Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

Report
147
Leadership excellence
Knorr-Bremse improves management development
The redefinition of Knorr-Bremse’s corporate values also created a strong foundation for the Group’s
leadership culture. Building on this, an improved management development concept is being gradually
rolled out.
At the beginning of 2012, all top executives worldwide received training in leading organizations and
employees responsibly. To facilitate a uniform approach to management, the training program adhered
to Group-wide standards while at the same time taking into account the cultural differences
that prevail in each country. In addition to the corporate values, the focus was also on the concept of
transformational leadership as well as the culture changes associated with Generation Y.
In the middle of the year under review, the core elements of the executive training sessions were
transferred to the next level of the management hierarchy with the goal of sending a consistent message
to the management team. A side benefit, facilitated by the international rollout of the training
program, has been the creation of opportunities for managers to network and exchange ideas across
the boundaries of departments and locations. In 2013 the management development program will
be launched in the Americas as well. The third reporting level, i.e. team leaders, will also be included
in the process in 2013.
At Knorr-Bremse, the professional development of employees with management responsibilities is
not limited exclusively to the management hierarchy. For example, six workshops were held in the
Aldersbach plant to train shift, machine-shop and group supervisors in specific management techniques.
Following the positive experience with this pilot project, the program will be introduced at
other production facilities in the future.
New leadership principles introduced
Managers at Knorr-Bremse have a particular responsibility to ensure that the new corporate values
are actually being lived. In this context, in 2012 Knorr-Bremse began developing new leadership
guidelines to provide specific recommendations for management behavior. Over 100 managers from
all regions and levels of the hierarchy took part in a series of workshops to establish what leadership
excellence really means to Knorr-Bremse. Communication of the finalized leadership guidelines is
scheduled for early 2013.
“Leadership in Dialogue” initiative launched
To facilitate communications between managers and establish a platform for cross-functional exchanges
on relevant topics, the Leadership in Dialogue initiative was established in 2012. As part of
this program, events are held in Munich as often as four times a year, and all managers from the first
reporting level are invited to attend. In the context of these meetings, current leadership topics
concerning mid-level management are presented and discussed. Managers at facilities outside Germany
who are unable to attend the events are informed about the issues discussed in Munich by
e-mail or by their local HR officer. This dialogue not only serves to launch new products, such as
telecommuting, effectively, it is also a source of feedback that can be integrated in new professional
development concepts.