Customer Cases

A structured approach to leadership training

In 2024, FORCIT has expanded its investment in leadership development, especially in FORCIT Sweden. In the report, P&C Manager Sofia Wiker describes how they began with the leadership team and then scaled the training across the organization.

Sofia Wiker, P&C Manager: “We’ve recently deepened our focus on leadership development through value-based leadership training. In partnership with Predictio and using the PI (Predictive Index) analysis tool, we first assessed our leadership team’s strengths and challenges.”

They followed this with a series of hands-on training sessions.

Sofia Wiker: “In the past year, we’ve invested significantly in leadership training, particularly at FORCIT Sweden, where we’ve conducted four comprehensive training sessions. These sessions started with the management team, including full-day workshops from lunch-to-lunch formats, incorporating PI profiling, personal assignments, and follow-up discussions.”

The training has also focused on supporting new leaders stepping into management roles.

Sofia Wiker: “It’s extremely important, especially for individuals promoted within their existing teams. Transitioning from a team member to a leadership role requires specific support.”

From insight to impact: using PI across the organization

FORCIT has used PI for over five years, both in recruitment and to support internal development. In the 2024 Sustainability report, Stefan Långström and Sofia Wiker share some of the outcomes they’ve seen.

Stefan Långström, Chief People and Culture Officer: “The PI system helps significantly in understanding individual differences and leveraging them as strengths. It assists us in identifying suitable candidates, developing teams, and improving internal communication. After five years of using PI, we’ve noticed improvements in team dynamics and better handling of collaborative challenges.”

Sofia Wiker: “The evaluations of our leadership initiatives using the PI system have been very positive. Managers find it relevant and insightful, sometimes surprisingly accurate. Employees often express astonishment at how accurately the profiles reflect their behaviors, almost as if they’ve been closely observed. Having experience with similar tools at various companies, I personally find PI highly effective for personal and professional growth. It’s intuitive and beneficial for enhancing self-awareness and interpersonal dynamics.”

What value-based leadership means at FORCIT

FORCIT defines value-based leadership as being present, supportive, and trustworthy, and turning those values into action every day. As part of this philosophy, they place strong emphasis on giving leaders the tools and structure they need to succeed in their roles. The PI solution has become one of those tools, supporting leaders in developing self-awareness, understanding their teams, and navigating challenging situations.

In the Sustainability Report, Stefan Långström and Sofia Wiker share how they view value-based leadership in practice:

Stefan Långström: “The core of our value-based leadership approach is being close to and supportive of each other. It’s about leaders actively helping their teams, being engaged, creating continuous value, and embodying trustworthiness: ‘walking the talk.’ Actions must match words, reinforcing credibility daily. Reliability and trustworthiness also translate into safety-conscious behaviors. Leaders must have the courage to address issues immediately, never compromising on safety.”

Sofia Wiker: “Indeed, courageous leadership is critical. Leaders must transparently address issues as soon as possible, rather than avoiding challenging situations. This proactive stance ensures continuous improvement and maintains high safety standards. Equally important, leaders should proactively acknowledge and reinforce positive behaviors, identifying and nurturing strengths within their teams to achieve strategic goals effectively.”

FORCIT Group's CEO Joakim Westerlund has also taken an active role in promoting this leadership approach.

Sofia Wiker: “Our CEO, Joakim Westerlund, exemplified this during our recent leadership training day at Arlanda, Stockholm. He personally participated, sharing his own PI profile and emphasizing the importance of safety and health.”

Continuing the journey

FORCIT’s investment in leadership development is ongoing, and we’re proud to be part of their journey. It’s been inspiring to see how they’ve embraced value-based leadership with curiosity and commitment, and we’re excited to see where they go next.

You can read the entire FORCIT Group Sustainability Report 2024 here!

Recruitment process

1. Creating a reference profile:

ICA Maxi Gnista started the process by creating a reference profile for their "ideal" employee. Using the PI tool, their managers completed the PI Job Assessment to gather objective insights into the behavioral and cognitive abilities required for the role. They also collected data on the traits of their current high-performing employees who enjoy their work and have stayed long-term in the store, and compiled this into a Job target profile.

2. Recruitment Workshops:

The next step was to conduct recruitment meetings in the form of workshops. ICA Maxi Gnista held a total of six sessions with 35 participants per workshop. During these meetings, candidates were assessed based on their performance in group activities, focusing on their interaction with other participants and responses to specific questions. Each candidate was given a score based on their performance.

3. PI Analysis and Results:

After the workshop, all candidates completed PI Assessments, and their results were compared to the previously created reference profile. This provided a score, ranging from 1 to 10, indicating how well each candidate matched the ideal profile.

4. Selection and Hiring:

ICA Maxi Gnista then compiled the scores from both the PI assessment and the workshop, hiring the candidates with the highest total scores. In cases where candidates had the same score, a review of their CVs was used to determine the most suitable candidate.