Eyes open to all directions
As a general manager, Salmelainen has to stay on top of his game – quite literally.
“It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle,” he explains. “I need to keep track at all times, and weekends are reserved for games throughout the season.”
All team members work very hard, be it on ice or in the office. As a former professional player himself, Salmelainen understands the struggles players have to face, just as he knows how success feels.
For Salmelainen, giving up playing wasn’t a voluntary choice, but an imperative posed by injuries. Between the ages of 19 and 23, he spent a total of 22 months on sick leave.
In the beginning, it was difficult to stay off the rink.
“It was hard to see someone I used to play with win and not be able to be there myself,” he notes. “Now I’m used to it, and I also remember how much it used to hurt!”
Staying out of the game physically doesn’t mean that Salmelainen’s emotional involvement would be any less intense. No matter how well prepared the team is, things don’t always go as planned, and hence there are inevitable disappointments that need to be dealt with.
“If anything, feelings and reactions are stronger when I’m just watching instead of playing. There are so many things I can’t control that a match can turn into an emotional rollercoaster.”
Energy flies both ways
As Salmelainen is in charge of a lot of things simultaneously, the job is very energy-consuming. Fortunately, he is energised by the people he works with.
“Some say that the job of a general manager is a lonely one, but it’s only that if you make it so. We all share the same goal, be it in the office or on ice.”
Being a boss for many, Salmelainen needs to know how to motivate and inspire both players and other HIFK team members. That’s when business cards and golden helmets are stripped off.
“I want to treat people equally and with respect regardless of titles,” he points out. “We all need to have the opportunity to speak up and be wrong, and I want our atmosphere to support that.”
Despite the hefty responsibilities, Salmelainen feels like he’s in his dream job, working with the sport he’s loved from a very early age. Being energised at and by the work he does means that bad days are few and far between, and on the best days he doesn’t feel like going home at all.
“When I’m full of energy, time just flies by. An hour doesn’t feel like an hour.”
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