The Wiener Stadtwerke Group keeps Vienna running – in almost all areas: Wien Energie and Wiener Netze, Wiener Linien, Wipark and Wiener Lokalbahnen as well as Bestattung und Friedhöfe and Wien IT. Climate change, digital transformation, covid effects and, last but not least, the war in Ukraine pose challenges for the Group with its approximately 16,000 employees. The established previous approaches are no longer sufficient in dealing with these issues. For this reason, Wiener Stadtwerke has initiated a change process that leaves no stone unturned.
At an event in Vienna, the Head of Change Management and Corporate Culture at Wiener Stadtwerke Group, Cornelia Bründlinger, and Trainconsulting Managing Director Lothar Wenzl spoke about their five most important insights from this change process.
Bluffing won’t cut it
Continuously building up expertise is the only way to develop effective solutions. That is one of the lessons learned. To put it casually, you could say: “Bluffing won’t cut it”.
Managers don’t want problems, they want solutions – and they also need “aha moments”, i.e. explanations and strategies they have never thought of before. This creates good opportunities for real change, which is another learning.
Managers don’t want problems, they want solutions – and they also need “aha moments”.
“Build trust, listen, take all voices seriously” is the third insight from the process and a result of the first and second one.
“Going against the grain and getting in management’s way takes courage and can put you in an uncomfortable spot. If what you say and do makes sense to the others in the company, they will follow you,” is Lothar Wenzl’s learned lesson number four and is also a tip for those willing to make a change.
And finally, number five: “Invest in yourself”: Those who strive for change must look at their human resources, invest in themselves, make themselves resilient – and then allow all of this to benefit the company as well.
Interested in an interview?
Lothar Wenzl, managing director of Trainconsulting and consultant to Wiener Stadtwerke, is available for interviews. If you are interested, please contact us.
Further inquiry:
Angela Uhl
a.uhl@trainconsulting.eu
T +43 660 9429263
More on Trainconsulting: About us
