Meet Britt Barfeldt
Table of Contents
Which team and when did you graduate?
Team 8 – 2004
What have you been doing since you graduated as a Kaospilot?
I have been all over the place in terms of trying out different kinds of organizations.
Right after I graduated, I stumbled over a small startup who made online games.
I became their CEO and after developing the business in Denmark we established a branch in Malaysia.
Parallel with my work here and on my first maternity leave I took a master’s in organizational psychology.
I have been around the Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv) – a political non-profit organization for the service industry in Denmark, whose goal is to make running a business easier for their members. I was a senior consultant and developed management training programs for their members.
Right after my second maternity leave, I started as the Group HR Director at a retailer with 600 stores in 5 countries.
The past years I have been the Group Head of HR Development at STARK Group – a builders’ merchant with 10.000 employees in 6 countries. I am responsible for developing the strategy and concepts for Leadership, Talent- and Performance Management. During my time there we have bought 500 new stores in Germany and integrated them into our organization. Recently we got sold from one private equity firm to another – there are lots of interesting experiences and journeys in this organization.
What is important for you in your job?
To have a lot of fun – and freedom! Which for me means to be able to make decisions within the areas I am responsible for and do the things I believe is right for the organization. And then have the empowerment to see them through. It is also about being able to keep pushing the limits of my own abilities, so I never stop learning.
If you somehow end up with a manager, you do not respect – then get out quickly. Life is too short for bad management
What major learnings would you point out from your experience that have shaped you as a leader?
Deal with your issues (whatever issues you may have) and never let your issues affect the way you treat or lead other people.
Make your own decisions, before someone else does it for you.
If you somehow end up with a manager, you do not respect – then get out quickly. Life is too short for bad management!
Presence is key.
What is your biggest source for inspiration right now?
I recently read Michael Pollans book – How to Change our Mind – about what the new science of psychedelics teaches us about consciousness, dying, addiction, depression and transcendence. I believe it is the book that has moved my opinion on something the most and I found it very inspiring.
Relations:
My close friends – and their different perspectives on how to live their lives.
My boyfriend – who is a wonderful mix of craziness and down-to-Earth sanity at the same time. He is so too much – in all the right ways.
My kids – one of them is on the autism spectrum and his way of seeing the world and being brave is just astonishing and inspiring.
When I paint my art – I flow in a way where I forget time and space. I always come out of a painting session with new energy and inspiration.
What would be an example of a learning or an experience from your time at Kaospilot that has been important to you?
- A small group of dedicated people can make a big impact.
- You have the responsibility of your own learning and development. Others can facilitate and be the inspiration – but you need to face your own responsibility.
- Most painful things get better when you dance or flirt.
What is a piece of advice that you would like to give future Kaospilot graduates?
Dream big – someone else will do it if you don’t!