Courage is not always about big speeches or grand gestures. Sometimes it is the decision to set aside your title and step onto a worksite in the role of a learner. This is exactly what Jouni Kekäle, Head of our Light Rail division, NRC Group Finland did in early February when he swapped meeting rooms, slide decks, and leadership responsibilities for a real winter day on site.
- In November, I spoke with our installers at the Crown Bridges site (Kruunusillat). One of our experienced electricians made a very valid point: every new white collar employee should spend a few weeks or at least a few days on site doing real work. Only then can you truly understand work planning and the everyday challenges installers face, Jouni Kekäle explains.
- The idea stayed with me. Over my long career, I have visited many worksites, but always in the traditional management role, observing, listening, and asking questions. However, I had never actually been part of an installation crew. So after the turn of the year, I decided to take up the suggestion and signed up as a trainee for the overhead line works at Crown Bridges, he continues.
Together with the Site Manager, a schedule was agreed, which eventually took shape as two consecutive days in early February.
- This timing fit into our calendars without major arrangements. I completed the necessary site inductions, acquired the required winter work gear following the Site Manager’s instructions, and one Monday morning at 6:45 a.m., I stood at the Korkeasaari gate at 20 degrees below zero, ready to begin, Jouni describes.
Only a small group knew about the traineeship, on the project side only the Site Manager and the Foreman.
- On the site’s shift schedule board, my title was simply marked as ‘trainee,’ and I wanted to be there specifically as a participant, not as a visitor, Jouni emphasizes.
Valuable Lessons for His Own Work
- The experience was eye opening. It was great to see how naturally the team welcomed me into everyday site life. We had conversations about work, families, leisure time, working away from home, early mornings, all the things that affect people’s wellbeing and the flow of the workday, Jouni says.
At the same time, he witnessed firsthand the kind of feedback often heard from the field:
- how process delays are directly visible in installers’ daily work
- the practical challenges of technical designs
- how much on site adaptation is required in situations that are difficult to anticipate in a meeting room
Many of the issues we have discussed in the division or alliance management teams appeared completely different at site level, more concrete and at times more demanding. It highlighted how important it is to understand the impact of decisions where the work actually takes place.
Pride of the Team
The two days on site strengthened the division leader’s understanding of how skilled, committed, and team oriented the professionals at NRC Group are.
- I am truly proud of what I saw and experienced, and I know this was only a fraction of the expertise and stories that exist within our organization, Jouni says.
Based on the experience, Jouni Kekäle encourages others to take the leap as well.
- For managers and white collar employees, participating in everyday site life is not always easy. Calendars fill up, and it is easy to use busyness as a reason not to seize the opportunity. But fundamentally, it is about prioritization and the willingness to understand where project value is created. I recommend a similar experience to everyone, in your own role, on your own schedule, and with your own attitude, Jouni emphasizes.
Finally, Thanks from the Heart
- Thank you to the entire Crown Bridges overhead line team, across division boundaries, for two educational and motivating freezing winter days. Thank you as well for the excellent introduction to both the technical aspects and the practical work. And thank you for genuinely welcoming me into the team. I will make full use of everything I experienced and heard in my future leadership work, Jouni Kekäle concludes.