An educational, inspiring and supportive community
Ásdís Auðunsdóttir, Inga Fríða Tryggvadóttir and Unnur Elfa Guðmundsdóttir all share the common trait of being ambitious managers and professional leaders for the City of Hafnarfjörður. Their interests, experience, vision and personalities shape their management styles and priorities, in a role where human resources are the most important asset.
Ásdís Auðunsdóttir, Inga Fríða Tryggvadóttir and Unnur Elfa Guðmundsdóttir all share the common trait of being ambitious managers and professional leaders for the City of Hafnarfjörður. Their interests, experience, vision and personalities shape their management styles and priorities, in a role where human resources are the most important asset.
An interview with Ásdís, Inga Fríða and Unni Elfa was published in Fréttablaðið on 20 January 2022.
„For this to be a success, there must be mutual trust, and the manager needs to be the role model that staff can look up to.“says Ásdís Auðunsdóttir, director of a home for disabled people. „The treasure lies in harnessing the power that resides within the staff. Every employee has ambition, and it is important to listen to different opinions, for staff to feel that they are being taken seriously, and for their ideas and suggestions to be heard so that they can enjoy their work. A manager also needs to stand by their people, supporting and encouraging initiative. It benefits everyone when a manager makes an effort to nurture their team. Certain stability is important in our work; high staff turnover is not good for service users.“
Ásdís Auðunsdóttir, manager of a home for disabled people. FRÉTTABLAÐIÐ/VALLI
Ásdís says that the staff at the home where she works are diverse, with both highly experienced professionals and young people taking their first steps in the profession. She says that a good induction is therefore crucial for the future. „The City of Hafnarfjörður has offered new starter training which covers the underlying philosophy, rights and duties of the job. It is rewarding to see young people come to work and grow in their roles, and even further their education to suit the job. Staff need to be given opportunities for professional development, and the City of Hafnarfjörður has been running an ambitious professional development programme in this area. I have encouraged my staff to attend courses and acquire new knowledge, so that everyone understands and puts into practice the philosophy we work by. The goal is the well-being of the residents.“
Ásdís says that what's interesting about the director's job is how varied the projects are, the diverse needs of the residents, and the wide range of tasks. „The top priority, of course, is the service provided to residents, which must constantly be reviewed, and many threads must come together for it to be a success. A good team of staff with a shared vision, working as a single unit, is the key to effective work..“
Part of the group
„I didn't have any management experience, but I'd been a handball coach for a few years and decided to take a bit of a coach's approach to it.“ says Inga Fríða Tryggvadóttir, head teacher of Smáralundur nursery in Hafnarfjörður, about when she started working in her day.. I was a national team handball player, playing for both Stjarnan and Haukar, and was lucky to play on good teams with a great team spirit and a strong sense of togetherness. When I took on the role, I felt it was ideal and important to reflect and create that team spirit and competitive spirit. I see myself as the coach of the group, trying to guide them well and be a role model. You look at each person and try to encourage their individual strengths because, just like on the pitch, nursery work calls for a diversity of people, flexibility, and sharp, creative thinking. I want my people to flourish in their work, and I suggest reading the staff, or the players, in the nursery school a little.„
The Icelandic
Inga Fríða Tryggvadóttir, nursery head teacher for the City of Hafnarfjörður. THE NEWS PAPER/VALLI
Inga Fríða says it is characteristic of nursery school staff to think in solutions. „Working in a nursery is without a doubt one of the most fun and rewarding jobs in the world. It brings great joy, but also a great deal of pressure. There are many children in each group, their needs are varied, space is often limited, and it is very noisy. We know this well and let our work speak for itself. Changing the facilities and environment is somewhat up to us; just like in sport, where players have to consider whether, and if so how, they are going to push themselves in matches to win. The victory is so much sweeter. We don't dwell on problems or challenging tasks for long. We try to look after our mental well-being; we use mindfulness at work for both ourselves and our students to nurture ourselves and our well-being. I want everyone to feel good and I consider what I can do to promote well-being at work, to reduce the pressure and, of course, to have an outstanding school. My team is fantastic and staff turnover has been low, so we must be doing something right.“
Inga Fríða says she generally emphasises being part of the group, even though it is she who makes the final decisions and has to deal with difficult issues. „I get involved in all the work so that I know what I'm talking about. I am a visible manager and try to be a leader both in word and deed; to be positive and solution-focused so that this spreads to the work and to my colleagues. I therefore focus more on what we can do in the most incredible circumstances rather than on how big the task is. I always try to finish the day on the ward, so I can interact with both staff and parents. This arrangement gives me a great deal; it strengthens relationships, fills me with joy and lifts my spirits after a long day in the office.“
Success comes with well-being and security
„It is a fun and rewarding job to be a school leader. The tasks are many and varied, and no two days are the same. Dealing with unexpected situations is a daily occurrence, and the gratitude and warmth you receive from your pupils give the job a meaningful dimension. It is our job to engage and empower individuals to succeed, each in their own field, and to give them the opportunity to create a bright future for themselves.“ says Unnur Elfa Guðmundsdóttir, head teacher of Ásland School.
„By working well together and communicating with respect for pupils, parents and staff, you build a good school community that is educational, encouraging and supportive. Collaboration and dialogue are elements that bring us great benefit, as well as creating trust and unity. A strong school community is a key part of all our lives, and pupils“ well-being can be crucial in areas such as academic achievement. It requires listening and showing interest, involving parents in a wide variety of situations, and creating an environment where everyone is part of a collective whole, a whole whose aim is to raise children and young people in a healthy community."
Unnur Elfa Guðmundsdóttir, head teacher of Áslandsskóli. HAFNARFJÖRÐUR/Ólafur Már Svavarsson
Unnur Elfa says that it has been proven time and again that staff who feel good deliver successful and ambitious work, and that certainly applies at Áslandsskóli. „Staff who feel supported and experience trust and understanding in their work achieve greater success. A combination of firmness and flexibility creates the best working environment.“ Unnur Elfa points out that it is important for goodwill to be present in the workplace, that the vision is clear and that everyone knows what is expected of them, as well as the individual feeling secure.
„We need to be unafraid to make changes that are taken with informed decisions and ensure that different voices are heard, be a role model and show fairness and integrity by expressing our opinions, even if they are not always likely to be popular. The manager must be both a manager and a leader, be inspiring, unafraid to delegate, embrace and encourage individuality, and utilise everyone's talents for a stronger future. There is a great deal of human capital within the school community that is important to respect and value.“
An interview with Ásdís, Inga Fríða and Unni Elfa was published in Fréttablaðið on 20 January 2022.