by Pavo Kohler (ERNI Group)
Imagine walking into a garden that is carefully tended. The soil is fertile, the plants have space to grow, and each element supports the others. The garden flourishes because someone has created the right conditions. Leadership in organisations works in a similar way.
Strong leaders create an environment where people can develop their abilities, share ideas and contribute their best work. Without this environment, even the most talented teams struggle to thrive.
At ERNI, we believe leadership is one of the most decisive factors in the success of an organisation. Technology evolves quickly. Processes can always be improved. But no technology and no process can compensate for weak leadership. That is why we make the development of our people a core priority.
Core leadership principles
Effective leadership requires a stable value system. At ERNI, this is reflected in five core principles: taking responsibility by owning decisions and their consequences; building trust, shaped by how we see ourselves and the world; focusing on results, where outcomes matter more than effort alone; leveraging strengths, as true performance grows from what people do best; and maintaining positive thinking by choosing a constructive mindset and seeing opportunities rather than obstacles.
Investing consciously in leadership
Leadership is not a position. It is a responsibility and a mission. It shapes how teams collaborate, how decisions are made and how organisations grow.
Our leadership development programme reflects this belief. It is designed to help leaders reflect on their role and develop the mindset required to guide teams in complex and fast-changing environments. Participants explore the qualities of strong leaders such as trust, clarity, accountability and empathy. They also discuss different leadership topics and how these influence team culture, communication and decision-making.
The goal is not to define a single leadership technique. Instead, the initiative encourages leaders to understand our approach and continuously use and improve it. Because leadership, like any craft, develops through reflection and practice.
The importance of reflection, appraisal and appreciation
One of the pre-conditions of leadership is the ability to step back and reflect. Leadership does not begin with decisions. It begins with perception.
Equally important is appreciation. Recognising effort, celebrating achievements, and expressing gratitude for contributions strengthens trust and engagement. Simple acts of appreciation make people feel seen, valued and motivated to keep growing – and this is just as essential as guidance or feedback.
Structured feedback such as praise, redirection and criticism play an important role. When approached in the right way, they are not merely evaluation exercises. They become opportunities for learning and growth.
Good appraisal and appreciation together help employees understand expectations, recognise achievements, and identify areas for development. At the same time, they help leaders better understand the needs and perspectives of their teams. In this way, appraisal and appreciation become part of a continuous process of learning and improvement.
A relaunch in Switzerland
The pre-sessions of the global programme recently took place in Switzerland, marking not a starting point, but a conscious relaunch of our systematic leadership development approach. Members of the ‘10 Years Plus’ ERNIans Club came together to take part in the trail training.
A key focus was the need to get feedback – from communication channels and vocabulary to training formats – in line with today’s realities. Daily leadership situations, challenging customer environments, evolving talent expectations, and changing ways of working require a leadership attitude that is both relevant and successful.
The spirit in the room was energising. Participants asked thoughtful questions, shared real challenges and engaged in open discussions about improvements to the programme.
This training session demonstrated something important: A great team learns a tremendous amount from one another in a short time through open discussion.
Growing the initiative across ERNI
We find ourselves at the very beginning of this journey. Our ambition is to make leadership training accessible across the entire organisation for all employees. It is relevant for everyone – we all lead at least ourselves, some can lead others, and we all experience leadership in our own environment. After successfully finishing the preparation of our trainer team in Switzerland, the first session will take place in Romania. Over the next two years, the programme will expand across the entire ERNI Group, strengthening leadership capabilities throughout our international teams. This step-by-step approach reflects our long-term commitment to developing our people.
Creating the conditions for success
Leadership development is not a one-time training initiative. It is a continuous journey. When leaders create environments based on trust, clarity and openness, teams can collaborate effectively and navigate complex challenges together.
Returning to the garden analogy: plants cannot be forced to grow. But when the conditions are right, growth happens naturally. At ERNI, our goal is simple:
to create an environment where people, ideas and innovation can flourish.
