Hands-On Leadership in highly Efficient Manufacturing Setting

The Challenge

At PFAFF, leadership has always been rooted in a hands-on mentality and a strong commitment to the company’s mission. Many team leaders grew up within the organization, starting their apprenticeships their and then moving from the shop floor into leadership roles because of their deep expertise and dedication. This unique strength, however, came with new challenges:

• Leaders needed to develop “a new way of leading” to match expectations of today’s workforce.
• Communication in a digital world required fresh skills.
• Global competition required PFAFF to become more efficient through continuous learning.

With 80% of employees working inproduction, PFAFF recognized the importance of giving these committed leadersthe structure and support they deserved to continue driving the businessforward.

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The Solution: Rising Leaders Program

Practical learning embedded in daily routines

To honor the reality of the leaders’ daily work, PFAFF launched the Rising Leaders Program, a blended initiative that was 75% on-site and 25% virtual. The program featured monthly training sessions of 3 hours each paired with buddy sessions between the main training sessions. This design respects the participants’ high workloads while also helping them become more confident in digital collaboration. The program was carefully woven into weekly operational structures, making every lesson practical and directly usable.

Trainers who “had walked in their shoes”

The leaders were not handed abstract theories—they were guided by a trainer who had faced similar real-world challenges and trains other production-facing groups himself. This credibility built trust and ensured that the participants saw the program as a partner in their success rather than an outsider’s prescription. Leaders could connect the content to their own situations.

C-Level sponsorship and accountability

PFAFF’s executives reinforced the importance of the leaders’ roles in shaping the company’s future. They actively followed-up, ensuring the program stayed focused on tangible impact. Topics such as employee reviews were turned into opportunities for deeper reflection and practice.

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Results & Impact

By the numbers

• 87% of participants rated the content as “highly relevant.”
• 9 out of 10 participants would recommend the program to a colleague.

Practical impact

• The “Yes–No–Yes” tool gave participants a structured way to communicate in difficult conversations while maintaining respect and trust.
• Through discussion on getting things done, leaders redefined team communication practices: standard matters went via email, urgent issues by phone. This small change improved clarity and efficiency across teams.
• One leader who had struggled to unite their team learned to focus on listening and asking questions. This shift fostered cooperation and helped the team resolve issues together.

Observed cultural changes

C-Level executives noticed a clear shift in operational meetings—discussions became more constructive and solution-oriented. Employees, too, saw the difference: their supervisors were listening more, reacting less compulsively, and leading with a stronger sense of direction. The heroes of this story were the team leaders themselves—committed individuals who embraced change to strengthen their teams and company.

Challenges Along the Way

In a traditional, blue-collar environment, leadership training doesn’t always start on fertile ground. But PFAFF’s team leaders leaned into the challenge with the same commitment they bring to their production roles.

Supported by executives who made clear that leadership growth was critical for future competitiveness, they proved that even in high-pressure, hands-on environments, leadership excellence can thrive when it stays practical and close to reality.

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Company Profile

PFAFF is a family-owned specialist in precision tool and mold-making, serving the global automotive industry. With approximately300 employees, the company operates from Röthenbach (Germany), Dornbirn (Austria), and the United States.

The Rising Leaders Program at PFAFF is a blended leadership development initiative designed specifically for team leaders promoted from within production. While celebrating a culture of a “can-do-attitude” and hands-on leadership, PFAFF invests in their leaders and vocational training to develop highly skilled professional of tomorrow.