Some time ago I read an HBR article about inspiration in a workplace and why it matters. It was argued that in today's culture, which is increasingly driven by purpose, inspiration is the multiplier that separates good teams from great ones.
The article referenced Erling Persson's story as a case study in what happens when someone is put in the right environment to be inspired. I had not heard of him before, and I found the story remarkable.
From Farmhand to Founder
Erling Persson was born the son of a farmhand, with minimal formal education and no obvious path to business success. He worked as a salesman in Stockholm - an unremarkable beginning.
Then came a business trip to America. What he saw there was fundamentally different from European retail: high-volume inventory, efficient operations, stores designed around throughput rather than prestige. American retail moved fast and sold cheap. European retail - especially Swedish retail in the 1940s - did neither.
Persson came home inspired. In 1947, he opened a women's clothing store called Hennes ("hers" in Swedish) in Västerås, a mid-sized Swedish city about 100 kilometers from Stockholm. The concept was simple: high-quality fashion at prices ordinary people could afford.
That modest store eventually became H&M, one of the largest fashion retailers in the world, with thousands of stores across dozens of countries.
Why This Connects to Recruitment
Inspiration has historically been treated as something divine or random - either you have it or you don't. What the HBR research challenges is that idea. Inspiration is more like a condition that can be cultivated. The right environment, the right exposure, the right role - these things change what people are capable of.
This is why I believe the job I do matters. Matching someone to the right company and the right team is not just about filling a seat. It is about putting a person in a context where they might do the best work of their career.
Erling Persson needed to see something different to become who he became. A lot of people just need the right opportunity.