NOKIAN TYRES

Individual leadership coaching

Nokian Tyres has had a brilliant growht story during the last decades. One of the key players in the success has been Susanna Tusa, Head of Legal for the Group. Susanna has actively participated in and supported the development of the global company. She has always been very committed to the firm; partly due to the fact that she´s from town called Nokia, the hometown for the company, herself. After 13 years of legal matters she made a significant decision to move to specialist role in business development from the role of superior and member of the management board. What was behind her decision? And how it was possible to do such a special career move?

Coaching was a way forward

Minnariikka Rajala from Delficon started co-operation with Susanna Tusa with perfect timing. It clearly was time for Susanna to think of new, even ground breaking, ways to work for Nokian Tyres. Susanna still felt that she definitely wanted to stay in the company she was very committed to, but her role needed to change. For several years she had wanted to work more ”hands-on” in business development. Her position as Head of Legal meant in a global listed company that main part of the job consisted of administrative tasks and that was not what motivated her anymore. With Minnariikka they started to find the new path. The first task was to figure out with different kinds of tests and exercises what it is that Susanna really wants to do. Important part of the coaching was confidential and open discussion between Minnariikka and Susanna. When one is making special and not-so-common career move there is several matters to think about. How the organization takes the change? What about the new colleagues and their feelings about the situation? Susanna wanted to learn new things and get new challenges at this point of her career. But also make sure, that maybe later she can return to superior roles if that is inviting her again.

Results and benefits

It was possible to keep motivated, important and competent person in the company, because Nokian Tyres was open and compliant to the career move Susanna wanted to make. Susanna is especially thankfull for her new colleagues for the excellent and warm welcome she had in the new position. New role and new work tasks have been smoothly learned and embraced thanks to whole organization supporting her bold decision.

”I am very motivated and excited about my new work and the opportunity to learn new and challenge myself every day. In some way I even feel more usefull for the company now. I am again very enthusiastic about my work”, explains Susanna Tusa.

Delficon´s and Minnarikka Rajala´s help and support was in a major role for Susanna´s career move. When big changes are made, it is very usefull to have discussions with someone outside the company, who can look things objectively and openly, keeping both advantage of the person and the company in mind equally. ”Susanna has had a great career in Nokian Tyres. I had a priviledge as a coach to work with her in a situation where completely new role had to be found inside the company. I am very impressed that a person like Susanna, who is very committed, broad-minded and eager to learn new, finds excatly right new direction for herself without having to change the company or resign. In my opinion Susanna is very brave and bold leader for all of us: our career doesn´t have to always go by the beaten paths and what is expected. We all need to pause and listen to our inner voices. What is it that we really want? What do we need on a daily basis in order to be happy and content in our job? If the current role is not completely satisfying, I strongly recommend thinking of other options inside the company. In this case the end result was very succesfull for both Susanna and Nokian Tyres”, tells Minnariikka Rajala from Delficon.

SUSANNA TUSA - General Counsel, Nokian Tyres