mindset is available to all of us.

Sahar Hashemi is the co-founder of Coffee Republic and author of the best-selling book Anyone Can Do It. At Oslo Business Forum, she helped leaders learn how to infuse an entrepreneurial spirit into their companies to continuously evolve in the face of change.

We tend to put entrepreneurs on a pedestal, associating their mindset with agility and resilience and speculating where those traits came from. But, Sahar said, "Entrepreneurs are no different than the rest of us, and I'm living proof of that."

It turns out the entrepreneurial energy is in all of us, but five common obstacles can get in the way of it: 

1. Overplanning. Stop trying to identify what's next. 
2. Bureaucracy. Stop relying on "this is how we've always done it." 
3. Perfectionism. Don't wait for all the answers before you start. 
4. Your "work face." Bring your whole self to work.
5. Fear. Don't allow fear to sneak into your thinking.

Once leaders abolish the patterns inhibiting their entrepreneurial mindset, they must have the courage to take action. Sahar said, "My motto in life is, 'leap and the net will appear.'" 

Learning #6: Fight normality bias and look at the world as it is.

Sanna Marin held the distinguished honor of being one of the world's youngest serving prime ministers and Finland's youngest ever. She brought her unique perspective on leadership to Oslo Business Forum, offering leaders lessons for navigating today's complex and rapidly changing world.

"Look at the world as it is, not as it used to be
or as you would like it to be" 
– Sanna Marin

The normality bias describes our human tendency to assume things will remain as they are despite warning signs of a disaster. It causes us to minimize potential risks, resulting in inadequate responses to change. "I believe most of us are still suffering from it," said Sanna. "Right now, we really cannot afford it."

The normality bias is widespread in businesses, and Sanna urged leaders to avoid it by looking at the information at hand without relying on old assumptions. Acknowledge and accept uncertainty. Practice critical thinking and take bold decisions.  

Learning #7: Confront a turbulent world with a persistent approach.

Morten Hansen is the author of bestsellers like Great by Choice and Great at Work, which translate intricate research into actionable strategies for business leaders. At Oslo Business Forum, he retraced the steps of two teams racing to become the first to stand on the South Pole: the Norwegians and the British. 

Morten has dedicated his career to studying companies that have experienced turbulence and change. Time and again, he has seen some succeed and others fail, much like these two nations. His research revealed these Four Disciplines of Courageous Leaders: 

The Courage to Say No: Identify the critical tasks to prioritize and delegate or stop any that hinder your focus.

The Courage to March: Select the most important metric to track and maintain consistent performance during both good and bad times. 

The Courage to Be Creative: Avoid big bets and instead launch small experiments. Kill the bad ones and invest in the few successful innovations.

The Courage to Manage to a T: Evaluate employees based on performance and teamwork; reward those who excel in both and think twice about any who hinder team unity.

Learning #8: Embrace cognitive conflict with love.

Howard Yu is a bestselling author and Director of IMD's Advanced Management Program. At Oslo Business Forum, he unveiled key strategies for creating a future-proof organization in an era of unprecedented change.

High-performing organizations understand the value of healthy debate. Howard emphasized that embracing cognitive conflict—rooted in trust and love—allows teams to push boundaries, unlock innovation, and arrive at better solutions. It's a delicate balance: too much harmony leads to complacency, while too much conflict erodes trust.

Companies that thrive know how to navigate this tension by creating environments where it's safe to challenge ideas and question assumptions. Howard said, "You get the truth out when important things are at stake," and embracing this cognitive diversity is the key to staying agile and innovative in a competitive landscape.

"You just need to stay one inch ahead."
– Howard Yu

Future readiness isn't about massive leaps. It's about staying consistently ahead by just one inch, compounding small wins into big advantages over time.

Learning #9: Embrace a mindset of constant adaptation and readiness.

Peter Hinssen is an author and leader in radical innovation. At Oslo Business Forum, he shared his insights on navigating this era of "never normal," offering strategies for fostering innovation, embracing technological disruption, and staying ahead of the curve.

"This is the world we live in. We can't hope that it's magically going to go back to stability."
- Peter Hinssen

There is no such thing as "normal" anymore. Businesses can no longer hope for a return to stability. Instead, Peter said leaders must embrace a reality characterized by change that is:

• Nonlinear, where we are forced to constantly adapt to unpredictable forces.
• Superfluid, where intelligence is defined by the ability to respond quickly.
• Hyperconnected, where disruptions in one part of the globe send ripples across industries. 
• Ultra-Speed, where we must innovate quickly or risk being left behind.

In this "never normal" world, leaders must abandon the hope of returning to familiar rhythms and instead embrace a mindset of constant adaptation and readiness.

Learning #10: Have the humility to admit your weaknesses. 

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist who explores the science of motivation, rethinking, and potential. At Oslo Business Forum, he shared six insights that can help leaders unlock the hidden potential in themselves, their teams, and their organizations.

"Don't be afraid to ask how you can change and how the whole organization can change."
– Adam Grant

You can transform even the toughest challenges into opportunities by cultivating a different mindset—but sometimes asking for advice doesn't yield the desired results. As leaders' experience and authority increase, people may be less likely to tell them the truth. Adam says the key to eliciting honesty is to exude both confidence and humility. 

"Confidence and humility need to go together," he said. Leaders must have the courage to criticize themselves publicly. When you do this, the people around you are more likely to speak candidly. Remember: those who work with you already know your weaknesses; have the humility and integrity to admit it out loud. When you do, you'll see the floodgates of constructive feedback open.

Learning #11: Culture can be a competitive advantage.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær is a Norwegian professional football manager and former player. At Oslo Business Forum, he revealed what it takes to transform culture and performance to win the game.

The best leaders recognize culture can be a competitive advantage. Ole built a team culture based on a "non-management" approach. Ole described the difference between taking care of business (TCB) and taking care of people (TCP). "For me, it's about taking care of the people you work with and getting to know them," he said.

"I like to lead with empathy, but sometimes,
you have to be strong"
– Ole Gunnar Solskjær

Ole recounted the importance of transparency to help his players understand why they weren't playing and reinforce their importance to the team. It's a practice he learned from his own experience when his coach sidelined him during important games, but he understood he was being reserved for critical moments when he might be needed to achieve a win. "I believe a lot about talking forward and telling people they'll get their chance. If you can make your employees feel important, that's a great thing," he said. 

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