The challenge
In many organisations, particularly in industrial companies, leadership and management tracks come with extensive development opportunities. But what about the experts? Many times, their development options are limited to technical skill-building rather than strategic thinking, business acumen, and interpersonal impact.
When ABB Drives began planning this initiative, they recognised something many industrial companies still struggle with, the expert career path deserves the same investment and visibility as the management track.
Their experts were technically excellent. In a rapidly evolving global market however, product engineers and R&D specialists also needed to think strategically, collaborate across borders, and translate company strategy into daily decisions. These weren't 'nice-to-have' skills; they were essential for the business to succeed.
The organisation needed a shared framework for competence development, one that would connect individual growth to long-term business objectives.
The ambition was clear. Execute the strategy and build a culture where strategic competences aren't abstract concepts, but visible in how work gets done, how collaboration happens, and how the organisation's future direction takes shape.
The solution
Working closely with Hanken & SSE, ABB Drives launched the ABB Drives Professional Programme: a global talent initiative designed specifically for specialists. Unlike traditional programmes that target only top talent, this initiative offered equal opportunity to a defined expert segment across the organisation.
The programme focused on three core areas:
- Strategic understanding: Deepening participants' grasp of company strategy and its implications for their daily work
- Impact skills: Developing behavioural and interpersonal competences that increase influence and effectiveness
- Career ownership: Strengthening career paths through structured personal development plans integrated into ongoing development discussions
What made this work
The programme was launched in Finland in 2018. Building on its success, the programme expanded globally in 2019, becoming a central element of ABB's talent management process. Today, more than 30 cohorts have completed the programme, and it continues to evolve. Hanken & SSE and ABB regularly update the programme together to ensure it remains relevant and future-ready.
Key design principles included:
- Academic rigour combined with practical application: creating space for reflection while building immediately usable skills
- Personal development plans for every participant, ensuring continuity beyond the programme
- Cross-functional networking opportunities that strengthened collaboration across business units and cultures
- Scalable design that honoured ABB's global context while maintaining consistent quality
The results
Individual impact
Participants gained a new perspective on what strategy means in practice for their work. They learned to identify their strengths, develop their influence and interpersonal skills, and take more conscious ownership of their careers. Importantly, they recognised how essential it is to build networks and collaborate across functions in a global organisation.
This definitely helped me understand how strategy, business objectives, and customer orientation impact my own work." — Programme participant
Via the 360 feedback and DiSC model, I started to understand that my behavioural patterns weren't going to work long-term. I needed to adjust my actions to empower others—and that adjustment will lead to empowering others." — Programme participant
A great trainer and excellent content. The relaxed atmosphere allowed us to open up and share feelings and opinions. The training pushed me out of my comfort zone, making it a truly developmental experience." — Programme participant
Organisational impact
Beyond individual growth, ABB Drives has seen meaningful cultural change:
- Stronger strategic alignment: Employees better understand the company's long-term direction and their role in achieving it
- Improved collaboration: Networking has become more active, with strengthened cross-functional relationships
- Greater proactivity: Managers report participants applying coaching skills in daily work
- Higher commitment: Improved satisfaction and reduced turnover
- Competitive advantage: By equipping experts with strategic and behavioural capabilities, the company has reinforced its position for the future
I learned that ABB is a company with many different possibilities. It's encouraged to evolve in your work career." — Programme participant
Managers have highlighted the following:
They have become more self-confident and have a better understanding of ABB strategies, which helps them express their opinions more freely than before and even occasionally voice a differing opinion.”
The person is more proactive, more confident and the results are better. Has more empowerment in the role, not asking everything from the supervisor or expect the supervisor to do decision.”
More active networking and setting clearer career targets after the programme.”
A model for global talent development
The ABB Drives Professional Programme demonstrates how a thoughtfully designed, inclusive, and strategically led development initiative can genuinely transform an expert organisation's culture and impact, on a global scale.
The clearest outcome: participants now understand the company's long-term direction better than ever before and their own role in making the strategy happen and are eager to build the future.
About ABB
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation. ABB´s purpose is to enable more sustainable and resource-efficient future with their technology leadership in electrification and automation. Globally ABB has around 110 000 employees and a history that stretches back more than 140 years.
ABB Motion is one of the four business areas of ABB and a global leader in motors and drives, accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. ABB Motion has more than 22 000 employees across 100 countries.
ABB Drives is part of ABB Motion´s portfolio and a global technology leader serving industries, infrastructure and machine builders with world-class variable speed drives, drive systems and packages. ABB Drives helps their customers, partners and equipment manufacturers to improve energy efficiency, asset reliability, productivity, safety and performance. Globally ABB Drives employs 6000 persons in over 80 countries. The Drives Site Campus Pitäjänmäki in Helsinki has around 1500 employees.