From Potential to Leadership: How We Develop Future Leaders at Hilti

Written by the Hilti GB / Northern Europe employer brand team – sharing real stories and insights into life, culture and careers at Hilti.

What makes a great leader?

It’s a question that every growing organisation needs to answer. At Hilti, the answer goes far beyond titles, hierarchy or management techniques. Leadership starts with people.

From first-time team leaders to experienced directors, we invest heavily in helping our people develop the skills, self-awareness and confidence needed to lead others. In fact, around 80% of our leaders are developed internally – a reflection of our belief that great leadership can be nurtured, not simply hired.

To find out more about how we prepare leaders for success, we spoke with Steve Roberts, Head of Learning & Development for Northern Europe, who oversees development programmes supporting more than 2,000 team members across the region.

Leadership starts with people

According to Steve, leadership at Hilti is rooted in one simple principle: helping people succeed.

People are the most important part of what we do. If you have a great leader, you can get the very best out of people. That leads to success for the individual, the team and Hilti.

That philosophy is embedded throughout our culture and is one of the reasons so many leadership opportunities are filled internally. Developing leaders from within allows us to build on shared values, strengthen our culture and create meaningful career opportunities for our people.

Preparing the next generation of leaders

One of the ways we do this is through our Emerging Leaders programme.

Designed for employees who show strong leadership potential, the programme helps participants prepare for leadership roles before they step into them. Rather than focusing solely on management tools or processes, it starts with self-awareness.

The first thing we look at is understanding yourself. If you know who you are, what your strengths are and what kind of leader you want to be, you’ll become a stronger leader.

Over six months, participants explore topics such as emotional intelligence, challenging conversations, values-based leadership and leading people effectively. They also connect with senior leaders from across Northern Europe, gaining insight into both the opportunities and realities of leadership.

Each year, around 36 employees from different countries and functions take part, creating a diverse network of future leaders who learn alongside one another.

Learning through connection and mentorship

A distinctive element of the programme is the involvement of senior leaders.

Throughout the journey, experienced leaders share their own stories, lessons and mistakes, offering participants an honest perspective on leadership. These conversations give participants a realistic view of leadership, including the challenges and lessons that come with it.

For many participants, this is one of the most valuable aspects of the programme. Seeing senior leaders openly discuss their challenges and experiences helps make leadership feel more accessible and authentic.

Discovering your own leadership style

One of the biggest transformations Steve sees in participants is a shift in how they view themselves.

Many begin the programme with a fixed idea of what a leader should look like. By the end, they often realise that effective leadership is not about copying someone else’s style.

Instead, it is about understanding their strengths and leading authentically.

“You don’t have to change who you are. Focus on what you do well, build a team around you and take ownership of your own leadership style.”

This emphasis on authentic leadership helps participants build confidence in their own approach while developing the skills needed to bring others along with them.

Supporting leaders at every stage

Leadership development does not stop once someone becomes a leader.

Alongside Emerging Leaders, Hilti offers development programmes for new team leaders, directors, and senior leaders, ensuring support continues throughout a person’s career.

A new global programme, Leading a Team, is being introduced to support first-time leaders through a year-long learning journey. Combining practical weekly learning with deeper leadership workshops, the programme is designed to help leaders learn, apply and reflect in real time.

Beyond formal programmes, leaders also have access to mentoring, culture coaches, team development workshops and leadership summits, creating continuous opportunities for growth and support.

Looking ahead

As the world of work continues to evolve, leadership development is evolving too.

Steve believes emerging technologies such as AI will play an increasingly important role by giving leaders new ways to practise skills, prepare for difficult conversations and access guidance when they need it. However, he is clear that technology will complement rather than replace the human side of leadership.

There will always need to be human interaction. Leadership is ultimately about people.

Building the leaders of tomorrow

For Steve, the goal is simple: help people become the leaders they want to be.

As Hilti continues to grow, so does the need for great leadership. By investing in development early, supporting leaders throughout their careers and creating opportunities to learn from others, we are building a strong pipeline of talent for the future.

Or, as Steve puts it:

“If Hilti is to keep growing and succeeding, creating and developing great leaders is absolutely critical.”

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