Case Study

BoschRexroth

Adding an emotional culture to technical DNA

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Challenge

Bringing emotional intelligence into a highly technical, engineering-driven company.

Bosch Rexroth—a global name in precision engineering and industrial automation—faced a challenge that many technical organisations encounter: how to develop soft skills in a culture built on hard data. The company had no structured or sustainable programme for personal development. Training was ad hoc, inconsistent, and often delivered by external consultants. As a result, it failed to gain long-term traction or cultural relevance. As a result, it failed to gain long-term traction or cultural relevance.

Steven Huylebroeck, Managing Commercial Director at Bosch Rexroth Belgium, recognised the need to embed emotional intelligence (EI) into the company’s DNA. His personal journey—from warehouse operative to senior leadership—convinced him that IQ alone wasn’t enough for success. He saw how EI could unlock individual and organisational potential. But the idea of rolling out an EI programme across such a technically-minded workforce was met with scepticism.

Convincing the wider business wasn’t easy. Some questioned the relevance of EI. Others saw it as HR territory. But Steven and his ally, Mette Boeegh-Nielsen in Denmark, believed that developing human skills would directly impact stress, collaboration, and performance. The vision was clear: a shift from sporadic training to a company-wide culture of self-awareness.

Solution

Embedding MBTI®-based emotional intelligence development across Europe North.

To address the challenge, Bosch Rexroth launched a competence management programme across the Europe North cluster—including Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.

The initiative had two core goals: first, to map and manage technical skills; second, to raise emotional intelligence levels using the MBTI® assessment as the foundation for self-awareness. The strategy was to deliver the training internally through Bosch Rexroth employees who deeply understood the business, thereby improving relevance and trust.

To build engagement, the team created "Competence World"—a metaphorical adventure park for learning. The MBTI Foundation Workshop was the gateway, followed by tailored sessions on stress, type dynamics, team interaction, leadership, and change. Open information sessions ensured transparency and buy-in, while the non-mandatory nature of the programme reinforced a sense of autonomy and choice.

Results

Exceptional engagement and meaningful behaviour change across departments.

Participation rates were exceptionally high—95% in Denmark for the MBTI Foundation stage, despite being completely voluntary. Employees across all levels, including trainees and student workers, signed up. This led to stronger collaboration, particularly between departments like sales and technical support, which historically operated in silos or tension.

Workshops sparked eye-opening conversations and moments of self-reflection. Employees better understood their own behaviour patterns and those of their colleagues. Stress triggers became easier to identify and manage. Conflicts that previously caused friction now led to mutual understanding and improved team cohesion.

The in-house delivery model proved effective—employees valued training from people who “spoke their language.” Information campaigns helped overcome early scepticism, and even EI critics expressed interest once the purpose and benefits were made clear. As the programme expands, the focus remains on sustainability: keeping emotional intelligence a visible, ongoing part of Bosch Rexroth’s development culture.

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