Kunsten at træde i karakter som menneske

Klædt på til arbejdslivet 3 – Næstved Kommune

A podcast dialogue between Torben Klitmøller Hollman, Center Leader in Næstved Kommune (Municipality) and Pernille Steen Pedersen, stress researcher and Associate Professor at CBS.

What skills do companies emphasize when hiring new graduates”? This question is addressed in the podcast series “The art of stepping into character as a person – getting equipped for work life.” Across three episodes Pernille Steen Pedersen talks to three company leaders about their expectations for new candidates and which kind of skills they look for. Questions from students form the framework of the conversation, and the hope is to dispel myths and create greater transparency regarding how students can use their skills later in working life.

In this episode Pernille talks to Torben Klitmøller Hollman who currently is work as Center Leader in Næstved Municipality. Earlier Torben has worked as Sectoral Chairman in FOA and holds a Master in Organization Psychology.

After listening to a quote from a CBS student, who says that she does not dare to tell others if she finds that a topic is difficult, Torben and Pernille start talking about the importance of sharing doubts and daring to make mistakes. “It takes courage to dare to fail, but how do we work with this?” Torben asks and explains that in his work they need people who are not afraid to make mistakes, share doubts or say when things are difficult. He adds: “In our organization doubt is our friend – that is how we learn, grow and do better”, while elaborating that it is important not to take mistakes personally. Torben shares of his own feelings of doubt and insecurities, for example when managing large budgets or taking decisions that have direct influence on citizens’ lives. Doubts or insecurities are not wrong or something bad according to Torben, in fact he perceives it as a very valuable quality and “friend” because it enables us to stop, reflect and keep developing towards better decisions and solutions.

When it comes to hiring new graduates, Torben finds that grades do not matter, but rather what a person has done and learned on the way. In a line of work that are dealing with people’s lives through health and social care, what matters most is the personality of a new graduate, human values, and ability to care and learn on the job.

Torben was asked to select 3 Nordic Nine capabilities that he finds most important for new graduates in his line of work. He pointed at: 1) you recognize humanity’s challenges and have the entrepreneurial knowledge to help solve them, 2) you understand ethical dilemmas and have the leadership values to overcome them, and 3) you grow by relearning and teaching others to do the same. Hear Torben explain what these capabilities means in his organization and why they are so important – and then he adds “the problem is that the Nordic Nine are formulated for the individual, the “I”, it should say “we” instead, so that it is the collective that holds the responsibility, we need to share responsibility and lift it together – that is something we are trying to do in our work.”

Length: 24:29 minuets
Language: Danish
Key words: Hiring new graduates, Grades less important that experience and personality, Importance of doubts and daring to fail, Human skills, Collective responsibility.