First values.
Services below.
Values. Not constantly talked about or visible. Yet to be transparent about the principles at the core my consultancy and counseling work with organizations and individuals:
Imagination
“If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else.”
Where does the new come from?
If you can’t imagine the new, it’s hard to get it. When an individual or a work community wants to develop, imagination is the key. Why is imagination so important and practical? In the midst of change, under pressure, we easily grab the first options that come to mind. These typically replicate old ways of thinking and acting. Imagination is a practical tool. In order to change, new options and ways of acting must be formed. The new is initially just a product of imagination. The aim is to make it tangible reality.
Understand
“Understanding happens when we understand in a new way.”
The core of my work is understanding: to help clients understand themselves better. When an individual or organization creates alternative ways of seeing themselves, that is already a change. But it is a mistake to regard understanding an empathetic wish. It is a necessity. Understanding in a new way opens up a chance for change. Letting understanding emerge is challenging. But this challenge introduces surprising pleasures and benefits.
Respect
“Client owns the problem.”
When I meet with a client – an individual, a group, an organization – we are trying to understand the issues. Things have a history and are constantly being re-evaluated.All of us involved need to learn from it, respect it. Things have come to this, and now it is time to change them. To do that, we need dialogue between the parties, and with things and ecosystems around us and our organizations.
Organization consultancy
I have a Ph.D. in organization and management studies, and an Associate Professor title from the University of Helsinki, Finland. I have worked as an organizational consultant for over 20 years and have FINOD certifacate in organization consultancy. My focus areas are leadership development, team-building, and developing self-managed and community-led organizations.
My approach to consultancy is based on philosophical hermeneutics, and an understanding of organizational dynamics, systemic view of organizations and resource-oriented approach. I have run consultancy projects with over hundred organizations both in Finland and internationally. I have published 30 academic articles e.g. on leadership and self-managing organizations.
Additionally to change management, coaching and training I frequent as a key-note speaker in various kinds of organizations and events.
Customer cases
City of Järvenpää
Applying community-led organizing and self-management principles into the whole kindergarten system (17 units, 380 personnel, 2 year project)
EU-institutions
Certified trainer, developing management programs and running trainings with various management levels
Mann+Hummel
Top management retreat programs and facilitation, management group consultancy
NordLab Laboratory Services
Developing a more self-managed way of working together, leadership development, designing a change program
City of Helsinki
Sparring leaders towards a more self-managing culture
Kone Elevators
Coaching-trainings for leaders and managers
Nordea Bank
Competence developmet, leadership trainings, facilitating nation-wide strategy process, team development, unit change programs
In tens of companies and public sector organizations
Team development & team-building to enhance collaboration, improve communication, strengthen team spirit in tens of organizations.
Please feel free to contact for more detailed information about the client cases.
Philosophical counseling
I have studied philosophy as a major subject, and have co-founded two philosophical societies and the Philosophical Institute Finland (filosofineninstituutti.fi). Philosophical counseling and Socratic dialogues are part of my professional work.
My philosophical services:
- One-on-one philosophical counseling
- Philosophical counseling for small groups
- Socratic dialogue
- Philosophy for work and organizations
- Ethical dilemmas and culture
- Key notes on values, humanity, co-operation, the essence of leadership, meaning of work and life…
- For psychologists, consultants, trainers and other professionals in development work: applying philosophy as a theoretical framework
Socratic dialogue is a discussion method suitable for groups…
Ajattelun haaste filosofin vastaanotolla Tekstin mukaan…
Filoofiaa kannattaa käyttää organisaatiokysymyksiin…
Filoofiaa kannattaa käyttää organisaatiokysymyksiin Filosofia on luonteeltaan suurten kysymysten äärellä. …
Ajattelun haaste filosofin vastaanotolla Tekstin mukaan filosofin vastaanotolla tapahtuu kolmenlaista …
Socratic dialogue is a discussion method suitable for groups of …
Do self-managing organizations have more progressive ways to support employee-driven …
“Leaderless leadership in radically decentralized organizations” – the article is …
Philosophical services are suitable for everyone. A person or an …
Academic publications
Salovaara, P. & Vuori, J. (2024).
Leaderless leadership in radically decentralised organisations. 
In: Wilson, S., Smolovic-Jones, O., Knights, D. & Liu, H. (eds), Routledge Handbook of Critical Leadership Studies, pp. 148-159. Routledge.
Salovaara, P. & Martela, F. (forthc. 2024).
Less-hierarchical organizing.
In: Eriksson, P., Montonen, T., Laine, P.-M. & Heikkinen, A. (eds.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Innovation Management.
Salovaara, P. (2021).
The impact of craft breweries on revitalisation and community-building.
In: Researching Craft Beer: Understanding Production, Community and Culture in an Evolving Sector. Emerald.
Salovaara, P. & Statler, M. (2021).
Ludic existence: hermeneutical philosophy and gamification.
In: M. Vesa et al. (eds.), Organizational Gamification – Theories and Practices of Ludified Work in Late Modernity, pp. 230-243. Routledge Studies in Management, Organization and Society.
Salovaara, P. (2020).
Why can’t leaders be human?
In: Ladkin, D., Rethinking leadership, 2nd edition. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Salovaara, P., Savolainen, J. & Ropo, A. (2020).
Project is as project does: emerging microactivities and play ontology.
Project Management Journal, 51(1), 49-61.
Ropo, A. & Salovaara, P. (2019).
Spacing leadership as an embodied and performative process.
Leadership, 15(4), 461–479.
Salovaara P. & Ropo, A. (2018).
Lefebvre and spacing leadership: from power-over to power- with.
In: Dale, K., Kingma, S. & Wasserman, V. (Eds.), Organizational Space and Beyond. The Significance of Henri Lefebvre for Organization Studies, pp. 72-103. New York: Routledge.
Peltonen, T. & Salovaara, P. (2018).
Lunch Beat, Lefebvre and the politics of organizational space.
In: Dale, K., Kingma, S. & Wasserman, V. (Eds.), Organizational Space and Beyond. The Significance of Henri Lefebvre for Organization Studies. New York: Routledge.
Salovaara, P., & Bathurst, R. (2018).
Power-with leadership practices: An unfinished business.
Leadership 14(2), 179-202.
Salovaara, P. (2018).
Accounting for the messiness of the research process: The Fieldpath approach.
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 13(4), 315-332.
Salovaara, P. & Statler, M. (2018).
Always already playing: Hermeneutics and the gamification of existence.
Journal of Management Inquiry.
Salovaara, P. & von Stamm, B. (2018).
Leadership, built-in.
In: Elkington, R., van der Steege, M., Glick-Smith, M. & Moss-Breen, J. (Eds.), Exceptional Leadership by Design: How Design in Great Organizations Produces Great Leadership, pp. 247-271. Bingley, UK: Emerald.
Wood, M., Salovaara, P., & Martin, L. (2018).
Manifesto for screen production in organisation studies.
Organization.
Jakonen, M., Kivinen, N., Salovaara, P. & Hirkman, P. (2017).
Towards an Economy of Encounters? A critical study of affectual assemblages in coworking.
Scandinavian Journal of Management, 33(4), 235-242.
Ropo, A., Salovaara, P., Sauer, E. & de Paoli, D. (Eds.) (2015).
Leadership in Spaces and Places.
London: Edward Elgar.
Salovaara, P. (2015).
What can coworking movement tell us about the future of workplaces?
In: Ropo, A., Salovaara, P., Sauer, E. & de Paoli, D. (Eds.), Leadership in Spaces and Places. London: Edward Elgar.
Salovaara, P. (2014).
Video: Leadership in Spaces and Places.
Organizational Aesthetics, 3(1), 79-79.
Ropo, A, Sauer, E. & Salovaara P. (2013).
Embodiment of Leadership through Material Place.
Leadership, 9(3), p. 378-395.
Salovaara, P, & Ropo, A, (2013).
Embodied learning experience in leadership development.
In: L.R. Molina, G.J. Burgess, L.L. Falkman, A. Marturano (Eds.), The Embodiment of Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.