The Hollola of the future is headed step by step, values first.
On the website of the municipality of Hollola, the municipal strategy is said to mean a whole, in which decisions are made about the long-term goals of the municipality's operations and economy. The decisions influence, among other things, the provision of services and the development of the living environment and the area's vitality.
An important entity, therefore, the CEO of the coaching company Kissconsulting Oy, business coach and consultant Maarika Mauryn according to observations, it is unfortunately often done incorrectly. He says that even most strategies go completely wrong.
- Project management is in its infancy. Everything possible is pushed into the strategies, then the place of the comma and the words are hemmed in, and we don't think about the things that we really want to change. People may not even understand what they are talking about and big and small things get mixed up.
Maury doesn't hesitate to get his point across, because he knows what he's talking about; the dissertation that is currently being worked on deals specifically with strategies. Maury has also been involved in dozens of municipal strategy projects and now works as a partner in Hollola's municipal strategy work.
However, when talking about Hollola's situation, a satisfied smile spreads across Maury's face. In his opinion, something essential has been understood here. We have dared to make a change. We know how to simplify and concretize. And you know how to summarize.
- Our municipal strategy 2022–2035 is two pages long. Or actually three, if you count the cover as well, Hollola municipality's director of administration and finance Turkka Rantanen focus.
Strategic programs make planning work more concrete
So what is done in Hollola that is practically different from elsewhere?
First of all, Rantanen wants to state that, as far as we know, no other municipality in Finland is currently making a strategy in the same way as in Hollola. Here, in addition to the final result, the focus is on the process itself, i.e. on how to actually aim for the goals according to the strategy. We move towards the goals step by step, with the help of strategic programs.
- While the strategy reaches 2035, the strategic programs are focused on this council term. This kind of shortening of the time span and adding details really makes the design work much more concrete and more meaningful to its creator, says Rantanen.
Maury adds that with the help of strategic programs it is also possible to involve the organization's people in a completely new way. It is easier to have a conversation from different perspectives and to deepen what we do into understanding and concreteness.
It is also special that resource issues go hand in hand with planning processes.
- Resource issues are often thought about separately so that the strategy and the budget follow their separate paths. Now there is a clear dialogue and sensible comments are given about what the money is sufficient for, Maury states.
Values guide the process
A change in Hollola's strategy work started a couple of years ago. Rantanen says that, encouraged by previous difficult and unclear strategies, the organization decided to take a new path.
- If we don't change direction, we will end up where we are going, says an old Chinese saying. We stated that we no longer want to go in the same direction, because we have already seen that road. The willingness to change therefore came collectively from within the entire organization.
Values have advanced towards a new direction. Extremely forward-thinking, extremely brave, extremely appreciative and extremely agile - that is, the familiar values of Hollola municipality written in the strategy - have guided the preparation of strategic programs at a very practical level.
- We have worked together in an appreciative atmosphere and if we have strayed into a side path, we have dared to change direction nimbly. These are concrete examples of how values have been constantly present in operations, Rantanen adds.
He says he is happy about the kind of feedback the new operating model has received. Of course, we were prepared for gravel sounds, but now the feedback has been only and only positive.
Maury is also happy about the feedback. In his opinion, Hollola is now on the right path. Change, it really does good.
- Studies also show that when strategies are made in a new way, the results multiply, he reminds.
Text: Jaana Kosunen
Cartoons: Salpakkanka school first grade G eskars
Published: 14.6.2022
