Name Elisabeth Mygind
Date of birth: 26th November 1984
Title: Director, Site Project Management, Installation & Commissioning
Company: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Degree: In 2017, I completed my Diploma in Leadership at Business Academy Aarhus and I am currently finalising a master’s degree in Rhetoric at Aarhus University
Fun fact: I like to cook and be creative in the kitchen.
I graduated as a Hotel Receptionist from Copenhagen Hospitality College in 2008. Upon graduation I worked at the Hilton Copenhagen Airport hotel in the business centre and later in the Human Resources department. In 2011 I joined the wind industry. I started in Vestas as a Personal Assistant in the offshore service department. After two years I went on maternity leave and during my leave, the joint venture between MHI and Vestas took place. A lot of organisational changes happened and as a result, I needed to change my role. This is when my leadership career started in August 2014. I was offered a position as Manager for the Technical & Safety Training department. It started off as a small department of three employees and over a period of seven years I built the team up to 35 employees.
On 1 October 2021 I entered a new position within Construction in the Vestas Northern & Central Europe region. This is a great opportunity for me to broaden my profile and challenge my leadership skills.
Despite the fact that I do not have an educational background in STEM, I really appreciate being part of the Lead The Future campaign, as I both see the benefits of having a STEM education as well as the need to promote and inspire more young women to join the industry.
Was there a specific moment/reason when you realized you wanted to pursue a leadership career?
When I joined the wind industry, I did not think of leadership as an opportunity due to my background. I have always enjoyed taking responsibility of tasks with greater impact and had an interest in developing people, so when the opportunity for a leadership position occurred, I did not need to think twice. I knew straight away that this was the right path for me, as I would get the opportunity to drive my own team and with my leadership contribute to the overall company goal, which was tempting to me and a challenge I could not resist.
What has been crucial to get you to where you are today OR What advice did you receive as a student/early in your career that you still carry with you today?
Exposure – Experience – Education
You cannot only study leadership – you need to try it. Being exposed to different challenges in various situations is how I have developed my leadership skills. After one year of leadership experience, I started my leadership diploma degree, and it really made a difference to me when I started to link my experience with theory. Reflecting upon my everyday performance and leadership style, while being inspired by different leadership methods, tools and approaches, I have been able to develop myself as a leader and drive successful teams. Being humble about my own practice and open to feedback have been key elements in my development.
Tell us about a female role model and the impact this person had on you – either personally or professionally?
I have witnessed several female leaders during my career whom I admire. Looking at their common characteristics, it has been their ability stay true to themselves, retain their values and what they believe in despite the power and authority they have in their leadership position. Having the ability to be authentic in every situation, embrace the people and skills that surrounds your leadership is admirable and what I strive to live by every day.
What do you enjoy most about your work today?
I enjoy the variety of tasks and the interaction I have with both my employees and stakeholders. Realising what you are able to achieve by connecting the right people with the right competences is very motivating for me. Working in a global company, the diversity of people and the different cultural aspects is an embedded part of the working day and something I enjoy dealing with, as it adds an element of complexity to the way we solve our daily tasks and challenges. Last but not least, I appreciate working in a company that positively contributes to a greener and more sustainable planet.
What does good leadership mean to you?
I believe in freedom with responsibility built on a foundation of psychological safety where trust, respect and feedback, enables the employees to perform at their best. I highly value transparency and to have an open and honest dialogue with the people I interact with. Striving for improvements by challenging the existing methods is how we can improve both our commitment but also as individuals. A leader is nothing without the team so to secure the well-being of the employees and to maintain the team spirit and collaboration is just as important. Ensuring the employees know how they can contribute to the company strategy, is important to me, as it drives the motivation of the employees when their efforts make a difference to the company.
What did you imagine your life and career would be like when you were 25?
I was working in the hotel industry when I was 25. At that time, I had no conscious aspirations to leadership, nor did I have ambitions to change to the sustainability industry. I have never had long term career plans but grasped the opportunities arising – and to a great extent, I feel very lucky with the opportunities that I have had along the way. What has been most important for me has been continuous development of myself and my skills and competences.