CORROSION EXPERTS

25.01.2023 Combining expert knowledge and leadership skills – #empowerexperts

Q: Hello Anna, hello Marcel. You both started the #empowerexperts programme at DÖRKEN. In a few sentences: What is this programme about?

Marcel Roth (Head of Research and Development): Usually, employees in a company have the option of pursuing either a career as a technical expert or a career as a manager. We want to put an end to this separation and, in a hybrid training model, enable our colleagues to acquire strategic, organisational and technical competences that they can use and implement directly in concrete projects with the corresponding responsibility. To this end, we have collected a variety of topics that we want to cover in modules. The participants are not only taught basic skills such as project management, leadership or creativity, but also specific knowledge such as patent strategy or chemical knowledge.

Anna Hoang (Learning & Development Consultant): However, it is very important to us that we can customise the programme together with our participants and also adapt it over time.

Q: What was the crucial point why you started #empowerexperts?

Marcel: There used to be the assumption that a boss must know and be able to do everything. But that is impossible. That's why we want to split the responsibility among several people. In smaller teams, we can react much faster and more flexibly than if someone in a management position has to approve everything.

Anna: Another important point is the current shortage of skilled workers, particularly in specialised areas. In order to counteract this, we include qualified specialist colleagues in the programme and train them in management skills.

Q: What are the benefits for participants?

Anna: Since we have fairly flat hierarchies at DÖRKEN, we can't offer everyone a management position, of course. With the programme, however, we make it possible for even more individual colleagues to take on responsibility in the company.

Marcel: The increased responsibility also creates opportunities to take on exciting tasks in the sector. If the subject matter is suitable, our participants are able, for example, to travel to conferences and give presentations there. We also give them the necessary tools, for example, in terms of moderation and presentation. Stays abroad are also planned. When you network in this way, you certainly take a lot with you - both professionally and personally.

Q: Where are you currently at #empowerexperts?

Anna: A pilot group is currently ongoing with four colleagues from the "Research and Development" department and one colleague from the "Project and Process Management" department. Four modules have taken place with this group in 2022. We worked a lot with internal and external trainers. We attach great importance to the fact that it is not only about passing on theoretical knowledge. That's why there are always practical exercises or a final presentation at the end of a module. However, this is not meant to be a classic performance review. We don't want any pressure to perform, but rather to make learning enjoyable.

At the end of the year, we also agreed on a meeting with our participants in which we want to take a retrospective look. We look back at what went well and where we still have room for improvement. In addition, we think about how we will approach the new year.

Q: A good cue to end on: What are the plans for the new year?

Anna: Thematically, we have not yet planned the new year in detail. As I said, we also want to involve our participants in the process. In any case, we will increasingly focus on individual support. We ask ourselves: What do we deal with in the whole group and which topics do we tackle individually? Because everyone develops differently and has different needs.

Q: Thank you for your time and best of luck!