ZF Friedrichshafen

The best from both worlds: ZF Friedrichshafen AG developed a new setup for global leadership training in cooperation with Trainconsulting.

DO YOU KNOW THE TETRALEMMA?

This is a model developed by Insa Sparrer and Matthias Varga von Kibéd for systemic structural constellations. The tetralemma is designed to expand the room for manoeuvre in a »dilemma«, i.e. the choice between two non-optimal alternatives. The tetralemma adds two further fields to the two »either/or« choices:

1. The »both« field, which looks for possibilities that combine both options.
2. The »neither« field, in which neither of the two options is considered, but something completely different.

From the dilemma to the tetralemma
of global leadership development:
The tetralemma adds two further fields to the two „either/or“ choices:

1) The »both« field, which looks for
possibilities that combine both options.
2) The »neither« field, in which neither of the two options is considered, but something completely different.

THE DILEMMA OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

HR developers in international companies are often faced with this dilemma of two suboptimal alternatives when it comes to organising global leadership development. Either leadership development is designed and handled centrally from headquarters. This often prompts complaints from the regions, where there is a call for more local customisation. They feel that the offerings do not adequately meet local needs, or that their specific wishes and requirements are not taken into account in the process.

Or leadership development is handled in a decentralised manner, at the individual locations and in the regions. In this case, each location gets what it wants, but it is then often difficult to create a common understanding of key issues such as change management, employee development or the self-perception of leaders. In 2019, global automotive supplier ZF, based in Germany, was also faced with such questions. Either securing common views on the central issues of leadership on a global scale or meeting local needs and requirements for leadership development. A »neither« seemed to make little sense here, but what could a »both« look like?

WE NEED BOTH OPTIONS

David Kling, Project Manager and Expert in the Global Leadership Development Team at ZF remembers. »It became clear that in many countries, local trainers who work in the local language are just as important as local methods of learning. In Germany, for example, trainers often work on real and very specific current challenges faced by managers. In India, on the other hand, managers are hardly used to talk about unresolved challenges in front of the group. Trainers in India are much more likely to work with well prepared case studies that are customised to the target group. In some countries, participants expect more frontal teaching and clear recommendations from the trainers, while in others the trainers are often more in the role of providing impulses and facilitating a process of learning from each other and rather work with the participants’ experiences.«

At the same time, ZF was faced with important strategic topics that could only be solved globally. In this light, the importance of a common understanding of elementary management tasks such as dealing with transformation and complexity or the role of managers as coaches for their employees was particularly important. »We therefore had to develop an approach that would combine both of these requirements«, says David Kling.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG at a glance (2023):

• 168.700 employees
• 46.6 billion euros in sales
• 162 production site in 31 countries

Founded 1915 in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. ZF Friedrichshafen AG is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAININGS

The aim was therefore to develop trainings that communicate common models and attitudes but would be taught by local trainers in the local language and according to local training standards. »We didn’t make it easy for ourselves. For example, we held workshops with representatives from all regions to agree on the content in order to cover local and regional needs. In the end, we defined central models and tools that, despite all the freedom in the design, should be taught in the training courses,« says David Kling, looking back at the first steps.

The topics were prioritised and distributed among several providers, one of which was Trainconsulting in Vienna. »We have been working with Trainconsulting for over 10 years, especially on change processes. Particularly when it came to topics such as change management or the transfer of coaching skills for managers, it was important for us to work with practitioners who shape change processes themselves on a daily basis.«

David Kling: Project Manager and Expert Leadership Development, ZF

»We had to develop an approach that would combine local and global requirements.«

FINDING TRAINERS ALL OVER THE WORLD

The project manager on the Trainconsulting side was Johannes Köpl, who remembers the first steps with a smile. »At first it was all about Europe. When David Kling asked me whether we had competent trainers in Portugal, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Turkey, the UK or Poland, I thought to myself: No, but I’ll find the right people and we’ll work with them to develop the training programs you need. That was an exciting enquiry. If he had talked about India, China, Malaysia, Mexico and Brazil straight away, I might have hesitated at the time as to whether we could manage it.«

Things never turn out the way you expect them to. However, this project should not be granted predictable times anyway. In 2019, Johannes Köpl developed the first two training modules with David Kling: »Change Management for Leaders« and »Coaching Competence for Leaders« as 3- and 2-day face-to-face training courses. Johannes Köpl assembled trainers with a systemic background from 10 different countries for the project. They convened in Vienna to further refine the training programs.

The trainers developed a common understanding of the central models and objectives of the training. At the same time, it was important that all trainers were able to integrate their own working methods and incorporate common and desired training methods in their countries into the workshop designs. »We worked with very experienced and excellent trainers. I couldn’t ask them to sing my workshop-design from the chords. That wouldn’t have made sense either. They should be able to contribute their strengths and experience. So, each of them had to do this for their own training sessions and adapt it to local requirements. My job was to make sure that the learning objectives remained the same everywhere.«

Everything was ready for the start of 2020 …

»Don´t be limited by what you have already done.«

Johannes Köpl: Consultant and Partner, Trainconsulting

… THEN COVID CAME

»Sure, it was disappointing, because a lot of heart and soul went into this project. But that was the case with many projects,« says Johannes Köpl.

None of the planned training sessions took place in 2020. But the preparatory work was not to be in vain.

When the first countries in the ZF Group emerged from the crisis in 2021, it was not a European country that was the first to report a need for leadership development again, it was India. But like everything else, the training courses also had to be rethought in virtual formats. The 2- to 3-day face-to-face training sessions each became processes consisting of 4 moderated modules with peer groups and transfer tasks. »Back then, we didn’t want to make a virtual copy of the original training courses, but rather utilise the advantages of remote working and offer ZF something that provides the same learning success,« Johannes Köpl recalls.

»But we also learned a lot about what to avoid: As the training sessions were in English, for example, we started implementing them with English-speaking trainers from Europe. We wouldn’t do that today, because it wasn’t easy to fulfil the expectations of the Indian groups from a European perspective.« In 2021 and 2022, the project was offered worldwide in these virtual formats, but initially only in German and English due to the still reduced demand. And two further training courses were added: »Conflict Management and Difficult Leadership Situations« and »Leading in Complexity«.

SEASON TWO

In 2023, on-site trainings were finally possible again and the demand for them was high. The original plan to organise all training courses in the local language and with local trainers was therefore resumed. This time, however, worldwide: Suitable trainers had to be found for China, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil and the USA. »Of course, our experience from the first search in Europe helped us a lot, but the international network that was created as a result also made it surprisingly easy to set up a global team here,« says Johannes Köpl.

»Even though the difficult market environment meant that we ultimately completed fewer training courses in 2023 than we had initially planned, it has become clear that the concept was the right one,« David Kling says with satisfaction.

»The training courses were very well received. And where there was something to change, we had a central contact person in Johannes Köpl, who made sure that we kept developing the project and were able to utilise and integrate new experiences. It was a very trusting collaboration where both sides were able to address things that were perhaps difficult. And it was a huge relief for the regions that we took over the entire administration of the training courses in our LMS centrally.«

Like many in the automotive supply industry, ZF is currently back on a cost-cutting program, which makes planning for 2024 difficult. However, the setup of the project is also well organised. »We are completely relaxed about this,« says Johannes Köpl, »Over the past few years, we have learned that we can fulfil ZF’s wishes well, even under changing conditions. Even if they require things we don’t yet have or people we don’t yet know. We develop this step by step together in a cocreation. If we are open with each other and also say what may require a certain preliminary lead time, then a lot is possible.

And in the meantime, completely new enquiries are also coming in from other customers. Driven by this project, Trainconsulting has already built up this international network and this has already resulted in exciting projects that we would otherwise not have been able to offer. Today we can truly say: With a little lead time, we can offer the things we are good at on a global scale without having to fly around the world ourselves. Today, we work and think much more in international networks and the ZF project has massively accelerated this. «In the end, the »both« of the tetralemma has become a viable way out of the dilemma of central and decentralised control for ZF.

OUR LEARNINGS

After 4 years, what would the two project managers recommend to others who are considering similar paths? »You need trust and clear communication when working together,« says David Kling, emphasising the cooperation at project manager level. »We were in constant dialogue and were very open about what each side needed from the other. This trusting and open collaboration lead the project through difficult phases.«

Johannes Köpl takes a similar view: »Absolutely. Of course, there are also challenging situations in a project of this scale. But mastering these together, talking openly about our own needs and showing understanding for others has always made this collaboration stronger.«

The leadership diamond shows the individual tasks and principles

And what advice would Johannes Köpl give to other providers facing similar situations? »Don’t be limited by what you have already done or what is already possible. Instead, think about how it should be and then develop step by step. A few years ago, we wouldn’t have known that we, as an Austrian company with 20 employees, could offer high quality systemic training on four continents and in over 10 languages. You simply can’t allow yourself to be limited by your own assumptions.«

OUR WORK TOGETHER OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS

PDF of the entire ZF case story available for download: