This is a personal story from our co-founder and CEO, Mats Ljungqvist, about his week working on the assembly line at Volvo Cars. The photo shows the start of production of Volvo EX60 – Copyright © Volvo Car Corporation.

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I went to Volvo Cars to better understand their production system. I thought I would learn about standardized work, leadership, and world-class continuous improvement. And I did. But what I didn't expect was that a week on the assembly line would help me find my way back to what matters to me.

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My alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. on a Monday morning in June. Getting out of bed feels surprisingly easy, maybe because the sun is already up. But mostly because the thought of spending a week at Volvo Cars in final assembly wakes me up immediately. I'm excited, and a little nervous.

Half an hour later I'm in the car. According to the GPS, I'll arrive at 6:00 a.m., with plenty of time to meet my contact person, Nathalie.

The closer I get to the factory, the more special the feeling becomes. The roads fill up with cars, all seemingly heading to the same place. I find myself wondering about the people behind the wheel. Are they tired? Excited? Stressed? Looking forward to the week ahead?

I feel like a beginner on my way to the first day of school.

After changing into work clothes and going through a thorough safety briefing with Nathalie, it's time to step onto the line.

It turns out I'll be working at one of the final assembly stations, and someone tells me it's one of the toughest stations in the entire plant.

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Now I'm getting nervous for real.

When you stand next to the line, it looks calm. When you stand on it, you realize how fast it actually moves. Every car arrives with a set of work elements that need to be completed within a limited amount of time. If you miss something, it doesn't just affect you. It affects the next station, the next person, and in the worst case, the quality of the car.

My trainer, Alexander, has trained many new people before and has a calmness that rubs off on everyone around him. At the same time, I'm wondering how someone like me who is approaching fifty is supposed to keep up with the pace. After all, it's been 23 years since I last worked as an assembler.

Alexander methodically walks me through how the station works. He talks about safety, about getting it right the first time, and about the importance of working calmly and methodically instead of rushing.

Then it's my turn.

I want to show that I learn quickly. That I still have it.

But reality catches up with me fast. I make mistakes. I forget steps. I fall behind.

Alexander covers for me again and again, and when we can't keep up, he pulls the Andon cord. Almost immediately, our team leader Fredrik shows up.

When I first met the team, I was struck by how warm and welcoming everyone was. People were incredibly helpful while still working with impressive focus and efficiency.

But it isn't until the Andon alarm goes off that I really understand the culture, and the true role of a team leader.

My first reaction is that pulling the cord must be embarrassing. It feels like a way of announcing that you've made a mistake or failed to do your job.

But Fredrik doesn't come running with frustration or criticism.

He arrives with a smile.

Everyone laughs when I admit that I don't actually drive a Volvo. I quickly add that I would be very happy to change that.

And later, when I pull the cord myself while Alexander is helping at the next station, I get a reaction from Fredrik that I never expected.

"You pulled the cord? Good! I like that!"

In my job, I rarely receive praise that is so spot on. There's nothing strange about that. But here I notice how much positive feedback actually matters. Not for the ego. For the feeling of safety.

Slowly, I begin to understand that the Andon cord isn't about reporting failures. It's about asking for help before something goes wrong.

Even though the individual tasks are fairly simple, I quickly realize how difficult it is to perform well when stress takes over. The standard exists for a reason. Only when the work becomes muscle memory can you work calmly, methodically, and safely.

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Still, I eventually make a bigger mistake.

I'm so focused on finishing my work that I don't notice I've followed the car too far down the line.

Suddenly the line stops.

I've caused an emergency stop.

The shame hits immediately and I want the floor to swallow me whole.

But once again, I'm not met with frustration. I'm met with calm. With people who tell me that everyone makes mistakes. With people who remind me that safety always comes first.

The line starts moving again and the sound of screw drivers fills the hall. The pace returns. And somewhere in that moment, my shame disappears too.

I stop focusing on proving that I'm capable and start focusing on learning. It strikes me that production has a way of making people humble.

I've visited many factories where people say that safety comes first. But I've rarely experienced it as genuinely as I did here.

When I ask Fredrik why, he answers:

"We build the safest car in the world, and that's what the Volvo brand stands for."

I keep asking.

Why does it feel so genuine?

His answer comes immediately.

"I drive my two young children in a Volvo. So it's incredibly important to me that it's safe. That's why it's obvious that those of us who build the car put safety first. Otherwise, it won't be safe when it rolls off the line."

It's a simple answer.

But also one of the most powerful answers I heard all week.

What's the point of building the safest car in the world if the people building it aren't working safely themselves?

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During the rest of the week, I shadow Fredrik in his role as a Team Leader, Supervisor Dennis, Superintendent Patrik, and I also attend meetings with the Shop Manager, Daniel.

Again and again, I meet people who combine clarity with care. High expectations with respect. A focus on results with humanity. And I begin to understand why the culture feels different.

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There's something else you should know.

For a long time, I've struggled with anxiety.

Leading a company is complicated. Over the last few years, I've had to make decisions that felt far away from the values that once made me start a company in the first place. Little by little, I lost sight of why I do what I do.

The pressure grew. The stress grew. I lost touch with the core of what we're trying to accomplish at Mevisio. I doubted myself more than I'd like to admit.

But during that week at Volvo, something unexpected happened.

When I saw people genuinely living their values, I started reflecting on my own.

When I saw leaders creating a sense of safety, I started thinking about the kind of leader I want to be.

When I saw how culture was built through hundreds of small actions every day, I was reminded why we do what we do at Mevisio.

What started as a week of learning about Volvo's production system ended up becoming something entirely different.

The people at Volvo helped me find my way back to myself. To what matters to me. To what I stand for. And to the kind of leader I want to be.

During the week, I also realized that Volvo doesn't really just build cars. Volvo builds people who create a culture where everyone takes responsibility for delivering safe and fantastic products.

If we at Mevisio can help leaders in organizations like that become even more effective in their leadership, then I'm deeply grateful to play a small part in it.

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A big thank you to Nathalie, Alexander, Dennis, Patrik, Daniel, and everyone else I met for generously sharing your time, knowledge, and perspectives throughout the week. I learned an incredible amount from all of you.

A very special thank you to Fredrik!!! You didn't just help me understand Volvo from a completely new perspective. You also helped me understand myself. You almost became a bit of a therapist along the way, with a rare ability to listen and explain in a way that made me stop, reflect, and see things differently. The time you invested in me, and the conversations we shared, are something I will carry with me for a long time.

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From the moment I stepped onto the line, something started to change inside me. I came there to learn about Volvo. I left having found my way back to myself and my values.

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