Rethinking leadership: With the new group-wide Step up for Leaders module, REWE Group is focusing on a culture that emphasises courage for new ideas, openness to feedback and a focus on strengths. Three senior managers tell us what they took away from their participation: From "aha" experiences and enriching encounters to reflecting on their own leadership style.
Thorsten Emde, Head of Department Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania in Product Management at DERTOUR Germany.| Photo: ©private
"I was particularly impressed by the programme's consistent focus on the 'growth mindset'. It made me realise once again how important it is to see change as an opportunity. A real eye-opener for me was the realisation that leadership always starts with myself. Reflecting on my own patterns of thought and behaviour helped me to shape my role as a manager even more consciously and actively.
Since then, I have increasingly integrated the targeted promotion of strengths into my day-to-day management work: In practice, this means that I allocate tasks more consciously according to the individual talents in the team and regularly ask in a 1:1 format where someone would like to develop further. This has significantly increased motivation and personal responsibility. At the same time, I attach great importance to ensuring that everyone in the team not only knows what the others are currently doing, but also understands why certain tasks or projects are currently being prioritised. It's important to me that we don't just work alongside each other, but really together - transparency about goals, backgrounds and interrelationships is a key success factor for me.
The cross-departmental networking was a real highlight for me.the discussions about specific practical examples and the openness with which critical topics were also addressed were particularly valuable. This gave me new impetus for my own work.
The most important aspect of the programme for me at the moment is the courage to try new things. Especially at a time when our working environment is changing rapidly due to digitalisation and technological innovations, it is crucial to remain open to new things and actively help shape change. For me, having the courage to try new things means not only breaking new ground myself, but also encouraging my team to try things out, to see mistakes as learning opportunities and to work together on innovative solutions. I make it clear that it's okay not to master everything perfectly straight away. This creates a space in which we can grow together and actively exploit the opportunities of digitalisation.
I see myself as a senior manager who acts as an equal and values trust, personal responsibility and development. It is important to me that my team acts on its own initiative and actively contributes. A new aspect for me is the idea of seeing change as a continuous process and recognising small steps."
"My conclusion:'Step up for Leaders' is a source of inspiration for a leadership culture that focuses on strengths, feedback and the courage to change. If you are prepared to reflect on yourself and remain open to new ideas, you can not only develop your own team, but also yourself in the long term."
Martina Weinhold, Lead Learning & Development, PENNY HR National. | Photo: ©Mike Schuckart
"I was particularly surprised by how much the exchange with other senior managers broadened my view of my own leadership culture. The dialogue led to a lot of reflection and made me more aware of many things.the cross-departmental networking was very enriching for me. The discussions with colleagues from other areas were particularly valuable because they gave me new perspectives on common challenges. No matter what - we're all in the same boat.
I mainly took the focus on strengths from the workshop and have already pitched a few ideas with the team. We want to continue working on the topic and develop ourselves further. As a senior manager, it is important to me to create trust, provide support, encourage and empower my team to work independently. The seminar enabled me to focus more on strengths-orientation.
For me personally, the topic of 'openness to feedback' is the most important because it enables me to learn and develop continuously. It helps me to recognise my blind spots and make targeted adjustments to my leadership behaviour. The most difficult thing for me was 'courage for new things', because change often brings uncertainty. It takes effort to leave familiar paths, but it's worth it to enable innovation."
"My tip:I would recommend that senior managers approach the seminar with an open mind and curiosity and actively use the opportunity to network. The exchange is so valuable."
Since April 2025, there has been a Group-wide start-up module for all new senior managers in the German-speaking REWE Group: Step up for Leaders. The module was developed to convey the principles of leadership culture and promote networking across company divisions.
Why was Step up for Leaders developed?
REWE Group operates in a dynamic environment in which collaboration and leadership are crucial to the company's success. The Step up initiative supports the further development of the corporate and leadership culture and prepares for future requirements. The focus is on three behaviours: Courage for new things, openness to feedback and focus on strengths.
These principles form the basis of the Step up for Leaders module. They are designed to enable senior managers to actively shape change and lead teams effectively.
How does Step up for Leaders work?
Since April 2025, Step up for Leaders has been the starter module for new senior managers throughout the German-speaking REWE Group. It was developed to convey the principles of leadership culture and to promote networking across business units. In addition to teaching the Step up behaviours, the module offers space for exchange and peer-to-peer advice across all business units. This creates a network that opens up new perspectives and strengthens collaboration. From 2026, the module will also be opened up to the international PENNY units in order to create the same understanding of leadership across the Group.
What are the goals of Step up for Leaders?
The objectives include introducing the participants to REWE Group's leadership culture and promoting a common understanding of leadership. In addition, Step up for Leaders aims to strengthen networking across divisional boundaries and prepare participants for the subsequent, business unit-specific leadership programmes.
Who is Step up for Leaders for?
The module is mandatory for new disciplinary senior managers at REWE Group. Afterwards, the participants start the First Leadership Programme of their respective SBU. In consultation with their HR managers, lateral and experienced senior managers can also take part in the module. Interested parties are welcome to contact the HR department responsible for them.
Lukas Jellinek is in charge of six shops at PENNY Austria. | Photo: ©Robert Harson
"The seminar made me realise even more how important it is to give my employees more room to develop. You can only grow personally in an environment where you are allowed to make mistakes.
It is also important to me that my employees do something because they care about it and not mainly because I tell them to.i think I manage in such a way that people can come to me at any time for advice or to get something off their chest. With the many topics that we are constantly dealing with, I try to organise myself using lists. Perhaps this has restricted the space for my employees to develop - so I'm now trying to differentiate more: What are clearly specified tasks that need to be implemented and where can I give my team more room to manoeuvre? With the right attitude towards a topic, you are more motivated and can achieve much more.the workshop made me realise this even more
For me, the topic of 'courage for new things' is particularly important. Some processes can certainly be rethought and improved. 'Openness to feedback' is certainly a topic that you can't take to heart often enough."
"My tip: I approached the seminar with a very open attitude. I would also recommend this to all senior managers who still have it ahead of them. You should also take away everything that could be important for you. And you should definitely take advantage of the opportunity to exchange ideas."
