AeronauticsDare to Grow: Women@ALTEN on courage, change and AI
Insights from ALTENs event with the theme: Dare to Grow
In October, Women@ALTEN gathered colleagues and guests for an inspiring event on growth, change, courage and the role of AI in the future of work. Under the theme “Dare to Grow”, the evening explored what it means to keep learning, stepping outside of our comfort zones and to remain human in a rapidly changing world with AI.
Keynote Speaker:
Growth is not always comfortable. As the keynote speaker Anna Ålenius Matsson, Head of Marketing at Qurant, reflected that many of us remember moments in life when we almost wished we could stop growing. Perhaps as young adults, when we were getting used to new versions of ourselves and taking on new challenges. But growth never really stops. We evolve in our relationships, in our careers and within ourselves. Learning is part of who we are.
At the same time, change can be challenging. Our brains often prefer what is familiar, and for many of us it can feel difficult to become a beginner again. Yet, change is constant in life, organisations, leadership, technology and in our society. The keynote encourages everyone to meet changes with curiosity, trust and small steps forward.
“Be like Pippi and try,” was one of the messages shared during her speech. If you do not know something, ask. If something feels too big, start small. Growth does not always require a dramatic change; it can begin with trying something new, trusting your gut feeling or stepping just a little outside your comfort zone.
Growing in the age of AI
A key theme of the event was how AI is changing the way we work and learn. The keynote highlighted that 6 out of 10 Swedes use AI , while also raising important questions:
What is truly human-generated?
What do we value in human creativity, judgement and connection?
The message was clear: it is not too late to start exploring AI. Rather than seeing AI only as something stressful, scary or overwhelming, we can approach it with a learning mindset, just like with any change. AI can help us with tasks we do not want to do, support us in analysing information and allow us to utilise our human intelligence more efficiently.
At the same time, our event underlined that AI does not replace the traits that make us human. In an age of rapid technological development, we still need curiosity, courage and the ability to listen to each other. As the keynote concluded: let humans be humans in the age of AI.
Meet the panelists:
Lina Forswall works as a Business Unit Manager at Chief Consulting, which is part of ALTEN. In her role as a consultant manager, she supports our consultants and contributes to building long-term customer relationships within the engineering and IT sectors.
Viktoria Lundberg is a consultant at Chief Consulting and is currently on assignment as an Incident and Problem Manager. She has broad experience from various roles across sectors ranging from the automotive industry to government agencies.
Madelen Poserud currently works as Director of Client Development at Abundly AI, where she is responsible for ensuring that AI is used in the right way and that the human factor is maintained. Her main task is to create AI agents that enhance what humans do best.
Roa Salman Malmberg is a Senior Project Manager at AstraZeneca, where she works on driving investment projects forward within Life Sciences. She has extensive experience in project management roles within the pharmaceutical industry.
Personal stories of courage and growth
The panel discussion brought the theme to life through personal experiences from Lina, Viktoria, Madelen and Roa. Each speaker shared reflections on facing challenges, leaving their comfort zones and learning through difficult moments.
Lina spoke openly about a period when she experienced challenges with stress and workload. At first, prioritising herself and changing her ways of working was frustrating and difficult, but it became a turning point for her. She learned to listen to herself, set boundaries and challenge the fear of missing out.
For Viktoria, growth came from starting a new job in a new country. Surrounded by talented people, she realised that others were not as experienced or fearless as they might seem from the outside. Her experience became a reminder that we are often more capable than we believe we are.
Madelen reflected on her time with Teach for Sweden, where she was placed as a teacher in schools without being able to choose the placement. Feeling that she was never enough and there was constantly more work to do, she learned to prioritise and focus on what mattered the most. The experience taught her to concentrate on what she could control rather on what she couldn’t.
Roa shared an experience involving a supplier who had acted dishonestly, creating a difficult and demanding situation at her workplace. Speaking up and confronting the issue required courage, especially when she felt others expected something different from her. Over time, she learned to let go of worrying too much about what others think and speaking up for your own beliefs and values.
What does it mean to grow?
When asked what growth means, the panel shared several perspectives. Curiosity, courage and relationships were a recurring theme in all answers.
“For me, growth means overcoming challenges, doing things you have not done before and facing your fears.” – Lina
“I connect growth with leaving your comfort zone but also by building a support team around you.” – Madelen
“I think it’s important to not wait for the perfect moment. Instead, I think you have to try to do your best in the reality you are in.” – Viktoria
“In relation to growth, I think it is important to build relationships and network, even when it feels uncomfortable, and to not be afraid of conflicts.” – Roa
The panel also discussed which skills matter most in times of change. Curiosity and adaptability were highlighted as the most important aspects. But so were social skills, creativity, analysis, decision-making and the ability to argue for and implement ideas. Above all, the speakers returned to the importance of being human.
AI as a colleague
The audience asked how the panel members use AI in their day-to-day work. Several described AI as a colleague: something that can help draft, analyse, check requirements, answer questions or speed up tasks, as long as humans continue to review, question and take responsibility for the output.
Madelen described the potential of AI to change how teams work, while emphasising the need to double-check the outcome. Lina, who described herself as a beginner, said AI helps her do things faster and in parallel, including larger analyses. Roa uses AI to review her writing and support in requirement checking. Viktoria noted that restrictions in her workplace limit how AI can be used, but that it can be used a s tool for finding answers to practical questions.
The discussion showed that there is much more to discuss surrounding AI than the technical aspect. It raises questions about trust, creativity, responsibility and how we choose to spend our time and energy.
Daring to grow together
“Dare to Grow” is a reminder that growth does not require perfection. It requires curiosity, support, courage and a willingness to try. Whether it is learning to say no, starting over in a new country, speaking up in a difficult situation, using AI for the first time or asking for help, growth often starts with one small decision.
As the event emphasised, we grow when we challenge ourselves, but also when we rest, listen, build relationships and support one another.
At ALTEN Sweden, Women @ ALTEN continues to create space for honest conversations, shared experiences and inspiration across careers, technologies and personal journeys. With the goal to inspire more women to work in STEM-related professions and strengthen those who already do.