One Module from the Life of Level Up

The third and final module of the Level Up leadership development programme concluded at the NLMK Corporate University in Lipetsk. The participants met at the new campus building completed last year.

About the Programme

The principal objective of the Level Up programme designed with 152 hours of instruction is to develop a talent pool for middle management positions. These are future heads of departments and workshops that make important decisions at their level with direct impact on the nature and the outcomes of the business.

This year, programme participants are both NLMK employees and employees from our partner companies, including Corporate Solutions Centre, Freight One, Port One, and the Volga Shipping Company. This provides an excellent opportunity for all attendees to network with a view to building trust and long-term professional relationships as well as helping expand horizons.

The programme develops such competencies as systems thinking, teamwork, execution management, and continuous improvement. The programme includes three classroom modules and activities in between modules to practice applying the knowledge received.

The learning solution for Systems Thinking and Decision Making is at the core of the entire curriculum. The primary objectives are to teach future executives to apply a systemic approach to problem analysis and big data, to generate ideas based on the information analyzed, and to develop alternative solutions to sel ect for implementation.

The focus is also on project work. Participants choose an individual project fr om their annual targets, work on it throughout the entire programme using systems thinking tools and external expert support, and at the end of the programme, present their projects in storytelling format.

From Lipetsk to China and Back

The first day of the final module in Lipetsk took off with online visits to the Chinese sites of global leaders and startups staking their future on digital transformation, robotics, and innovative technologies. This type of visit provides an opportunity to look at one’s industry from another angle and to gain a better understanding of the notion that There is «a big and complex world outside NLMK» (NLMK operates in a complex external business environment. We should be familiar with and consider environment challenges and those development trends that exist in the steel market).

Module participants shared their feedback regarding the visits:

• «Getting first-hand information from international companies. Some innovative solutions were interesting to look at»
• «New horizons and process automation experience»
• «As for the companies, company experience and skills were of interest. The speakers presented their material in an interesting manner»

The programme participants also trained in managing complex negotiations, exercised behaviors applicable to conflict, and received tips from internal trainers on using these skills in real-life situations at work.

They took a deep dive into the Company’s investment strategy and reviewed the procedure for acquiring NLMK shares. The participants were able to get a broader view of the market and other companies. This is important if they are to gain insight into the way important management decisions impact company value. In fact, the programme is practical in nature and includes a multitude of real-life cases, which was noted by many participants.

There is no way we can make do without change management. It is especially significant when you lead in improvements within your functional scope and in new project implementation while managing your team and interacting with other stakeholders.

Deep leadership

The highlight of the evening part of the programme was outside speakers from NLMK partner companies and other charismatic business and sports personalities. Thus, Volga Shipping Company HR Director Tatyana Efremova talked extensively about the specifics of the company’s shipping operations. She spoke about challenges and solutions that were being implemented both on the business side and in the company’s personnel-related policies.

• «Very practical business cases, realistic problems, and ways they are solved. It is a very fascinating journey into the industry by someone who tells a good story. An interesting solution with time to reflect and good hand-outs at the end of the presentation»
• «I was very impressed with the Volga Shipping Company’s personnel management practices. Especially their talent poolprogramme»
• «A very involved manager, passionate about the challenges, and fully engaged in their effective resolution»

Leadership and free diving coach Sergey Deryabin joined the programme with panache talking about «Deep leadership». His presentation left a lasting impression with its unusual format. It was about looking at processes, the team, and a manager in their leadership role from a different angle.

Module participants described this presentation as one of the most «out of the box»:

• «Plenty of emotions! Thanks a lot for this experience. As far as I am concerned, the lecture was highly relevant»
• «Revolution of the mind»
• «An excellent interpretation of all the well-known theories through free diving techniques and the various rules of the sport»
• «Simple and somewhat trivial but oft forgotten truths presented in a very captivating new format. It was cool and creative»

What next?

Next is the most difficult final stage of the individual projects and getting ready for presentation that will unfold against the backdrop of acquiring and using systemic thinking skills. It will also include evidence that the project will be of value and will contribute to the Company’s strategic priorities and objectives.
Follow this link to find out more about the NLMK Corporate University Level Up Programme.