About the company

Esprinet is a leading group in B2B technology distribution, with an organization that has about 1,800 employees between Italy and the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). In Italy, the workforce is around 1,000 resources, while in the Iberian Peninsula there are about 800. The company manages large logistics centers in both Italy and Spain, which represent the beating heart of operations.
In addition, Esprinet has numerous Esprivillage distributed throughout the country: authorized centers that serve as a reference point for customers and partners.

The group is engaged in a phase of growth, focusing on strategic strengthening through skills and leadership development paths, in particular in commercial functions.

The challenge

Esprinet faced a significant challenge in the growth and strengthening of its commercial teams. Often consisting of high-potential junior profiles, these teams required training aimed at developing leadership skills and soft skills.

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“Esprinet lacked structured management training. Over time, only isolated interventions had been proposed and, more recently, everything had remained entrusted to self-training. Managers grew up in the field, with a few moments of confrontation, but without a clear vision or adequate tools. Internal surveys have highlighted a widespread need for guidance and support in professional development, clearly highlighting the gap and the need for targeted intervention.”

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The main difficulty was related to the need to balance technical skills, fundamental to business results, with relational and leadership skills, essential for effective management of customers, teams and the increasingly competitive market environment.

Management recognized the importance of investing in a leadership development program that was not only technical, but also focused on soft skills and leadership, especially for commercial roles, considered crucial for achieving business objectives.

The solution

To respond to these challenges, Esprinet has chosen to adopt the Wibo Leadership Academy: an intercompany program created to develop in a concrete way the essential skills of leadership.

The “pilot group”, with its 15 participants, has made it possible to successfully test an initiative focused on the development of soft skills and leadership, key elements for effectively leading teams in a constantly evolving context.
Subsequently, the activity expanded with a second wave, involving about 40 high-potential figures, through a method that combined the contribution of top managers and executives with moments of experiential work.

La Wibo Leadership Academy is divided into three main phases:

• Fundamentals of leadership: a common initial phase, designed to develop soft skills such as communication, time management, motivation, self-leadership and conflict management, with content adapted to different levels of seniority.
  
  
• Wibo Self-assessment: a diagnostic tool, developed with work psychologists, that helps each participant to identify their strengths and areas for improvement on key leadership skills.
  
  
• In-depth playlist: based on the results of the assessment, each participant accesses a personalized thematic playlist, consisting of live sessions with executives, practical exercises and peer coaching, to work in a targeted manner on the gaps that have emerged.

The Wibo Leadership Academy sessions integrated executive interventions with practical exercises, group activities and role plays managed by a trainer, thus encouraging a direct comparison with the daily challenges experienced by the participants.

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“They spoke of the very strong coaches who really brought high-value reflections to the micro team as well. The participants relocated that theme with the coach and understood what the connections are to their reality.”

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The teaching materials and tools provided made it possible to immediately put into practice what emerged from the sessions. In addition, Esprinet's HRs were able to constantly monitor the journey of their managers through the Wibo HR dashboard.

The impact

The implementation of the Wibo Leadership Academy has had a tangible impact on performance and company culture.

The sales team that participated in the course began to integrate soft skills with technical ones, improving the relationship with customers and teams and fostering a more people-centric and customer-centric culture.
The participants appreciated the corporate recognition that the program represents, perceived as a real investment in their abilities and potential, with a direct impact on motivation and involvement.
The program has also facilitated a cultural alignment between managers and teams, strengthening leadership skills and a mindset oriented not only to the result, but also to the relationship.

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On the pilot group of 15 people:

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What the participants say

The path was perceived as transformative, thanks to a well-calibrated mix of theory and practice, peer learning, and direct sharing by business leaders.

“Sharing concrete cases, comparing with colleagues, the possibility to apply concepts immediately: this has really made the difference.”

“The managers involved have brought lived experiences, showing that leadership is also made up of mistakes and reflections. I found this to be very powerful.”

“Katia helped us to make even the most abstract themes concrete. The direct confrontation with her has transformed the path.”

“Being selected to participate was a strong message. We've heard that the company is really betting on us.”

“I wish it would have lasted longer. Time was short for everything you could explore!”

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Conclusion

According to Esprinet, Wibo represents a fresh, creative and innovative training reality, capable of thinking “out of the box” and of bringing a very valuable long-term vision to the training landscape:

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“For us, Wibo is: freshness, thinking out of the box, creativity, innovation, but also a long-term vision. You are the bearers of a voice that is often lacking in the educational world.”

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The path has positively transformed the internal ecosystem, creating a sustainable growth trajectory for tomorrow's leaders and laying the foundations for balanced leadership, capable of integrating technical and relational skills.