Ann Askenberger
delivers real change.
Expert in leadership, self-leadership, and psychological security.
Ann Askenberger helps individuals and groups discover more sides of themselves. With deep knowledge of the invisible forces that influence leadership, teamwork, culture, and results, Ann makes what happens beneath the surface both understandable and useful.
She lectures and leads workshops that focus on the patterns that often govern without being noticed—in feedback, conflict management, decision-making, problem-solving, and negotiations. By making the invisible visible, she creates greater awareness and a focus on results.
With solid experience in leadership and communication, Ann combines theory and practice in an educational and thought-provoking way. She shows how inherent limitations can be transformed into greater freedom of action, balance, and better collaboration.
Ann Askenberger has been coaching leaders in organizations and the business world for over 25 years. She holds a master's degree from INSEAD (named Europe's top business school by the Financial Times in 2024 and 2025), where in 2021 she explored an intriguing psychological phenomenon among top executives. Her master's thesis laid the foundation for a new method of leadership development, honey-ghost-trap®. The method combines a psychodynamic approach to change with ancient knowledge about being human – and Carl Jung's ideas that we all have a shadow side.
Ann has just released a new revised edition of her book "Your shadow is your strength."
Ann's experience and expertise make her offerings flexible and multifaceted, adaptable to the needs and wishes of her clients.
Welcome to AnnLeda Leadership Development.
"Your shadow is your strength"
New revised edition!
"Your shadow is your strength" - on the power of embracing all parts of yourself in life's various roles.
This book explores the powerful and often overlooked concept of the shadow - the hidden sides of ourselves that hold both what we fear and what we can use as strengths. Through insights from Jungian psychology, it guides the reader in discovering, understanding and integrating these aspects of their inner life. Rather than focusing on self-improvement in the traditional sense, the book provides tools for approaching and embracing the parts of ourselves that we often ignore or deny. It shows how the shadow, which holds our fears, shame and repressed sides, can also be a source of power, creativity and personal development. With a combination of theory and practical exercises, this is a book for those who want to start a deeper journey towards increased self-knowledge and a more authentic self-image.
New revised edition with many examples and own exercises.
We ship to the whole world.
INNER PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
BETTER feedback
MORE EFFECTIVE cooperation
A COMMON LANGUAGE
CLEARER COMMUNICATION
FASTER DECISION-MAKING
I am often asked how I became so interested in shadows. That part of us that we absolutely do not want others to see, and that we may have encountered ourselves? Well, like most things in life, it probably has to do with my own story, with my fears.
Workshops
Tailor-made workshops for teams
AnnLeda has also created more smart modules for leadership training:
- 9 competences for a leadership team
- Clear communication
The module "Clear communication" includes setting the right expectations, coaching for results and giving and taking feedback.
One-on-one
Individual leadership training for leaders
Since Ann's method was created in 2021, over 300 managers at various levels have received individual leadership training in honey-ghost-trap®. The feedback is unanimous: This is fun, smart—and incredibly rewarding!
Individual leadership training using honey-ghost-trap® contributes to deeper self-insight and helps leaders find their natural balance.
Training courses
For those who want to become a facilitator
For those who want to, there is an opportunity to become a certified facilitator and work with training others in honey-ghost-trap®. To date, Ann has trained facilitators in 6 countries, who use the method to help their clients take the next step in their leadership. The training is given online, both in Swedish and English.
Ann Askenberger's method
for leadership development
What is honey-ghost-trap®? The method gives leaders greater self-awareness and challenges old, limited beliefs about who they are and what they can achieve. This in turn leads to new perspectives and a more realistic view of what a good leader should be. A leader who is more aware of all his or her aspects can make new choices and experience inner psychological security:
Inner psychological safety is a state where you feel free to be authentic. It means that you can choose the parts of your personality that are needed in a specific situation to solve a given task or take responsibility.
Honey-ghost-trap® complements psychological safety in a team. The term originated with psychologist Carl Rogers and has been highlighted by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson's research on successful teams. It is defined as a shared belief that no one will be penalized for bringing ideas, questions, opinions or for making mistakes.
Honey-ghost-trap® can be implemented as a stand-alone training or as a complement to existing leadership programs.
I have rarely met such a credible consultant as Ann Askenberger. She has all the theory in her blood, is genuinely knowledgeable and lives as she teaches.
- Ann Carlsson, CEO Systembolaget
Working with the shadow gave us a common language. We could relate to each other and dare to be who we are. It made us more authentic and 'bigger': we could put on a bigger suit. The tool took it all many steps deeper. It gave me many insights.
- Marie Krüeger, CEO Almi
What I think Ann has been able to do very successfully with her approach is to make the shadow accessible. She has taken quite a complex idea and turned it into something that still is very clinically and theoretically robust, but is actually quite accessible and easy to understand.
- Laurence Barrett author of the book "A Jungian Approach to Coaching. The Theory and Practice of Turning Leaders into People"
It is a pleasure to work with Ann Askenberger. She is so knowledgeable, inspiring and structured. Has both breadth and depth. She is quick to capture the moods of the room. I always get new insights when I discuss with Ann.
- Helena Martini, HR Manager Atrium Ljungberg
I have had the privilege of participating in the process of understanding my shadows with you as a coach. Got greater self-insight and great help in my leadership!
Thanks for that!
- Thomas Erseus, CEO AMF
Fastigheter AB
Very good seminar with Ann Askenberger. The way of working with the digital format was probably the best I have seen. Also, it feels like you are building on newer theories and insights and not what was learned at university 30 years ago.
- Thomas Jönsson, Head of Communications and IR Veoneer
