Author · Technology Leader · Community Builder

Building what matters through people & purpose

Johan Wikman writes about the power of genuine human connection; in teams, in friendships and in the communities we choose to build together.

"The best technology is built by people who genuinely care about each other."

About

A career shaped by people, not just products

Johan Wikman is a technology leader whose career has been defined by a simple but powerful conviction: great work comes from great relationships. Over decades in the tech industry, he has focused on building teams where trust, empathy and authentic connection are the foundation.

As the co-author of Dying for Friendship and Community, Johan explores how modern life has eroded our deepest social bonds, and what we can do to rebuild them. His work bridges the worlds of technology leadership and human flourishing.

Whether leading engineering teams or writing about the loneliness epidemic, Johan's mission remains the same: to champion the irreplaceable value of showing up for one another.

The Book

Dying for Friendship and Community

We live in the most connected age in human history — yet loneliness has reached epidemic proportions. Friendships are fading, communities are fracturing, and we're paying the price with our health, happiness and sense of belonging.

In Dying for Friendship and Community, Johan Wikman, together with his long time friend Pete O'Dell, confronts this crisis head-on, weaving together personal stories, research and practical wisdom to illuminate the path back to genuine human connection.

This book is for anyone who has ever felt:

That something essential is missing. That surface-level interactions aren't enough. That we were made for deeper bonds, and that it's not too late to build them.

Now available on Amazon

What I Believe

Principles that guide my work

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People First, Always

Every team, product, and community begins with a human being. When we invest in people, truly see them, hear them, support them, everything else follows.

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Teams Are Built on Trust

High-performing teams aren't assembled from resumes. They're cultivated through shared purpose, vulnerability and the slow, deliberate work of earning one another's trust.

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Community Is a Practice

Belonging doesn't happen by accident. It requires intention, consistency, and the courage to show up, even when it's inconvenient, even when it's hard.

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Technology Should Serve Connection

The tools we build should bring people closer together, not further apart. The measure of good technology is the quality of relationships it enables.

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Friendship Is Essential

Not a nice-to-have. Not a soft skill. Deep friendship is a human need, and neglecting it has consequences for our health, our work and our world.

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Vulnerability Is Strength

The bravest thing a leader can do is be human. Admitting what you don't know, asking for help, and caring openly, these aren't weaknesses. They're superpowers.