EBS MBA Alumna Kati Kivikas: Leadership Means Learning, Listening and Trust

Kati Kivikas, who leads B2B marketing for the international food and beverage company Paulig in Finland and the Baltics, and, as of 1 November, also in the Benelux countries, Scandinavia and the UK, still keeps in close contact with her MBA classmates nearly two years after graduating. The group of around ten regularly meets for lunch and has travelled together to Milan and Amsterdam.

“It's true that studying doesn't just expand your professional network – you can also make really good friends as an adult,” says Kati.

What brought her to EBS was a desire to hear how people in other organisations think and work. Like most people pursuing a master's degree at EBS, Kati already had management experience.

“I wanted to meet people with similar experience and seniority from different fields so we could exchange ideas,” she explains.

Kati joined Paulig, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, in 2006 as a coffee trainer. She then worked in the sales team before moving into marketing after parental leave. Since then, she has taken on roles with increasingly broader responsibilities, with her remit expanding further as of 1 November. Her experience in sales continues to help her understand the needs and day-to-day work of the sales team from a marketer's perspective.

“I've applied for roles even when I didn't have previous experience in that particular area. At first, I've been afraid of whether I could manage, but I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone and learned what I needed along the way. Paulig has always supported me in that,” she says.

Kati has never followed a fixed career plan in which every next step was mapped out years in advance. Instead, she has remained open to new opportunities that offer a chance to learn and gain new experiences.

Discussions with her classmates played an important role in her studies. Hearing about other people's professional experiences and solutions also encouraged her to reassess her own approach.

“When you listen to others and reflect on your own experiences through theirs, your perspective changes too. I started my studies with one set of assumptions and finished with another.”

Her management experience has taught Kati that a leader doesn't have to know all the answers – solutions can be found together with the team.

“I always feel comfortable telling my team when I don't know the answer to something. We figure it out together or find someone who does,” she says.

She considers it equally important to create an environment where people feel comfortable talking about mistakes and failures.

“Making mistakes is okay, but I can only help someone find a solution if I know there's an obstacle that needs to be addressed.”

Kati also believes that a leader has a responsibility to make sure people's good work gets noticed. When a team member has done something particularly well, their contribution should be recognised more widely across the organisation, allowing the leader to step back and give them the spotlight.

Kati finds it particularly challenging to lead through change when even the leader doesn't yet have all the information.

“How do you support your team when you don't have all the information yourself?” she asks. In her view, leadership development should pay more attention to how to lead effectively in situations where not all the answers are yet available.

She also considers it important for leaders to recognise their own reactions and understand how these affect their teams. This helps them better assess when someone needs support and when they need more room to work independently.

Weightlifting helps Kati maintain balance alongside her busy professional life. She trains four times a week and has also started competing. During training, the physical effort demands her full attention.

“When you have a barbell over your head, there's no time to think about work or everyday worries,” she laughs.