At Ingenics, we work closely with manufacturers around the world and regularly engage with industry leaders to better understand the approaches, priorities, and leadership principles shaping high-performing organizations. While every company’s journey is unique, common themes often emerge around accountability, collaboration, quality, and the ability to align people and processes toward a common goal.
In this interview, Johannes Kellermann, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans in Charleston, SC, shares his perspective on the principles that help drive organizational performance and long-term success. He discusses how expectations are translated into action, how teams are empowered to contribute beyond their daily responsibilities, and how a strong foundation can support continuous improvement across the business.
The following conversation offers valuable insights for manufacturing leaders seeking to build resilient organizations, strengthen performance, and create an environment where both people and operations can thrive.
What exactly do you mean by excellence at Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston?
At Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston, excellence means consistently striving to be better in everything we do. It starts with hiring, developing, and empowering great people, is reflected in strong and efficient processes, and ultimately results in building the most desirable vans for our US customers. Excellence also requires open and honest self-reflection, listening to feedback from customers, business partners, and our team, and using that input to continuously improve our performance every day.
How is the topic of excellence anchored in the corporate strategy?
Excellence is firmly anchored in our strategy “Driving Excellence. Building Quality.”, which defines a clear target picture supported by four strategic pillars:
Culture – ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL. ONE FUTURE.
This pillar defines how we work together, positively challenge one another, and hold ourselves accountable to grow and perform as one team.
Quality – Setting Standards. Exceeding Expectations.
We set a high bar to deliver true Mercedes-Benz quality and consistently exceed customer expectations.
Performance – Efficient. Effective. Exceptional.
This focuses on designing and living processes that enable sustainable, excellent performance.
Sustainability – Responsible Neighbor. Excellent Workplace.
We care for our people, create the right environment to deliver excellence, and act responsibly toward our community and the environment.
Together, these pillars guide all actions toward our goal of building the most desirable vans for US customers.
What methods do you use to implement the defined excellence goals? Which methods work well and which don't?
We consistently link all decisions, initiatives, and projects in our annual business plan directly to our strategy and excellence goals. Clear prioritization, accountability, and alignment to our pillars work very well.
In addition, we invest heavily in training and development to ensure our teams understand the purpose behind their work and have room to grow. Creating a culture of collaboration, trust, and open communication has proven to be one of the strongest enablers of excellence.
How do you actively promote excellence (e.g., through leadership, structures, incentives)?
For us, excellence means going beyond simply completing daily tasks. We encourage teams to exceed targets, support one another, and go the extra mile.
This year, we are particularly focused on clear targets, strong expectation management, and accountability. Key elements include transparent communication on goals and progress, regular feedback, and the freedom to experiment and challenge the status quo.
When people clearly understand expectations, receive honest feedback, and feel safe to speak up or ask for support, they gain the confidence needed to consistently outperform.
How can excellence be permanently anchored in the corporate culture? Is there a “magic key”?
I don’t think there is a single “magic key” for anchoring excellence in culture. In my experience, excellence results from multiple factors: clear expectations, trust and freedom to execute, and active support when it’s needed. At the same time, maintaining focus on a few key priorities helps organizations stay aligned and consistently deliver high performance.
How does leadership change in the context of excellence and continuous improvement? Are there differences between Germany and the US?
For me, leadership is fundamentally about people and is the key driver of sustainable excellence and change. We see every day how important flexibility and adaptability are to remain competitive.
Our international leadership team brings different perspectives, experiences, and cultural backgrounds, which creates strong opportunities to approach challenges in new ways.
My German background helps me structure problems and provide clear orientation, while I greatly value learning from my US colleagues, especially when it comes to translating targets into compelling stories and actively celebrating success.