Leadership Profiles: Jenni Tuulos

Jenni Tuulos works as a Director in Embedded Solutions Finland.

How would you describe yourself as a leader?

People are the most important aspect of my work. Sometimes, it frustrates me that in Finland, there is only one common word for leading people and managing things, while in English, “leadership” and “management” mean very different things. To me, leadership is more about inspiring and motivating people toward common goals.

The principles guiding my leadership are trust, analytical thinking, and agility. I trust my team, and my team can trust me. We are on a shared journey toward our collective goals, and we achieve them through collaboration. I avoid micromanagement: I give my team responsibility and independence, while leading by example.

I believe in continuous improvement and an agile culture of experimentation. Not everything needs to be perfect right away; we make progress step by step. It is crucial to keep all necessary individuals informed about what we are doing, what we aim to achieve, and what actions are expected.

How does Etteplan support leadership and growth?

Etteplan's excellent work community, combined with a professional and humane onboarding process, made a positive impression right from the start. Together with online courses and business-supporting tools, these create a strong foundation for developing leadership skills.

How would you describe the culture at Etteplan?

Etteplan's culture is very open, and people are approachable and listen to each other. I am truly pleased with how my team members and colleagues actively reach out to me and share great ideas.

In what ways do you feel you have an impact on the company culture?

I come from a background in engineering, which makes me very analytical and fact-driven. Facts provide clarity, transparency, and the ability to adapt to change. Change is a constant state, where clear prioritization and focus on the right things become vital, all while remembering humanity and empathy.

I joined Etteplan from a smaller organization that had a hands-on culture. I feel that this has been a great school for business leadership, customer work, developing practices and processes, and implementing strategy. I can leverage that broad experience in my role at Etteplan, where the organization and my business unit are significantly larger, yet my role is more focused.

How do you consider inclusion and diversity in your team and how does it impact Etteplan as a whole?

I believe we still have some work to do, especially in terms of increasing diversity. Part of this is due to our industry and the types of people who pursue education and careers in technical fields. I hope that in the future, we can become more visible advocates for diversity and inclusion. It would be fantastic to be a pioneer in terms of DEI themes.

Our values are: Forward focus, Bold thinking and Smarter together. Which one of our values do you like the most?

I see that each of these values holds significance in our strategy, development, and growth. Right now, Forward focus particularly inspires me as we work on next year's annual plans.

How are the values seen in practice?

Smarter Together is especially evident in collaboration and collegial support. The best insights I've gained for my leadership often come from colleagues facing similar challenges and opportunities. Forward Focus value guides us in making decisions that align with our strategy and values. Bold Thinking particularly shines in business growth and innovation. It encourages us to think boldly and take risks that can lead to significant progress. This value also opens up new perspectives on understanding diversity and urges us to appreciate differences.

Finally, my motto: A committed and positively engaged team produces committed customers, and committed, satisfied customers drive profitable business. Happy people – happy customers – good profit (happy owners).