Building a community of top talents is one of our strategic priorities, and we have placed leadership and culture at the core of our development actions. Last autumn, we launched a brain-based leadership training for Siilis with team leadership roles.
The purpose of this program was to both strengthen our human leadership culture and give leaders concrete tools for their daily work. Topics covered during the training program included for example feedback culture and how to best support long-term development and growth.
Understanding neuroscience can help leaders to develop a more human-centric leadership style. With brain-based approach, leaders gain a broader understanding of humanity and diversity, leading to more solution-oriented and forward-looking communication at all levels of the organization. When we learn to work with the brain in mind rather than against it, we can achieve significant positive effects on performance, collaboration, and well-being with seemingly small actions.
Strong focus on competence development
At Siili, we want to support all employees in shaping their career while also being part of something bigger. We offer opportunities for professional development, and Siilis’ growth is supported by their team leads. With this training program, we wanted to both support our leaders’ professional development and help them to support their team members’ development in a more efficient way.
The training program was executed in cooperation with NeuroLeadership Institute, that specializes in building more human, high-performing organizations worldwide. The NeuroLeadership Institute’s purpose is to make organizations more human through science. As a research-based global organization, the company specializes in behavior change at scale, working with 65 of the Fortune 100 companies. The Siili program included 6 training sessions and lots of individual and group work to take the learning into practice. Through the brain-based leadership approach, we aim to foster a culture that better understands and supports humanity and diversity, where individuals are encouraged to find solutions and look forward.
“Why should we care about the brain? Recent studies reveal that many common leadership practices are not just ineffective but actively harmful. Our brains have evolved over millions of years for a vastly different environment to the one we live and work in today. Knowledge work – especially collaborating with others under pressure – is not naturally suited to how our brains function. The good news? Small, science-backed actions can lead to surprisingly large positive effects. NLI provides a compelling framework – neuroscience – along with cutting-edge tools and practices that truly work. Most importantly, these tools are easy to learn and apply, making large-scale behavior change possible. This enables us to be more creative, connected, and collaborative,” says Arto Miekkavaara from NeuroLeadership Institute.
Implementing the learnings in practice
Participants found the training highly valuable, with tools that are practical, scientifically proven, and effective in daily work. The program's impact extends beyond work, enhancing self-awareness, leadership skills, and collaboration.
Many saw it as essential for leadership development and building a strong company culture, emphasizing its long-lasting influence. Overall, the experience was rated excellent, with a shared appreciation for its real-world applicability.
Those who have completed the training actively experiment with the learned methods and tools in practice, applying them in various situations both at work and in their personal lives. These skills are used to enhance collaboration, leadership, decision-making, and personal development, demonstrating their real-world impact. By the final training session, 96% of participants applied the new brain-based leadership tools and skills approximately 1-3 times per week.
"This training came at the right time for us, helping us to establish new joint leadership practices in our teams. Our personnel survey had already highlighted feedback as a key development area, and the neuroleadership training provided concrete tools to improve our feedback culture. We’ve already started to put them into practice, and we look forward to seeing the impact in our next survey results later this year," says Harri Taro, Siili’s Director, business development.
Completing this training program is a significant step, and the journey continues. We will continue to develop Siili’s culture and leadership in 2025. Together we are creating the best community where AI meets humanity.