Johnson Matthey’s world-class management

Johnson Matthey is a world-leading speciality chemicals company focused on its core skills in catalysts, precious metals, fine chemicals and process technology. The organisation has revenues of £7.5 billion, operations in over 30 countries, 8,700 employees and a track record of innovation spanning some 200-years.

Mentor ADE

Mentor’s Assess Develop Evaluate (ADE) approach sheds light on Johnson Matthey’s success story.

At the outset Mentor reviewed the situation at Johnson Matthey. Part of the challenge was to create a community of shared understanding to promote effective working across the world. Managers also needed a forum to explore business issues and learn new ways leading the business forward.

Mentor and Johnson Matthey created the Group Management Development Programme. The design ensures that learning is sandwiched with practical application throughout. Executive Directors are involved to provide deeper insights into corporate strategy and link learning to required business results. Interaction is built into the programme design, to encourage sharing of experience and development of networks. The programme takes place across a variety of company locations to provide insight into local performance.

Measurement is achieved with event assessments, confidence and net recommender ratings. During the programme evaluation of knowledge and competency takes place as learning is immediately reinforced through application of concepts in the workplace. Participation in the scheme is highly valued with senior managers regarding it as ‘an opportunity for our brightest managers to knock sparks off each other’. Real commercial advances have been achieved through open exploration of business challenges.