If you look under the hood of Hatteland Technology, you’ll soon recognize Anna Aulie as a key part of the machinery. Our Marketing & Communication Manager is always on the go, but we were able to reel her in for a sit-down.
Lysaker, January 2024
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Q: – Diving right in, Anna. How was your Christmas break?
A: – It was lovely, thank you! I got to spend time with friends and family, which really is what matters the most. Stayed at home first, then the usual trip to the mountains, in an electric car for the first time.
Q: – Oh, nice! Knowing how you like to plan ahead; how did you find the whole charging business?
A: – On the return trip we came down again in an actual blizzard, which meant LONG queues and, yes, a few tense moments. I wasn’t sure there would be enough chargers to go around with seemingly half of Norway locking horns out there. But it went well.
Q: – Surely no big deal for someone as calm and collected as yourself. What’s your go-to strategy for dealing with uncertainty?
A: – Years ago, I took yoga classes and learned how to take deep breaths. That technique stuck with me ever since. I also try to consider the absolute worst outcome of a given situation, and usually realize the thing I’m fearing isn’t all that bad.
"I love interacting with different people,
and I get to do that every day here."
Q: – We know you as the Marketing and Communication manager at Hatteland Technology. Tell us about your background and how you first started here.
A: – I grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden, where I lived for the first 20 years of my life. Fairly typical upbringing in the suburbs with my parents and my younger brother and sister. My first career move was to start teacher training, which I did for two years. But then I realized something was missing, so I quit and became a ski guide in the Austrian alps. There, I met a handsome Norwegian fellow who later became my husband. After a couple of seasons in Austria, we decided to move to the UK where I got my degree in “Tourism and business”. We then settled in Asker, Norway, and had two wonderful kids. I applied for a job in Hatteland Display which of course later became Hatteland Technology. 13 years later I’m still here.
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A: – I love interacting with different people, and I get to do that every day here. We do an incredible number of cool things in various industries. My tasks include everything from communication strategy work and customer correspondence to implementing new software, onboarding employees, just to name a few. On the whole, I find my role reflects who I am quite well. I see traces of my background in most of the things I do here at Hatteland Technology.
Q: – What parts of you never changed? A: – Probably the teacher in me. Though I never completed the training, it’s something I identify with, not least because my father used to be one. And I’ve always felt comfortable with grammar, and I love to express myself in writing, which of course is part of my job as Marketing and Communication Manager. I was one of those girls who kept a journal and was really committed to it. |
Another constant in my life is my roots. It’s funny because I’ve lived half my life in Norway, I act Norwegian, I’m a Norwegian citizen, yet I curse in Swedish. And whenever there’s a sporting event where Sweden plays Norway, my true colors come out.
Q: – Blue and yellow?
A: – Yep.
Q: – What about your stint as a ski guide in your twenties? Just a love for the outdoors, or the early signs of a future leader?
A: – Anyone who knows me can testify to my love for sports, the outdoors and skiing in particular. I never consciously aspired to becoming a leader, but now that I give it some thought…those roles have a way of finding me. Or the other way around.
Q: — How so?
A: — I get uneasy when something needs fixing, and no one steps up. Like when people are encouraged to volunteer for committees or coaching my kid’s soccer team, those sorts of things. It typically ends up with me raising my hand, probably on account of an unhealthy dose of guilty conscience.
"I’m not afraid to ask stupid questions. I have learned
they can be highly valuable."
Q: – Unhealthy or not: It sure seems like you have a talent for getting things done. Care to share your secret?
A: – Haha, maybe I do. Hmm…it’s not a secret by any means, but I like to keep things simple. I try not to overcomplicate or overthink decisions. I deal with so many different things on an average day, both in my professional life and my personal life, I guess I’ve developed an instinct for pulling the right strings. There are many areas I’m certainly no expert in, but I usually know who to involve. And I’m not afraid to ask stupid questions. I have learned they can be highly valuable.
Q: – Sounds like textbook traits of a good manager.
A: – You think so? That’s nice to hear, but I think I’ll leave that analysis to others.
Q: – We won’t be able to trick you into applauding yourself, will we?
A: – Nope. What I will say is I absolutely love interacting with my colleagues, hear how they’re doing, and help out in any way I can. They’re the best. I feel incredibly lucky that I get to play a part in their workday.
Q: – Mind if we round off with a few quick-fire questions?
A: – Shoot.
Q: – The best gift you gave someone this Christmas?
A: – New cross-country skis for my son!
Q: – One challenge that helped you grow?
A: – Marcialonga 2023. It was a huge challenge, physically of course, but also in many other ways.
Q: – Best recent movie?
A: – Oh my god! I rarely watch anything…I’ll name a TV show, if that’s ok. The documentary about Salming, the Swedish ice hockey legend who unfortunately passed away two years ago.
Q: – A guilty pleasure from the entertainment world?
A: – Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It’s perfect when I need to log off.
Q: – Home-cooked meal or restaurant?
A: – Home-cooked for sure!
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