Leadership program established mindset change at Ricola

Ricola herbal candies are an export hit: Since its founding in 1930, the family-owned company has expanded from its headquarters in Laufen to more than 45 countries worldwide. In May 2019, Thomas P. Meier became the first CEO "outside" the family. His declared goal: to act with the necessary determination and speed of a global player.

Ricola CEO Thomas Meier on the key ingredient in the mindset shift. (Screenshot: YouTube.com)

To develop the necessary leadership culture, which Thomas Meier describes as "the key ingredient," he enlisted the support of TheNextWe. "It all starts with the mindset," says Meier. The mindset that fits a global player was successfully developed individually and implemented sustainably in a worldwide executive coaching session in which the management board also participated.

"We export 90 percent of our products around the globe, and internally we have retained the feeling of a family business where togetherness is very important. At the same time, we can step on the gas a lot more with our brand. Together with TheNextWe, we have succeeded in realizing the necessary mindset for this. Everyone looked at themselves and asked themselves 'What's stopping me from taking this step?' That was the liberation we were looking for," explains Ricola CEO Meier.
René Schori, Chief Human Resources Officer, adds: "That was the main task: that we enter a transformation from an export-oriented Swiss SME to a global company that has a play-to-win mindset."

The entire Executive Board and managers working at the headquarters in Laufen as well as in the USA, Singapore, Italy, France and Belgium took part in the twelve-week program. In the first four weeks, TheNextWe worked with them on an individual level to identify their attitudes and reservations in connection with the topic of "leadership. Each participant was assigned their own coach for this purpose. On this basis, TheNextWe helped to establish a new collective mindset across all areas that fits the upbeat character of a global player.

The new behavior resulting from this work was practiced and consolidated for eight weeks. TheNextWe app served as the central platform for coaching throughout, guiding participants through inspiring exercises, coaching conversations, and setting and achieving personal milestones.

The program concluded with an event where all participants could share what they had experienced. Together, they noted a great collective change resulting from the liberation from self-limiting mindsets. Leaders reported, for example, that they were now able to address difficult issues directly and use the talents in their teams more effectively.

Rosa Riera, co-CEO of TheNextWe, sums up: "In the family-run SME sector, major changes are on the horizon, often involving a change of leadership from owner to external manager. This transformation is not trivial. Keeping the genuine togetherness while establishing the performance mindset - that's what enables a traditional company to remain successful as a global player."

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