Danes want to make a difference

42-year old Canadian Terry Mah, general manager of Krüger in Denmark, likes the Danish people's open approach to management.

Denmark is special. The Danes are socially responsible and friendly and know how to create a balance between work and leisure. Even more important, the Danes are highly professional and proud of their jobs, which is not necessarily so with other nationalities. And Danish people do not hesitate to tell management their opinion.

This is the experience of 42-year-old Canadian Terry Mah, general manager of the environmental counselling company Krüger in Denmark. With many years of experience as an executive manager, he considers himself a good listener, but while this well travelled Canadian was familiar with the open Danish management style he was surprised at the Danes' frankness.

"It is quite normal for people to air their feelings. It does not mean that they are complaining or criticising. It is just that they are so interested in their work that they very constructively tell you how they think things ought to be. In the USA, staff would complain and criticise just for the sake of criticism," says Terry Mah to Ingeniøren.

He has worked in Denmark for almost two years, since 1 July in the capacity of general manager of Krüger A/S.

He very much likes the fact that engineers and other staff are not afraid to challenge the management. The staff expect him to establish guidelines, but they want flexible management so that they themselves can contribute to figuring out the best way to achieve the desired result.

"I like the way the Danes feel personally responsible. They want to make a difference and do not go to work just for the money. They are very persevering and if they believe in something they are willing to go all the way," enthuses Terry Mah.