Sten Dyrmose, CEO, Polycom Denmark:
I had Kristin Birkeland as the creative leader on “Project Einstein” an innovation project created to help releasing the creative potential in the organization. The purpose of the project was to find the future road for Polycom Denmark and in the process I wanted to change the way we are thinking and increase our ability to being open minded. Kristin Birkeland came as the “disturbing element” both in our daily work and in our perception of doing things, this creative tension lead us to innovation: She opened our senses, worked with our presence and our ability to constantly create and learn, individually and together. That combined with Kristins warm, colorful, inspiring and authentic personality made a fantastic result. For companies who dare changing their way of thinking in the way they are doing business I can highly recommend to pass on the baton to Kristin Birkeland.”
Tim Struck, organisasjons-og ledelseskonsulent Attractor – Rambøl:
Det er simpelthen en fornøjelse at arbejde sammen Kristin. Hun bringer kreativitetens leg og dybe koncentration ind i relationerne på en måde, som vækker vores gemte og glemte erindringer og livsmod – det er ganske enkelt kollektiv skaberkraft der bringes frem i os og mellem os. Og så lærer Kristin os meget konsekvent, at det handler om at skabe kollektive processer og løsninger gennem en oprigtig fælles gensidighed – til gavn for mennesker i de konkrete miljøer vi nu engang færdes i – vores fælleDskaber! Vores dag i Sager der Samlers lokaler var skelsættende for vores uddannelse.
Marie Capitani Cand.psych., Psykologfaglig uddannelseskonsulent, Koordinator for konflikthåndtering:
Jeg deltog på kurset hos Kaospiloterne med Center for Kompetenceudvikling den 3-4. marts 2017, hvor Kristin underviste os i at træde frem og formidle.TAK for det bedste kursus jeg har været på i mange år! Tak for din inspirerende måde at undervise på, din autenticitet, dit nærvær, din glæde. Det var eksemplarisk og forbilledligt super lærerigt – og ikke mindst meget meget dejligt!!
Inge Marie Nyborg Nielsen billedkunstner og lærer:
Kristin Birkeland arbejder ekspressionistisk og med fortælling gennem arketyper, symboler og ord. På en yderst ekspressiv og koloristisk måde, med en naivistisk stil og med brug af humor som en måde at forholde sig til livets dybe spørgsmål. Forvandlingskraft, skaberglæde og spontan bevægelighed stråler ud af Kristins dynamiske billeder, og al denne energi bliver samlet til et klart budskab bl.a. gennem brug af ord og symboler i billederne. Kompositionen har en vigtig rolle i udtrykket. De store organiske, geometriske eller symbolske former danner en modvægt til den vilde energi i penselføringen og de store kontraster i farvevalget.
Johanna Maria Öster, Director Sustainability, Hydro, Global Alumina and Smelter Growth:
I have had the pleasure to work with Kristin to prepare and see her execute a thought provoking creative learning session. Participants were our business development department in Hydro Aluminium, an international and diverse group of people. Seeing people go from sceptical to excited is not common day experience, but that was what happened. She has an extremely fine tuned understanding of how to push people into the unknown without making them feel uncomfortable. We wish to have Kristin on board for our next meetings to coach and inspire us further
Uffe Elbæk, former Minister of Culture at Ministry of Culture, Denmark, founder and former Headmaster of the KaosPilot International:
I have known Kristin Birkeland first as a student, later as a fellow colleague at the KaosPilot International; and without hesitation: it was an outstanding pleasure. Kristin Birkeland has the ability to find the delicate and unique balance between the hopeful visionary and the concrete tangible. Or said in another way: whether she is working with creative young KaosPilot students, or a team of colleagues from a multinational company, Kristin can keep a cool head and a warm heart. I can therefore warmly recommend Kristin as a loyal colleague, or as a quick-witted external consultant, or as a mental dance-partner in a given coaching situation.”
René Balle, Vice President Global Research, Vestas Vind Systems:
I have had Kristin Birkeland in on a creative leadership development programme in Vestas. Kristin strikes a delicate balance between a calm and kind approach yet demanding and highly insisting. Through her insightful process she makes you face what`s in the mirror- creating deep reflection leading to powerful learnings. If you meet Kristin with a truly open mind and a will to make real changes – you will, as we did, create outstanding results. I highly recommend you to bring in Kristin for any process where radical change is needed- no, on the other hand; I dare you! In December 2010, I had the great opportunity of meeting Kristin Birkeland. As the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said “Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards”… I didn’t know then, but I know it now: Kristin was the person that made a point of inflection where my lives turned into a new wonderful World. She lead me towards discovering new amazing perspectives of life that I could never imagine!!
Inmaculada Vaquero Pernía Jefe de Proyectos / Project Manager, Andalucía Emprende, Fundación Pública Andaluza:
In December 2010, I had the great opportunity of meeting Kristin Birkeland. As the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said “Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards”… I didn’t know then, but I know it now: Kristin was the person that made a point of inflection where my lives turned into a new wonderful World. She lead me towards discovering new amazing perspectives of life that I could never imagine!! All this great learning journey begun with a training in Malaga related to collaboration… and two powerful questions: “How might we become more effective in supporting entrepreneurs? What is our common dream?” Kristin is much more than a team-coach, she is dressed with a big smile, a strong beautiful heart and the intuition who makes a leader turn the World into great changes. Kristin drives her Art building bridges to our own happiness and shows us the way to reach our dreams. She co-creates, wake-up our awareness, transform reality through stories full of colors and a powerful knowledge of what really means collaboration. Kristin Birkeland is the person who can makes you lead your own way and get out of yourself the best of YOU!!
Producer Maria Stevnbak Andersen, Editor Nicolas Servide and Director Andreas M. Dalsgaard:
Kristin managed to take us by the hand and make us look into our own emotions and dreams in relation to starting up our filmproduction company. She provided important tools to explore the potentials we have as individuals as well as a group. Thanks for giving us a lovely and interesting day, for the challenges and the input. We came home with a mood-board of concepts, which will be key to define the spirit of our company.
Silje Grastveit, prosjektleder Grow`08:
Entreprenørskapsdagen Grow`08 ble arrangert i Bergen 13.mars 2008. Dagen er ledd i en regional satsing for å styrke samarbeidsrelasjoner, gründerkulturen og fremme holdninger som skaper åpenhet til nye ideer for å på sikt oppnå økt innovasjon. Årets arrangement tok for seg tema; kreativitet. I denne forbindelse ble Kristin Birkeland spurt om å forankre deltakernes læring fra dagen gjennom en sesjon for alle tilstedeværende.Kristin Birkeland viste gjennom sitt bidrag at det er fullt mulig -og effektfullt- å benytte coaching metoder som virkemiddel på flere hundre deltakere samtidig. Kristin Birkeland (med Ole Hamre -musiker og komponist- som bakgrunnsrytme) ledet denne siste halvtimen med stor ro og en varm scenisk sjarm. Hun stilte spørsmål og igangsatte refleksjon i stillhet og i gruppevis diskusjon, noe som ledet deltakerne til økt bevissthet om hva de ville ta med seg fra en heldags konferanse om kreativitet og innovasjon. Hennes bidrag var virkningsfullt og beveget deltakerne. En god overvekt av deltakernes tilbakemelding har vært at Kristin Birkelands sesjon var av stor verdi for dem. Kristin Birkeland anbefales med glede videre, og undertegnede stiller gjerne som referanse.
Anne Kjær Riechert ,”Leading enough to serve,”:
I had the pleasure of having Kristin Birkeland as my team leader during my first year at the KaosPilots 2002-2003.Kristin has a winning personality that will be an asset to any group or organization in which she will be working in the future. Kristin is filled with passion for the work she is undertaking. She has a unique ability to both inspire and challenge the people she works with to achieve their very best.
Through her work at the KaosPilots Kristin clearly sat an example for her students, on how to navigate in an international context. In my class we were people from five countries, and Kristin manifested how to lead such a diverse group towards a shared vision.
Kristin is not afraid of trying out new and alternative methods, and likes to involve people in the process. I see her ability to make other people responsible and lead themselves as her foremost competence.
I hereby give Kristin my very best recommendations, and wish her all possible success in the future.
Rolf Arne Leer, entrepreneur and producer :
Heart, brain, sky`s the limit! Kristin Birkeland has been my coach, my friend and my leader throughout the 3 years I have been a student at the KaosPIlot. Her presence and genuine interest in helping me to move have nourished my development and skills as a KaosPilot. She listen with all her heart. She has the curiosity to be playful in the way she works. She has the courage to challenge and find new perspectives. She has the strength to lead 35 KaosPilots through 3 years. Kristin has given me tools and confidence to meet the world as a KaosPilot.
