Hanne Mohr is leaving her position as head of SKT (the School for Dental Assistants, Hygienists and Clinical Technicians) at Aarhus University.

2015.01.20 | Henriette Stevnhøj

Hanne Mohr is leaving her position as head of SKT and head of a staff that has thrived under her management style, which is not least reflected in the result of the school's employee satisfaction surveys.

"Management is not something you do alone, it’s something you do together with others. For many years there has been focus on leadership in management, but companionship is the real foundation," says Hanne Mohr. Her time as head of the school has therefore been characterised by trust, recognition and involvement.

"At the beginning of my management career I thought it was all about being a problem solver for the employees. But now I have become better to ask questions instead and to listen and be patient. This is what creates the space for both dialogue and reflection, which in my view offer the best solutions," says Hanne Mohr. She believes that the best decisions are not made in manager’s office, but in a close dialogue with those who will implement them.

Dentist, PhD Hanne Mohr put aside dentistry in 1995 to fully concentrate on management. Firstly in Aalborg and then Horsens, where she was responsible for the process of merging the municipality’s dental hygiene services. In 2008 she joined SKT and she has been part of the faculty management team at Health since 2009.

Parkinson’s disease is now forcing her to leave her position as head of school. The disease does not harmonise with the role of day-to-day manager of a school with 70 employees and 300 students.

Trust is a fundamental force

"Being head of SKT has been exciting, challenging and addictive," says Hanne Mohr, making no secret of the fact that she will miss heading the committed and development-oriented employees at SKT. On the other hand, SKT will continue to enjoy having Hanne Mohr among its staff, as she will take up a position in the school’s further education and training on 1 February.

"I believe that dialogue and openness result in mutual trust and that this trust can also act as a mainstay when it comes to carrying out difficult decisions such as cost reductions. You can do much more in an organisation in which trust is fundamental to the relationship. And you must also dare to relinquish control because that makes employees grow and thrive," says Hanne Mohr.

With Hanne Mohr as its head, SKT has distinguished itself with a strong focus on developing its degree programmes. During the past seven years the school has developed several new degree programmes. In 2010, a professional Bachelor's degree programme in Dental Hygiene and a further education in odontological practice were approved. The latter is the first real career path for dental surgery assistants. During the same period, the school's continuing and further and continuing education activities have grown by more than 50 per cent.

"It is wonderful to be able to leave this job as head of a well-functioning school", says Hanne Mohr. She ascribes the excellent results to the management team and in particular the staff that have contributed enthusiastically and persistently.

"It is fun to be head if people are prepared to follow you. At SKT I have had to really make an effort to stay on top of everything and this is in no small part the reason why it has been so fantastic to have this job at SKT," says Hanne Mohr. 

Further information

Head of SKTHanne Mohr
mohr@ohcare.au.dk
Direct tel: 8716 7649
Mobile: 4032 8405