Who is
RIKKE
“Running and shooting. Home-made sourdough.
And a generous helping of glue.”:
An interview with Rikke
Can you describe what you do in three words?
Collaboration. Value. And glue. Project management is all about bringing people together, getting them to talk together and then finding the right solutions together, right?
Glue? You mean you stick things together?
In a way. Particularly when you are in a bigger company, people tend to think that things happen by themselves. But they don’t. Somebody needs to glue everything together. That's how kind of I think about myself and how I think about the way I work.
How long have you been doing this?
About 20 years. I actually have a masters in mathematics and art history. Then I became an engineer. Which doesn’t sound like a typical background for a project manager. But I’m actually not sure what a typical background is.
Anyone who can pull off that Apollo 13 vibe. You know, “Here’s what we’ve got — now make it work.” That’s my work life in a nutshell.
What’s the first app you launch when you turn on your laptop?
It tends to be Teams. To get a sense of what the day will bring. I normally plan the next day before I leave office…but things can happen overnight.
When things go off-piste on a project, do you have a way of coping?
The way I like to work is to be very honest. The most important thing for me is that the issue or problem shouldn’t come as a complete surprise to the organisation. Unexpected events happen all the time. It’s part of the job.
Open plan or private office? What’s your preference?
Open plan is the norm now. Everyone sitting at their desks doing Teams calls or whatever. It can be distracting but that’s the way it is.
Do you listen to music while you’re working?
No. I try to do one thing at a time. Even if I’m gardening, I concentrate on the garden. I don’t have headphones on listening to music or podcasts. When I’m with the family in the kitchen, it’s no phones. No earbuds.
I didn’t want a CV that just bragged about successes. Projects are messy — it’s about getting in the trenches and fixing what needs fixing. If I was hiring, I’d want someone who’s been there, done that — and come out stronger.
What makes a good weekend for you?
Every Sunday I take a dip in the sea with an old friend. Every Sunday. I think the coldest it’s been is minus two. It resets your entire body. You take off all your clothes, jump in the water, then run into the sauna. It’s easier the second time.
Talking of running…
I take part in biathlon events. That’s running and shooting. Five times 1500 metres. Five times shooting at targets in a range. And you have to be in good shape for this. So I run three times a week, sometimes four.
Do you do anything else in your spare time?
I bake all the sourdough bread we eat at home. I was really nerdy at one point, years ago, and I had my own grain mill to make my own flour. But nowadays it’s easy to get good quality flour. I find baking relaxing. And there’s a wonderful smell in the kitchen when you bake bread.
Are you a tea or coffee person?
When we hit two o'clock I will not drink coffee again. After this point, it’s going to be tea.