As the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University ramps up supports for cities, it is tapping the expertise of innovators like Helsinki’s head of culture and leisure, Tommi Laitio. 

Laitio, who is taking a two-year leave from the city to work as a fellow at the Bloomberg Center, has a wealth of knowledge to share. In less than a decade, he has led the delivery of more than 100 million resident experiences with city government, from book loans to symphony concerts to visits to the city’s swimming pools.

His work has helped transform health, youth programming, and the global view on how city hall can impact the lives—and the wellness—of people. One of the secrets to his success? Listening to residents.

He shares four strategies for listening to residents that have worked for him in Helsinki on the Bloomberg Cities Network.