People with a passion: Monique Hartmann

29th October 2019

Tell us about your work

For the past 30 years, I have worked as a psychologist specializing in personal development. I have helped companies, municipalities, hospitals and NGOs improve their working environments, mainly through leadership training. I would choose the same career if I were to do it all over again. I love to see how people develop. Get motivated.

The very basic approach I take is to train people to accept who they are, and not try to be perfect. I do not solve their problems, but I can help discover how they can work them out on their own. The key is to train them to be better at what they are already good at. The motto of my company, “unfolding options”, comes from this thinking.

I was recently made responsible for the safety education of German truck drivers. On the first day, about 180 of them sat in their chairs, looking cranky and skeptical. They felt like “it has been the same for years and it won’t change until I retire”, but I challenged them. I guess what I am good at is to listen to people and make them feel that it is worth trying even when they have given up. At the end of the day, they clapped and actually told me it had been a great day. I have now done 15 sessions with them.

I started my own company in 2016 and my work gets more and more international. This year, I have taught in Danish, English, Dutch, Spanish, German and sometimes French. Traveling Argentina, Germany, Belgium and Holland.
There are quite a few people in this business, but I believe that there are fairly personal aspects. I like catching up with people by e-mail and over a cup of coffee, and such personal contacts are where most of my clients come from. They hire me because of the way I work. It feels really good.

“I love to see how people develop. Get motivated”

What’s your passion?

I do a lot of volunteer work.
For the last 5 years, my husband and I have been involved in the Roskilde Festival. I love rock music, but also, it gives me a great feeling of belonging. There are about 30,000 volunteers and this festival is only possible because of them. Some people come for the free tickets, but I have been working over 200 hours each year and it is much easier just to buy a ticket…
I am in charge of team leader training at Roskilde Festival, of course, but during the festival days, I am just making food.

What do you like about Republikken?

I have never been in a place that has the same music taste as I do. We have great parties with many musicians.
There is always an amazing atmosphere that fits well with my ambition of my working life. I do not need to be rich or famous, but I want to do a good job where I can live my passion. Republikken gives me the possibility to do that. People here find something they are good at and have fun doing it. For me, that is what I need for an ideal work space — being together with great people.

https://moniquehartmann.dk

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