Thursday night I was the guest of Anders Risling and Lärke Johns for dinner in their home in Stockholm. Anders wrote the first book in the world on knowledge management— öretagetKunskapsf, (“The Knowhow Company” co-authered with Karl-Erik Sveiby, 1986. Awarded Best Management Book in Sweden 1986). Anders and Lärke are partners in the consulting firm Provins Fem.

Eight other partners and consultants of Provins Fem attended the dinner. I was treated to a ritualistic celebration of Provins Fem birthdays. Three different colleagues were celebrated with song and gift. The fascinating thing was that they sang in the honoree’s native language. We sang in English, Danish, and Swedish. I should say “they” sang in Danish and Swedish. I hummed along.