In today’s blog post, I’m thrilled to share a fascinating conversation I had with Veiko Valkiainen—a leadership coach, podcast host, and a true expert in self-managed organizations. We explored the evolving nature of work, why traditional hierarchies are being questioned, and what it really takes to build a self-managing organization. Veiko offers a fresh and practical take on what the future of work could look like when we empower people at every level.
Daria Rudnik: Veiko, thank you for being here. I’ve really been looking forward to this discussion. You’ve spent a lot of time researching and working with self-managed teams. Can you tell us a bit about your journey?
Veiko Valkiainen: Thank you for having me, Daria. I’ve always been curious about the future of work and how organizations can support that future. Right now, my main focus is on flatter structures—organizations with less hierarchy that empower every role holder to make decisions. I’m very interested in how these organizational designs can create better, more resilient workplaces.
Daria Rudnik: I love that. “Future of work” is such a broad topic—from flexibility to skill-based structures. When you talk about flat organizations, how flat are we talking? Is there a benchmark?
Veiko Valkiainen: There’s no one-size-fits-all formula. You can’t just follow five steps and suddenly become a great self-managed organization. It’s not black and white—it’s more of a spectrum. Some companies make incremental changes, retaining some hierarchy while moving toward participatory management. Others go further, distributing authority entirely and removing the superior-subordinate dynamic. But here’s the key: most organizations that adopt self-management find their own unique way. It’s very tailor-made, which makes it both exciting and challenging.
Daria Rudnik: For those unfamiliar with the concept, how would you define self-management?
Veiko Valkiainen: In essence, self-management means distributing authority across all roles. There’s no traditional hierarchy. Each role holder has clear responsibilities and decision-making power within their area. No one tells you how to do your job, but you’re accountable for delivering results. If tensions arise or conflicts appear, you address them directly and efficiently. That’s why defining clear role boundaries is crucial—otherwise, you don’t know where your remit begins and ends.
Daria Rudnik: In traditional organizations, role boundaries are often vague. People just follow whatever their manager tells them. How do you make this work in self-managed structures?
Veiko Valkiainen: Exactly. That’s one of the key differences. In self-managed organizations, you need to be extremely clear and transparent about roles. Job descriptions aren’t just written once and forgotten—they evolve continuously. Whenever there’s a new project or task that shifts responsibilities, you update the role. Everyone needs to know what their scope is, and others need to know it too.
Daria Rudnik: What happens when responsibilities change or a new task pops up that doesn’t clearly belong to anyone?
Veiko Valkiainen: Great question. In Holacracy, which is the model I work with most, if it’s a one-off task, someone just agrees to take it. Simple. If it’s something recurring, then you have to adjust the role boundaries through a governance process. There’s a specific method where people can raise objections and those objections are integrated into the updated role definition. But again, if it’s just like washing the dishes—just do it! That’s individual initiative.
Daria Rudnik: Tell us more about Holacracy. How is it different from other self-managed approaches?
Veiko Valkiainen: Holacracy is a constitution-based model. It was developed by Brian Robertson after years of experimenting in his own company. What makes it unique is that it has very clearly defined rules—just like a national constitution. It outlines how decisions are made, how roles are defined, how tensions are processed. It’s radical in the sense that it removes traditional managerial authority, but it gives you a system to navigate without chaos.
Daria Rudnik: Are there any managers in Holacracy?
Veiko Valkiainen: Not in the traditional sense. There are “circle leads” who have limited authority—they can assign people to roles or remove them, and they can prioritize work if needed. But they can’t tell you how to do your job. It’s more about enabling the team to succeed, not controlling people. And that role might only take 10% of your time. People often have multiple roles in different teams—three to seven, typically.
Daria Rudnik: How are decisions made when there’s no top-down authority?
Veiko Valkiainen: Each role holder is like a mini-CEO. They make decisions independently within their scope. But when it comes to changing role boundaries—that’s governance. Everyone in the circle has a voice. If we’re talking big-picture strategy, there are dedicated roles or circles responsible for vision and direction. It’s not one person alone; it’s a process that involves the whole system.
Daria Rudnik: One thing I think about a lot is collaboration. If everyone’s acting independently, how does true teamwork happen?
Veiko Valkiainen: You can absolutely be both autonomous and collaborative. In fact, collaboration is built into the structure. Holacracy revolves around tensions—anything that holds you back from achieving your role’s purpose. Every meeting starts with the question: “What tensions do you have right now?” If someone’s stuck because they’re waiting on another role, that’s a tension—and we solve it. It creates transparency and psychological safety because nothing gets buried.
Daria Rudnik: It sounds like you really have to take ownership of your work.
Veiko Valkiainen: You do. There’s no one to save you. You must raise issues, solve problems, and manage your own time and energy. For some people, that’s liberating. For others, it’s terrifying. It’s not for everyone—and that’s okay. Some people try it and realize it’s not for them.
Daria Rudnik: What kind of organizations should not try to become self-managed?
Veiko Valkiainen: There’s no hard rule, but there are definitely risks. Most people have been conditioned by hierarchy their whole lives—family, school, work. Changing that mindset is incredibly hard. Some people will reject it outright. That’s why more attempts at self-management fail than succeed. The structure is just part of it—you need a culture shift, too.
Daria Rudnik: Let’s end where we started—with the future of work. How should organizations prepare?
Veiko Valkiainen: We’re seeing a shift—especially among younger generations—toward purpose and meaning. People want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. That means organizations need to clarify their values and connect to a larger mission. Also, with constant data and complexity, individuals need to be empowered to make decisions. The old model, where a manager decides everything, doesn’t scale anymore. So even if you don’t go full self-management, start by giving people more authority and responsibility. Let them grow into it.
Daria Rudnik: I love that. It’s not about abolishing managers overnight but empowering people step by step.
Veiko Valkiainen: Exactly. It’s like raising children—you want them to become independent. As a manager, your goal should be to reduce dependency over time. If you can go on a three-month trip and everything runs smoothly without you, you’ve done your job.
Daria Rudnik: That’s such a powerful metaphor. Veiko, thank you so much for this conversation. Where can people find more about you?
Veiko Valkiainen: Just search my name—Veiko Valkiainen—and you’ll find my website, podcast, LinkedIn, and more. It’s all there.
Daria Rudnik: Perfect. And for those reading, we’ve included the links to Veiko’s work below. Don’t miss it if you’re serious about building empowered, future-ready teams.
Veiko Valkiainen: Thank you for having me, Daria. I’ve always been curious about the future of work and how organizations can support that future. Right now, my main focus is on flatter structures—organizations with less hierarchy that empower every role holder to make decisions. I’m very interested in how these organizational designs can create better, more resilient workplaces.
Daria Rudnik: I love that. “Future of work” is such a broad topic—from flexibility to skill-based structures. When you talk about flat organizations, how flat are we talking? Is there a benchmark?
Veiko Valkiainen: There’s no one-size-fits-all formula. You can’t just follow five steps and suddenly become a great self-managed organization. It’s not black and white—it’s more of a spectrum. Some companies make incremental changes, retaining some hierarchy while moving toward participatory management. Others go further, distributing authority entirely and removing the superior-subordinate dynamic. But here’s the key: most organizations that adopt self-management find their own unique way. It’s very tailor-made, which makes it both exciting and challenging.
Daria Rudnik: For those unfamiliar with the concept, how would you define self-management?
Veiko Valkiainen: In essence, self-management means distributing authority across all roles. There’s no traditional hierarchy. Each role holder has clear responsibilities and decision-making power within their area. No one tells you how to do your job, but you’re accountable for delivering results. If tensions arise or conflicts appear, you address them directly and efficiently. That’s why defining clear role boundaries is crucial—otherwise, you don’t know where your remit begins and ends.
Daria Rudnik: In traditional organizations, role boundaries are often vague. People just follow whatever their manager tells them. How do you make this work in self-managed structures?
Veiko Valkiainen: Exactly. That’s one of the key differences. In self-managed organizations, you need to be extremely clear and transparent about roles. Job descriptions aren’t just written once and forgotten—they evolve continuously. Whenever there’s a new project or task that shifts responsibilities, you update the role. Everyone needs to know what their scope is, and others need to know it too.
Daria Rudnik: What happens when responsibilities change or a new task pops up that doesn’t clearly belong to anyone?
Veiko Valkiainen: Great question. In Holacracy, which is the model I work with most, if it’s a one-off task, someone just agrees to take it. Simple. If it’s something recurring, then you have to adjust the role boundaries through a governance process. There’s a specific method where people can raise objections and those objections are integrated into the updated role definition. But again, if it’s just like washing the dishes—just do it! That’s individual initiative.
Daria Rudnik: Tell us more about Holacracy. How is it different from other self-managed approaches?
Veiko Valkiainen: Holacracy is a constitution-based model. It was developed by Brian Robertson after years of experimenting in his own company. What makes it unique is that it has very clearly defined rules—just like a national constitution. It outlines how decisions are made, how roles are defined, how tensions are processed. It’s radical in the sense that it removes traditional managerial authority, but it gives you a system to navigate without chaos.
Daria Rudnik: Are there any managers in Holacracy?
Veiko Valkiainen: Not in the traditional sense. There are “circle leads” who have limited authority—they can assign people to roles or remove them, and they can prioritize work if needed. But they can’t tell you how to do your job. It’s more about enabling the team to succeed, not controlling people. And that role might only take 10% of your time. People often have multiple roles in different teams—three to seven, typically.
Daria Rudnik: How are decisions made when there’s no top-down authority?
Veiko Valkiainen: Each role holder is like a mini-CEO. They make decisions independently within their scope. But when it comes to changing role boundaries—that’s governance. Everyone in the circle has a voice. If we’re talking big-picture strategy, there are dedicated roles or circles responsible for vision and direction. It’s not one person alone; it’s a process that involves the whole system.
Daria Rudnik: One thing I think about a lot is collaboration. If everyone’s acting independently, how does true teamwork happen?
Veiko Valkiainen: You can absolutely be both autonomous and collaborative. In fact, collaboration is built into the structure. Holacracy revolves around tensions—anything that holds you back from achieving your role’s purpose. Every meeting starts with the question: “What tensions do you have right now?” If someone’s stuck because they’re waiting on another role, that’s a tension—and we solve it. It creates transparency and psychological safety because nothing gets buried.
Daria Rudnik: It sounds like you really have to take ownership of your work.
Veiko Valkiainen: You do. There’s no one to save you. You must raise issues, solve problems, and manage your own time and energy. For some people, that’s liberating. For others, it’s terrifying. It’s not for everyone—and that’s okay. Some people try it and realize it’s not for them.
Daria Rudnik: What kind of organizations should not try to become self-managed?
Veiko Valkiainen: There’s no hard rule, but there are definitely risks. Most people have been conditioned by hierarchy their whole lives—family, school, work. Changing that mindset is incredibly hard. Some people will reject it outright. That’s why more attempts at self-management fail than succeed. The structure is just part of it—you need a culture shift, too.
Daria Rudnik: Let’s end where we started—with the future of work. How should organizations prepare?
Veiko Valkiainen: We’re seeing a shift—especially among younger generations—toward purpose and meaning. People want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. That means organizations need to clarify their values and connect to a larger mission. Also, with constant data and complexity, individuals need to be empowered to make decisions. The old model, where a manager decides everything, doesn’t scale anymore. So even if you don’t go full self-management, start by giving people more authority and responsibility. Let them grow into it.
Daria Rudnik: I love that. It’s not about abolishing managers overnight but empowering people step by step.
Veiko Valkiainen: Exactly. It’s like raising children—you want them to become independent. As a manager, your goal should be to reduce dependency over time. If you can go on a three-month trip and everything runs smoothly without you, you’ve done your job.
Daria Rudnik: That’s such a powerful metaphor. Veiko, thank you so much for this conversation. Where can people find more about you?
Veiko Valkiainen: Just search my name—Veiko Valkiainen—and you’ll find my website, podcast, LinkedIn, and more. It’s all there.
Daria Rudnik: Perfect. And for those reading, we’ve included the links to Veiko’s work below. Don’t miss it if you’re serious about building empowered, future-ready teams.
Veiko Valkiainen is a leadership coach and trainer with over 20 years of experience in helping leaders and teams grow. As the host of the leadership podcast "Juhtimiskvaliteet on konkurentsieelis" (trans. Leadership Quality as a Competitive Advantage), he delves into what it means to be a successful leader, featuring conversations with CEOs, leadership experts and top athletes.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise
- Psychology, coaching & personal development. Veiko's educational background is in psychology, then he was trained in gestalt therapy at the Gestalt Institute of Scandinavia, Denmark and later he has expanded his expertise in coaching through Erickson Coaching International in New York.
- Self-managing organizations. His current doctoral research at the University of Tartu investigates self-managed teams and organizations, offering cutting-edge insights into autonomous work environments.
- Leadership & team development. Veiko's work focuses on improving team performance by shifting the thought and behavioral patterns of leaders and their teams.
- Public speaking and training seminars. Over the years, he has delivered hundreds of leadership training sessions, seminars and presentations to literally thousands of leaders across various sectors.
- Leadership podcast host. Veiko leads his influential podcast "Juhtimiskvaliteet on konkurentsieelis" where he discusses various leadership challenges with top practitioners and experts.
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