Do you know the commercial director of TikTok?
Are you running a short game or building sustainable growth? Find out why the best commercial leaders play the long game - and what happens when they do.
The year 2025 is coming to a close. Commercial leaders across Finland are watching the clock ticking towards the end of the year.
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
Targets are set, the pressure is on and the temptation to go for quick results is strong. One more campaign, one more offer - maybe that will get this year done.
But the question is: are you running a short game that ends or an endless game?
#TikTok leadership - and why it's not enough
The TikTok video-like concentration has also crept into the sales management. Quick wins, short cycles, instant solutions.
But the best commercial leaders know: business does not end at the end of the quarter. It goes on, it changes, it lives - and the game is not won in an instant.
The long game is harder, but more rewarding. Amazon built its position on customer loyalty and innovation culture - not the rhythm of campaigns. Toyota, on the other hand, rose to the top with a culture of continuous improvement, Kaizen thinking.
These companies were not chasing individual clicks or deals, but excellent customer experience and long-term growth.
The miracle of Mjällby - what the long game teaches a leader
In October 2025, the piscine Mjällby AIF sensationally sealed the Swedish championship in the Allsvenskan - three rounds before the end of the series.
The village team, still playing at the third highest level in 2018, emerged as champions from a village of just 1 500 inhabitants. Nine years earlier, Mjällby was on the verge of bankruptcy. Now it is the talk of the football world.
Not because it was looking for quick wins, but because it dared to play the long game - to build a culture where community, discipline and continuous learning guided everything it did.
What does the long game mean for a commercial manager?
The commercial manager can learn from all this. When the game clock is ticking, it's easy to focus on what's going to happen in the next minute and in this year's game.
But the winners of the long game systematically build a culture that delivers year after year. Hence, three reminders for managing the long game:
1. Lead the rhythm, not just the reaction
Focus on the work, not the scoreboard. Sales management is first and foremost about managing what you do - not filling in reports. By investing in sufficient activity and quality, and by orienting your work in the right direction, you will create sustainable results.
2. Build a culture that can withstand the pressure
Shared direction and continuous improvement are more valuable than a single campaign. Culture is a competitive advantage that doesn't break down in a hurry - it keeps the team together in the face of change.
3. An endless game is the best investment
Customer loyalty, learning and team well-being are the currencies of the future. While the euro today is valuable, is it more valuable than the five euro next year? The long game pays dividends in people, culture and cash flow.
Are you leading a year or an era?
As the clock ticks towards the end of the year, ask yourself:
Are you looking for the next result at any cost - or building the next era and an endless championship series?
