Erlend Sognli Høyem, born and raised in Trondheim, is an experienced leader with a personal goal of enabling those around him to succeed and develop. He is also the Region Manager responsible for establishing his hometown’s new Redpill Linpro office.

– I might not know much about Open Source, but I do know Trondheim. I know the people and understand what it takes to succeed here: trust, relationships, and long-term goals.

The tech capital of Norway is next on the list of getting a very own Redpill Linpro office. Trondheim is recognized as a driving force for Norwegian research and innovation and a hub for startups. Although Erlend Sognli Høyem is currently the sole employee of the Trondheim office, he is steadily making progress in building his team.

– I want to hire local talent. I aim to have five employees by the end of my first year and around 30 people by the time we complete our growth phase. I want to fill the office with friendly, down-to-earth, and super-smart people. You don’t have to be born here, but I want the team to know Trondheim and what makes us a community. We are ‘Trøndera,’ which makes us unique, he says. 

Erlend has worked for several years, helping teams and companies to succeed with their projects. For him, success is about managing expectations, planning, and being honest about the reality of situations.

– Many say projects fail due to time, cost, and quality issues, but I disagree. Failures often stem from unrealistic expectations about our pace. We need to accept that we have only 24 hours a day and that our job is just a part of our lives. Even if we work for eight hours, we aren’t productive for the entire duration. Planning should reflect this reality. So, I’ve been promoting a somewhat different way of working. I call it the real-time value. 

“Real-time value“ is based on the idea that we are productive for 55% of our work time, with the remaining 45% spent on other activities. This percentage remains consistent even if working four days a week or six hours a day. For instance, if an employee estimates needing two days to complete a task, Høyem plans for four days, considering the actual productive time.

– It’s not a bad thing, it is just reality. Interactions at the coffee machine or personal calls are part of life, and life doesn’t stop when you enter work. Accepting this can lead to better planning. It’s quite simple, he says. 

As a leader, Høyem adheres to a few guiding principles: “Love it, Live it, and Leave it.” 

– I like these because they help balance different aspects of life. If you can plan accordingly, you’ll love your work more, integrate it into your life, and be able to leave it at the end of the day, he explains. 

Erlend’s background in sports, particularly in elite speed skating and dancing, influences his leadership style. He believes clear goals are essential for motivation in both work and sports. His dedication is to create an environment where his team can develop and excel.

– I’ve always been interested in fostering growth in others and creating opportunities for them to develop. I’m not the kind of leader that has to be the front-runner. If someone succeeds and I know I’ve been there on the way, that’s enough for me. 

Even if Erlend wants to learn more about Open Source, his primary focus is not the tech part of the job. He aims to build a successful office with a thriving team. One particular goal stands out clearly for him.

– I aim to be the dumbest person in the room. If I am, then I know I’ve done something right.