Oppiva johtaja suomalaisissa teollisuusyrityksissä

Abstract

This study explores leadership learning in the context of Finnish manufacturing companies. The research posed the following questions: What makes it possible to become a leader? Can leadership be learned in practice, and if so, how? What can be learned about leadership that enables one to become a leader, and what conclusions can be drawn in answering these questions? The study was qualitative and based on semi-structured topical interviews conducted with executives (N=16) from different industries. The transcribed material from the interviews was analyzed within the hermeneutic research method tradition by using content analysis. The theoretical background of the study was based on Brookfield's critically reflective model. The study found six enabling elements that facilitate learning in a leader's profession. The study also revealed five areas in everyday life where leadership learning happens. These two key findings emphasize that leadership is not only something that happens within the relationship between the leader and employee; the factors that determine leadership are also social. The study shows that the critically reflective model applies in developing leadership on many levels. It allows for the examination of individual leadership experiences, which in turn shed light on systemic and social factors that determine the type and style of leadership. Once the background structure of leadership is revealed, it is then possible to develop it openly. The structure can subsequently be molded to promote the company's goals through leadership that improves general well-being and competitiveness. The study offers a new theoretical understanding of the social dimension within the development of leadership in the context of Finnish companies. It reveals the factors that affect this development and provides critical perspectives. The models presented in the study provide tools to develop leadership both at a theoretical and practical level. The study proposes that learning as a leader should be developed by focusing on it consciously and that the learning is a process of continuous development.