Ilkka Paananen
Situational Background
Ilkka Paananen, Supercell’s co-founder and CEO, champions autonomy, humility, and craftsmanship. Calling himself the “least powerful CEO,” he builds small, trusted teams, kills weak projects early, and credits creators first. Paananen values culture over control and long-term quality over short-term noise. Distinctive for servant leadership and radical empowerment, his style fits any creative or knowledge-work organisation.
Practical Leadership Principles
1) Empower small teams.
Trust tight groups to own outcomes.
Behaviours to model:
- Keep teams small with clear missions.
- Shield them from thrash; remove blockers fast.
- Judge by results, not hours.
2) Kill to win.
Stopping the wrong work enables the right work.
Behaviours to model:
- Set explicit kill criteria upfront.
- Celebrate shut-downs that free capacity.
- Reassign talent quickly and respectfully.
3) Humility and credit.
Leaders amplify others.
Behaviours to model:
- Put creators in the spotlight.
- Admit what you don’t know.
- Ask “How can I help?” and act.
Call to action
Name one team to empower fully, one project to stop, and one public credit you’ll give this week—then remove a blocker within24 hours.
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