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This article is based on discussions from the June 2025 LTD conference, during which Nadège Riehl, VP of Talent Management & Learning France at Schneider Electric, and Anselme Jalon, CEO of NUMA, shared their insights on the “Cadres France” program.
Most companies start out with the same assessment: their employees who are promoted to management need leadership training. That’s what they say. But when you dig deeper, the real issue is often something else entirely.
What we actually hear, however, is this: these employees have been doing the work of a manager for years. They have the skills. Yet many still wait to be told what to do. They don’t always feel confident enough to make decisions without approval, take a stand, or step in to resolve issues in a visible way.
The problem, then, is not a lack of skills. It is an approach that has not yet been fully embraced or truly encouraged by the organization itself.
The new collective bargaining agreement for the metalworking industry has resulted in 800 Schneider Electric employees being reclassified as managerial staff, without any change in their job duties or scope of work. On paper, this is an administrative change. In practice, however, it represents a much more demanding shift in responsibilities.
Reactions within the company were mixed. For some, this development felt like long-awaited recognition: “Finally.” For others, it felt like a dizzying experience: “I’m not ready.” This disconnect reveals something essential: becoming a manager isn’t just about earning a title. It means taking the initiative without waiting to be asked, making decisions without waiting for systematic approval, and driving changes that you haven’t always chosen. And this shift doesn’t happen automatically just because your status changes on an organizational chart.
When times become more uncertain, many organizations say they want more autonomy, more accountability, and faster execution. Yet it is often during these very times that the most centralizing reflexes kick in: increasing the number of approvals, taking back decision-making authority, and tightening control. These reflexes slow down execution, stifle initiative, and complicate collaboration between teams.
In a matrix organization like Schneider Electric, this contradiction quickly becomes untenable. Decisions must be made as close to the front lines as possible. This is what Schneider Electric describes as a “glocal” approach: global in its direction, local in its ability to act.
Behind this philosophy lies a strong conviction: “You don’t have to be a VP to come up with relevant ideas.” “You already have the keys to decision-making within you.” This vision is reflected in the company’s IMPAcT values, particularly in the “A” for Action: taking initiative, autonomy, and the courage to decide. This need has been reinforced since the health crisis, and the current context makes it even more urgent.
One of the most interesting aspects of the “Cadres France” program has less to do with its content than with the way it was introduced. After all, offering leadership training to employees who already hold managerial positions can send a counterproductive message: “You’re not ready yet.”
Schneider Electric has therefore carefully crafted the framework for the program. Not by saying, “Here’s what you need to learn, ” but rather, “Here’s a space to take a step back and reflect on what you’re already doing, reinforce certain habits, and better position yourself in this new context.” This nuance makes a big difference.
A dedicated HR team analyzed the gaps between the realities on the ground and the expectations associated with executive status.
The social partners were also involved in the process from the very beginning: jointly developing messages, participating in a shared pilot program, and receiving direct feedback from participants. Stakeholders who might have undermined the initiative instead became its advocates.
This is a valuable lesson for many learning departments: the success of a training program doesn’t depend solely on its content. It also depends on the message it conveys and how the organization presents it.
Among the skills covered in the program, one stands out in particular: the ability to make decisions while providing context. In an uncertain environment, employees don’t just want to know what’s changing; they need to understand why.
This requires very practical skills: explaining an unpopular policy without undermining its credibility, communicating difficult decisions in times of uncertainty, and implementing changes that one may not have chosen oneself.
These reflexes are not rooted in theoretical concepts. They develop through real-life situations, peer interactions, and opportunities for employees to compare and contrast their practices.
The program is based on three pillars: making decisions in the face of uncertainty, engaging others without imposing one’s will, and driving change in dynamic environments.
At Schneider Electric, this took the form of five workshops spread over five weeks, with a coach leading groups of twelve participants. The two-hour sessions were designed to establish a regular rhythm without disrupting business operations. Each workshop was based on real-world scenarios and peer-to-peer discussions, rather than a top-down approach.
Distance learning was not designed as a logistical compromise. It makes it possible to bring together professionals from different organizations, to compare and contrast different business realities, and to create synergies that in-person learning does not always allow. In a context where the overall balance is 60% remote and 40% in-person—with the ratio reversed in France—it is also a pragmatic response to real scheduling and organizational constraints.
Developing leadership at all levels does not mean asking everyone to act like a manager. Rather, it is about giving employees the guidance and authority they need to make decisions, understand the company’s challenges, and drive change with sound judgment.
What worked for Schneider Electric came down to three things: content grounded in reality, communication that acknowledges what already exists, and a format designed to fit into everyday life.
Leadership isn't built through an organizational chart. Leadership isn't built through an organizational chart. It is built in real-world situations where employees understand that they truly have the authority to make decisions.
This article is based on discussions from the June 2025 LTD conference, during which Nadège Riehl, VP of Talent Management & Learning France at Schneider Electric, and Anselme Jalon, CEO of NUMA, shared their insights on the “Cadres France” program.
Most companies start out with the same assessment: their employees who are promoted to management need leadership training. That’s what they say. But when you dig deeper, the real issue is often something else entirely.
What we actually hear, however, is this: these employees have been doing the work of a manager for years. They have the skills. Yet many still wait to be told what to do. They don’t always feel confident enough to make decisions without approval, take a stand, or step in to resolve issues in a visible way.
The problem, then, is not a lack of skills. It is an approach that has not yet been fully embraced or truly encouraged by the organization itself.
The new collective bargaining agreement for the metalworking industry has resulted in 800 Schneider Electric employees being reclassified as managerial staff, without any change in their job duties or scope of work. On paper, this is an administrative change. In practice, however, it represents a much more demanding shift in responsibilities.
Reactions within the company were mixed. For some, this development felt like long-awaited recognition: “Finally.” For others, it felt like a dizzying experience: “I’m not ready.” This disconnect reveals something essential: becoming a manager isn’t just about earning a title. It means taking the initiative without waiting to be asked, making decisions without waiting for systematic approval, and driving changes that you haven’t always chosen. And this shift doesn’t happen automatically just because your status changes on an organizational chart.
When times become more uncertain, many organizations say they want more autonomy, more accountability, and faster execution. Yet it is often during these very times that the most centralizing reflexes kick in: increasing the number of approvals, taking back decision-making authority, and tightening control. These reflexes slow down execution, stifle initiative, and complicate collaboration between teams.
In a matrix organization like Schneider Electric, this contradiction quickly becomes untenable. Decisions must be made as close to the front lines as possible. This is what Schneider Electric describes as a “glocal” approach: global in its direction, local in its ability to act.
Behind this philosophy lies a strong conviction: “You don’t have to be a VP to come up with relevant ideas.” “You already have the keys to decision-making within you.” This vision is reflected in the company’s IMPAcT values, particularly in the “A” for Action: taking initiative, autonomy, and the courage to decide. This need has been reinforced since the health crisis, and the current context makes it even more urgent.
One of the most interesting aspects of the “Cadres France” program has less to do with its content than with the way it was introduced. After all, offering leadership training to employees who already hold managerial positions can send a counterproductive message: “You’re not ready yet.”
Schneider Electric has therefore carefully crafted the framework for the program. Not by saying, “Here’s what you need to learn, ” but rather, “Here’s a space to take a step back and reflect on what you’re already doing, reinforce certain habits, and better position yourself in this new context.” This nuance makes a big difference.
A dedicated HR team analyzed the gaps between the realities on the ground and the expectations associated with executive status.
The social partners were also involved in the process from the very beginning: jointly developing messages, participating in a shared pilot program, and receiving direct feedback from participants. Stakeholders who might have undermined the initiative instead became its advocates.
This is a valuable lesson for many learning departments: the success of a training program doesn’t depend solely on its content. It also depends on the message it conveys and how the organization presents it.
Among the skills covered in the program, one stands out in particular: the ability to make decisions while providing context. In an uncertain environment, employees don’t just want to know what’s changing; they need to understand why.
This requires very practical skills: explaining an unpopular policy without undermining its credibility, communicating difficult decisions in times of uncertainty, and implementing changes that one may not have chosen oneself.
These reflexes are not rooted in theoretical concepts. They develop through real-life situations, peer interactions, and opportunities for employees to compare and contrast their practices.
The program is based on three pillars: making decisions in the face of uncertainty, engaging others without imposing one’s will, and driving change in dynamic environments.
At Schneider Electric, this took the form of five workshops spread over five weeks, with a coach leading groups of twelve participants. The two-hour sessions were designed to establish a regular rhythm without disrupting business operations. Each workshop was based on real-world scenarios and peer-to-peer discussions, rather than a top-down approach.
Distance learning was not designed as a logistical compromise. It makes it possible to bring together professionals from different organizations, to compare and contrast different business realities, and to create synergies that in-person learning does not always allow. In a context where the overall balance is 60% remote and 40% in-person—with the ratio reversed in France—it is also a pragmatic response to real scheduling and organizational constraints.
Developing leadership at all levels does not mean asking everyone to act like a manager. Rather, it is about giving employees the guidance and authority they need to make decisions, understand the company’s challenges, and drive change with sound judgment.
What worked for Schneider Electric came down to three things: content grounded in reality, communication that acknowledges what already exists, and a format designed to fit into everyday life.
Leadership isn't built through an organizational chart. Leadership isn't built through an organizational chart. It is built in real-world situations where employees understand that they truly have the authority to make decisions.
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