17Dec2025
Leader’s Digest | December 2025
by: Nordic Business Forum
Welcome to the November 2025 edition of the Leader’s Digest, your monthly guide to business leadership. This time, we’ll explore the topic of business development from different perspectives.
Contents
- 6 Tips for Self-Development in 2026
- 3 Podcasts for Personal Growth
- Rethink, Reframe, and Reset with Diana Kander
- Speaker of the Month: Steven Bartlett
- Over 7,600 Tickets Sold for NBF 2026
- 280,000 Trees Planted through World Vision
New Leadership Insights
6 Tips for Self-Development in 2026
— Insights from Nordic Business Forum 2025 Speakers
At Nordic Business Forum 2025, several speakers reminded us that personal growth supports professional success and vice versa. From reducing overwhelm to creating new strengths, self-development doesn’t have to be radical. Sometimes, the most meaningful changes start with simple actions.
Here are a few small practices that can offer you big potential:
April Rinne: Start a Not-To-Do List
Stop doing what drains you—both personally and professionally.
Howard Yu: Add a “Plus-One” Skill
Think of one new skill that expands your value and focus on building that.
Diana Kander: Reimagine from Scratch
Go beyond developing what you’ve done before and start with a blank paper.
Simon Sinek: Ask for Help
Don’t do it all alone; asking builds trust and unlocks new ideas.
Rick Rubin: Start Before You Feel Ready
Forget waiting for perfect conditions, just start. Clarity often emerges through action!
Gianpiero Petriglieri: Have Two Ongoing Conversations
“What are we making?” and “How are we living?” These questions shape culture and character.
These tips can help you with holistic self-development. But remember: you don’t have to do everything! Just start with one
3 Podcasts for Personal Growth
— Check These Popular Podcasts Focusing on Development
As the holiday season is approaching along with the new year, it’s a great time for self-reflection and personal growth.
If you haven’t yet, we recommend tuning into the following podcasts for both deep and quick development tips:
→ On Purpose Podcast by Jay Shetty
Rethink, Reframe, and Reset with Diana Kander
— Discussion from Nordic Business Forum 2025
“Start being curious about the things you control.” – Diana Kander
At the HS Visio Live Studio during Nordic Business Forum 2025, Diana Kander reminded us that growth doesn’t require permission; it starts with how we approach our everyday decisions. Here are a few ideas from Diana:
1. Be curious about what you control
Diana encouraged everyone to start by being curious about the things you control, such as your own time and energy. Small tweaks in how we work can develop you, but also inspire others and trigger wider change.
2. Reframe failure as a launchpad
Most people waste their failures, Diana warned. Instead, she suggests asking: “What assets did I gain from this experience?” Whether it’s relationships, insights, or clarity, even setbacks can help you with your next chapter.
3. Act like you’ve just been fired
It sounds like a tough experiment, but it’s a powerful one. Diana recommended that every two years, you should reflect on your role as if it had just ended. Would you apply again? Or would you pursue something else? This reset can clarify what truly motivates and fulfills you.
New Leadership Insights
Speaker of the Month: Steven Bartlett
Steven Bartlett is an entrepreneur, investor, and host of the globally renowned podcast The Diary of a CEO. He’s the man behind Flight Story and Thirdweb and has also backed high-growth startups including Huel, Whoop, and Zoe.
At NBF 2026, Steven will reveal how performance comes from systems, habits, and ruthless focus. By being consistent and eliminating the non-essential, you can achieve more.
Over 7,600 Tickets Sold for NBF 2026
With Nordic Business Forum 2026 still 9 months away, over 7,600 tickets have already been sold. This is our fastest pace ever!
We’re beyond grateful for the trust and enthusiasm from our community. Thank you for being part of this journey
We are already working on building our best event yet!
Next September, we’ll focus on The Human Edge, diving specifically into performance, decision-making, and collaboration. Oprah Winfrey, Steven Bartlett, Angela Duckworth, Paul Polman, and many others will be sharing their top insights and experiences on the stage.
We hope to have you with us too!
280,000 Trees Planted through World Vision
This year, we continued our tradition of planting trees to fight climate change. Our donation to World Vision results in ~280,000 trees planted in Ethiopia
The project aims to create carbon sinks but also to support equality, food security, and education for local communities.
“Climate change affects most strongly those who are already in a vulnerable position. Droughts, floods, and storms hit hardest in areas where people have the fewest means to protect themselves and recover. That is why the climate crisis is also a crisis of inequality.
A big thank you to the Nordic Business Forum! Your contribution supports both the climate and the communities for whom healthy ecosystems are a lifeline. Every tree planted strengthens nature’s resilience, protects livelihoods, and helps build a safer future for those who need it the most.”
– Annette Gothóni, CEO of World Vision Nordic
Tackling the climate crisis is a shared responsibility of us all. So, we hope you and your organization join us in supporting and protecting our planet
Stop and Think
“The most interesting things are the things that when you first start to do them, people say that’s a bad idea or you’re crazy. If people tell you you’re crazy, you might be on the right track.”
– Rick Rubin
