Navigating Transformation at Siemens: Leadership, AI, and the Human Element

This episode of Cruising Altitude features a conversation with Alexander Senn, Head of People & Organization at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. Together, Alex and host Nicole Alvino discuss employee engagement and organizational culture. Alex shares insights about his role overseeing people and organizational development within Siemens' smart infrastructure division. Key topics include employee segmentation for improved experience, the role of leadership in transformation journeys, and the use of AI for productivity and innovation. Alex also shares the concept of the 'Rhino View' to highlight different perspectives in decision-making, and stresses the importance of open communication and continuous leadership development. Lastly, the conversation touches on balancing technological tools with human interaction to foster a high-performing and engaged workforce at Siemens.

Quotes

*" We're in the midst of a transformation journey to become one tech company.  And we want to work with the people together to create the best Siemens for the future. And that's why we decided to communicate quite early what is our ambition. But we don't have all the answers. And now we're working with the people close to the topics.  We take them on board, we listen, and they can also co-create with us together the new Siemens.  This is also a new way of empowering, taking people on board early. But it also creates at the same time a little bit of uncertainty, because people know something is happening. But they don't know the result.  But I believe people need to learn to live with uncertainty and it's much better to be transparent with the people and to invite them to contribute. At the same time, they also need to learn to live with the fact that we don't have all the answers. But I'm a strong believer that the outcome is much better when we involve more people, when we listen to the concerns and then on the journey you adapt some of the ideas you had at the beginning after listening to more than only the top management.”

*”[During transformations,] communicating is really important, but also then keep your ears and eyes open and create platforms where people can then give feedback. Share what they have read, what they've heard, raising concerns, because yes, we need people who are positive and looking into the change and helping, etcetera. But we also need to listen to people who are really concerned.”

Time Stamps

[00:45] Meet Alexander Senn, Head of People & Organization at Siemens Smart Infrastructure

[04:28] Role and Responsibilities at Siemens

[06:18] Employee Segmentation and Experience

[10:00] Transformation Journey at Siemens

[15:42] Utilizing AI for Productivity

[20:25] The Rhino View Perspective

[25:11] Final Thoughts and Reflections

[30:55] Conclusion and Contact Information

Links

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn

Learn more about Siemens Smart Infrastructure

Thanks to our friends

This episode is brought to you by Firstup, the world’s first intelligent communication platform. More than 40 percent of Fortune 100 companies use our platform to connect with their people, design and deliver personalized communications, and gain engagement insights throughout the employee journey. That’s how they give their employees better experiences from hire to retire. Learn more at firstup.io