Do you know your role as a leader?
Understanding different management methods makes leadership easier, even in challenging situations. Humanely efficient leadership combines both operational efficiency and humanity. Pay attention to competing leadership roles: do you lean towards people management, change management, performance management or internal process management?
There are many different types of leadership, and there is no one right way to lead. Leadership, however, requires the ability to respond to conflicting demands at the same time, sometimes in very challenging situations. In this case, the role of different management styles and, on the other hand, different competence areas, is emphasized.
“A leader is required to understand HR management, change management, performance management and internal process management. A great leader masters all of these”, says Outi Ikonen, Terveystalo's Chief Organizational Psychologist.
According to Ikonen, the biggest challenges in leadership are related to the contradictions between competing leadership roles. Employees must feel happy and healthy while the company is making a profit.
“When managing people, team spirit and inspiring commitment are important, and the employees need to feel empowered and involved. The staff must feel that the supervisor is interested in them and their well-being”, says Ikonen.
There are also paradoxes in change management and process management.
“In change management, the leader strives to achieve growth and innovations, while in the management of internal processes, the leader aims to ensure that the processes work and that there is sufficient stability in the management. The leader should hold on to both, as routines provide a framework for creativity. "
Identify strengths
Leaders and supervisors should consider their own model of leadership and identify their strengths.
“Everyone is at their strongest in one of these areas of leadership. Someone gets feedback on inclusiveness, someone on good performance leadership, someone on inspiring enthusiasm, and someone on creating stability and a systematic approach”, says Ikonen.
Challenges arise mainly if your leadership model is too narrow.
“For example, if your leadership role focuses solely on performance management, the employees may feel ignored. In this case, the supervisor must develop their people management skills and otherwise broaden their competence as a leader."
Help from feedback
A lot is expected of leaders. Therefore, the supervisor and leader should also be understanding towards themselves.
“The leadership role is often focused on the need, and it is natural to focus on some needs more than others. However, it is good to be aware of all the leadership roles so that none of them remain completely ignored”, says Ikonen.
Roles can be developed with the help of feedback, for example.
“The leader should have the skills to take feedback and understand what it relates to. Mindsets that are unsuitable for your type of leadership are easy to reject, but you should learn to accept the feedback nonetheless. A great leader knows how to talk openly, even if the issue is difficult.”
Terveystalo's humane efficiency coaching for supervisors, a virtual, multiorganizational coaching service, can be of use to leaders.
“The humane efficiency supervisor coaching teaches leaders to identify their strengths and development needs, among other things. The aim is to increase the leader’s understanding of working as a supervisor while potentially changing their ways of thinking and acting in different situations”, Ikonen sums up.
>> Learn more about Humane Efficiency
Lue lisää aiheesta
The renewed lifestyle disease risk report from health examinations provides more information and reinforces prevention
Starting in February 2026, the lifestyle disease risk report will include an estimate of metabolic age and compare each individual's results with data collected from working-age people at Terveystalo.
What is metabolic age and why should you care about it?
A new laboratory study by Terveystalo reveals how your body is aging. Metabolic age makes biological aging visible.
Suun Terveystalo expands its expertise and network – also for the benefit of occupational health customers
At Terveystalo, oral health is an integral and essential part of overall well-being and health. Our expanding oral health care network enables us to provide comprehensive services to both employees and customers throughout Finland. Our goal is to ensure smooth access to care and to remain at the forefront of developments in the field.
Terveystalo joins leading working life actors at the Hyvää työtä Forum
New cooperation opens up opportunities for building a more positive working life.
Research result: Evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare requires sufficiently sensitive indicators
When developing healthcare, the focus is usually on effectiveness and measurable evidence. From the perspective of the individual patient, it is important to understand whether the treatment will bring them real benefits, rather than just more procedures. From the perspective of society, it is important to know where limited resources should be allocated.
Smooth assistance for your needs – our AI assistant is now at your service
You can now find Terveystalo’s AI assistant on our website — a quick and easy way to get answers based on the information available on our site. For now, the assistant is available only on the Finnish‑language section of our website, but you can chat with it in English.