Through Leadership Next Level, DMK is fostering a leadership culture of openness and trust, where employees are encouraged to act independently and take responsibility. This requires managers to support each of their team members in leveraging their strengths. A culture of feedback, the clear formulation of performance goals, and partnership-based cooperation help to achieve this. This allows each individual to bring their strengths to the DMK team and help shape change – as Jörn Eggemann, Global Head of Corporate HR at DMK, emphasises.
Three questions for Jörn Eggemann, Global Head of Corporate HR at DMK
Why are managers key players in transformation?
Managers serve as role models – and with that comes the responsibility to provide structure, clarity, and direction throughout transformation. They are required to communicate clearly and to convey the goals and the "why" of the change. Managers should be reliable points of contact and trusted confidants, so employees are able to voice their concerns openly and feel they are being taken seriously.
Less boss, more coach – this is the leadership approach DMK aims for. What exactly does this mean for managers in their daily work?
Above all, this means resisting the instinct as a manager to always have a solution to hand. Instead, it's about trusting your team's capabilities and making the assumption that they might come up with even better solutions than you. By asking more questions and giving fewer directives, managers can activate their team's expertise, involve them more, and thereby give them more room for decision-making and responsibility in their day-to-day work. As a result, everyone benefits: managers, employees, and the company as a whole.
How does the Leadership Next Level programme promote DMK's understanding of leadership?
As part of the Leadership Next Level programme, managers learn how best to promote the strengths of their employees. This means encouraging a shift in perspective – from focusing on gaps to recognising the unique strengths each person brings, even if those strengths first need to be uncovered. By directing attention towards employees' strengths, we create a win-win situation: people do more of what they're good at, which makes work more enjoyable and leads to better results – with clear benefits for DMK.
