In our writing odyssey over the past few years, we've embarked on countless interviews and discussions with over 120 leaders, managers, and experts. You can occasionally read news about poor management and leadership, and there must be a seed of truth in those stories. Our literary voyage, however, has focused on discussing effective management and leadership practices, those that transform workplaces and ensure success, and we have had the privilege of encountering so many good managers and leaders along the way.
What's their secret? They emphasize the core management principles that withstand the tides of change. However, they are not stuck in the past; they are avid learners. They constantly update their toolkit with new skills and tools needed in this ever-evolving world. The Finnish ethos of management and leadership embodies modesty, collaboration, courage, and trust, along with Sisu – a unique Finnish concept of resilience and determination.
In a rapidly evolving world, individual leaders are expected to assemble an ever-growing, changing puzzle where each new piece represents a novel and unique leadership skill. The leaders must ensure that their approach is comprehensive and effective, tailored to each specific situation and challenge.
In addition, the leaders of today are typically managing and leading the next generations of co-workers, who have different values and working styles than their predecessors. Traditional management approaches falter when they neglect sustainable, responsible, and purpose- or value-based leadership. If the leadership style and people’s expectations do not match, employees will just leave the company and go to an organisation that fits their values and thinking.
However, this is a two-way street: emerging leaders also need to bridge the generational gap. By understanding the wisdom and experiences of their "senior" counterparts, they can channel that knowledge into creating value for all.
Our new book combines the core management and leadership approaches with new and future ways of managing and leading, we call it multimanaging. Influenced by the authors' backgrounds, understanding of effective management and leadership practices, and insights from the interviews, the book has a strong Finnish flavour, culminating in its final title All about Management and Leadership – A Finnish Perspective (Raikaslehto, T., Mansukoski, S. & Mitronen, L. 2024).
We didn’t meet bad leaders during our writing process. Even though the interviewed people have been in very different stages of their careers, all have had a strong and modern value base, highlighting e.g. the importance of equality, purpose, and corporate responsibility.
We invite you to join us on this exploratory journey as we unravel the complexities and nuances of effective management and leadership to enrich your perspective on these topics.
Timo Raikaslehto
Timo Raikaslehto, M.Sc. (Econ.), has collaborated with top management and boards in various companies for over 25 years, both as a business leader and management consultant. He has also written books Voittajan strategia (Alma Talent, 2019) with Lasse Mitronen and Sataottelija ja tuloksekas perusjohtaja (Value Books, 2022) with Seppo Mansukoski and Lasse Mitronen.