Helping Siemens Supply Chain Management implement a Learning Journey for leaders

Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart production – many people think of such buzzwords when it comes to digitalisation. But it’s about more than just a technical process, a tool or automated production. Change begins in the mind of all employees. Therefore top-down approaches usually do not work, as all leaders have to get involved in the transformation and live the new mindset on a daily basis.

Siemens’ Supply Chain Management (SCM) organisation recognized these challenges and launched the “Boost Digitalisation @ SCM” project. In addition to classic topics such as business models, technology and operations, it has made people themselves a critical success factor.

In order to spread the digital spirit throughout the company, leaders should spend one and a half days in a workshop dealing with the changes that digitalisation means for leadership. From July to September 2017, a team consisting of SCM and HR employees from Siemens and consultants from Capgemini Consulting developed the “#DigitalLeader” prototype for the leadership target group. Capgemini Consulting contributed its expertise, an external perspective and the know-how of other consulting mandates, especially as “learning from others” was generally seen as desirable.

The team developed the concept of a “Digital Journey”, consisting of a preparation phase, the workshop and a follow-up phase in which the four main topics “Leading in times of VUCA”, “Defining a Digital Leader”, “Self-reflection” and “Make digitalisation work” were dealt with. One key element of the learning journey is the so called “Online Reflection – Leading in the digital age (OR-LIDA)”.

The questionnaire indicates whether and to what extent a leader is digital in his leadership style and whether he is capable of driving Digital Transformation in his own organisation. The participants use it to reflect on their roles and tasks as a leader in the digital age, to create awareness about relevant attitudes and behaviors for effective leadership in the digital age and to use results as a starting point for individual development. In addition, various learning formats and methods such as “Micro Learnings”, “Digital Learning World”, “Digital Whiteboards” and “Mentimeter” were used to familiarise workshop participants with new formats and methods in addition to the main topics.

In the workshop, the interactive exchange with other leaders was an essential component in order to generate new ideas for change. These were then recorded in a personal action plan and further elaborated with the employees.

Two pilot versions of #DigitalLeader were launched in October 2017, followed a month later by the official presentation at the SCM World 2017 conference. The #DigitalLeader project developed into a success story in a very short time and is now being taken up throughout the Group according to the franchise concept: Implementation is carried out by the respective organisational unit itself. In the meantime, the idea has also been incorporated into the Siemens Corporate Learning portfolio. In addition, #Digital-Leader has become a brand of its own within the group.

Overview

Customer Name: Siemens (Supply Chain Management)
Industry: Manufacturing
Location: Germany

Client Challenge/Business Need: Create an understanding of the foundation of leadership in the digital age

Solution-at-a-glance: Implementation of a comprehensive learning journey incl. pre-work, workshop and follow-up activities

Results (Benefits): Sustainable change in corporate culture, strong interlocking between digital leadership and the mechanics of learning by using a blended learning approach

Capgemini Invent contacts

Claudia Crummenerl Vice President +49 151 40250657 claudia.crummenerl@capgemini.com

Silke Boyd Senior Manager +49 151 40252428 silke.boyd@capgemini.com