Case Finnfund: From Specialist to Leader
Finnfund
Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd, Finnfund, is a Finnish development financier that invests in companies in developing markets.
The organisation's 100 employees operate globally, managing a billion-scale investment portfolio. Finavia is responsible for the efficient operation of Finland’s airport network and the smooth flow of air traffic.
Background of the training programs
Finnfund wanted to support new managers within the organisation who had transitioned from expert roles into managerial positions, into leading deep specialists who work in an international operating environment.
The goals of the coaching programme were:
To strengthen understanding of the managerial role, its core responsibilities, and the foundations of good leadership.
To increase self-awareness as a manager, understanding of diversity and how to lead it, as well as identifying areas for development in one's own leadership.
To provide an understanding of psychological basic needs, motivation-based leadership, and fostering a sense of ownership in others.
In addition to these, the programme offered a space to receive peer support for everyday leadership situations, as well as to work on one's own leadership identity and ways of working.
A great program with a lot to think about. The discussions helped me structure my thoughts, and the exercises left a strong lasting impession!
- Participant experience
How the trainings were designed and delivered
The programme included three half-day coaching sessions, personalised Big Five results, and individual coaching based on the personality profile, focusing on one's own leadership strengths and areas for development. The coaching was structured as a process, with modules being approximately one month apart from each other. In between, participants supported each other in small groups based on intermediate tasks. The modules included both pre-assigned and intermediate tasks, which were used to help bring the content of the coaching into one's everyday life to be tested in practice.
The themes of the coaching were:
Responsibilities and rights of managerial work from a legal perspective
MAVEK: enabling leadership and supporting potential
Psychological basic needs and the skills of genuine encounter
Personality traits (Big Five framework), leading different kinds of people, and the skills of influencing others
Managing one's own time and prioritisation skills
A coaching approach
Client Voice
At Finnfund, responsibility is an important value also as an employer. Continuous development of operations and personal growth are key, and leadership plays a pivotal role in this. Our experts work in demanding roles on the international field, where a manager's ability to understand their team members in various challenging everyday situations, as well as to inspire and support development and to ensure work wellbeing in everyday life, is significant.
The programme provided a solid foundation for working in a managerial role. In their feedback, participants felt they had gained concrete tools and good support for their everyday lives. I believe the coaching has played a significant role in shaping the foundation that the new managers have received on their own growth path towards becoming managers and leaders.
- Chief People Officer
