In today\u2019s academic environment, leadership is no longer only about expertise or operational management. Universities and research institutions face rapidly changing demands, increasing complexity, diverse stakeholder expectations, and the constant need for collaboration across disciplines and cultures. In this context, leadership development becomes essential for all leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was exactly the motivation behind designing and acquiring in the LEAD Program<\/strong>, leadership training program for leaders at all levels in the university, describes Truus Poels<\/strong>, Vice-Rector Human Resources Development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the start, the need was clear. This was not about generic leadership skills \u2013 it resonated because it was built specifically for academic leaders. It focused on developing self-awareness, communication, and the ability to lead multicultural, expert teams<\/strong>\u2014capabilities that are essential in modern universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LUT selected BoMentis<\/strong> as a partner for this program, which was designed for everyone acting in a leader role in the university. Hence, all managers, from top management to administrative heads and professors, participated in the training program. This means on the LUT University level that there were more than 10 training groups with about 15 to 20 participants in each group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the program progressed, something began to change \u2013 not only in what leaders knew, but especially in how they led.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Truus Poels depicts: \u201cOne of the most valuable insights was the importance of reflective and people-centered leadership in academic environments.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This insight translated into everyday actions. Leaders started to listen more actively, pay closer attention to team dynamics, and consciously balance performance with wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She explains how this showed up in practice: \u201cThese themes have been applied in everyday leadership through more conscious communication, increased attention to team engagement, and creating space for collaboration and dialogue in challenging situations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While individual growth was meaningful, the most visible impact was at the team level. The university\u2019s leadership team was the first group in the LEAD program and began to build a shared understanding of what leadership means at LUT \u2013 and how it should be practiced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This resulted in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The change was not dramatic overnight, but it was consistent and tangible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Truus summarizes: \u201cThe training strengthened both individual and collective leadership capabilities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A key factor behind the program\u2019s impact was the learning environment itself. BoMentis coaches created a space where participants could openly reflect on real challenges, ensuring that discussions stayed grounded in daily leadership reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe coaches played an important role in facilitating reflection, creating a psychologically safe environment, and connecting leadership theory to practical academic realities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This made it possible to turn insights into concrete actions \u2013 not someday, but immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program lasted about 6 months for each group, and there were both training sessions and small group coaching sessions. Through this process, the combination of reflection, practical tools, and peer dialogue made the learning both meaningful and applicable. What stood out most for LUT\u2019s leaders was how closely the program matched their context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI particularly appreciated the strong connection between the program content and the realities of academic leadership.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Leadership in academia continues to evolve, but LUT University\u2019s experience shows that the right kind of development can make a real difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LEAD Program helped their leaders move toward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because in complex environments, leadership is not just about delivering results\u2014it is about bringing people with you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In today\u2019s academic environment, leadership is no longer only about expertise or operational management. Universities and research institutions face rapidly changing demands, increasing complexity, diverse stakeholder expectations, and the constant need for collaboration across disciplines and cultures. In this context, leadership development becomes essential for all leaders. That was exactly the motivation behind designing and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22155,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"tags":[],"referenssit":[167],"class_list":["post-22154","asiakastarinat","type-asiakastarinat","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","referenssit-esihenkilovalmennus"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/asiakastarinat\/22154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/asiakastarinat"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/asiakastarinat"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/asiakastarinat\/22154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22156,"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/asiakastarinat\/22154\/revisions\/22156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22154"},{"taxonomy":"referenssit","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.c2ktsghe.c2.suncomet.fi\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/referenssit?post=22154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A program tailored for these leaders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A shift in how leadership is experienced<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
From individual insight to shared direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Turning reflection into action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Looking ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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