Michael Kampers, Manager Design Engineering, Germany

Photo of Michael
Years with AD
3
Hobby
Golfer
Interest
Traveler

 

What attracted you to your chosen work? 
When it comes to overcoming challenges and leading people, I don't have to pretend to be another person, it just suits my character. The conclusion is to be a Lead Engineer!

 

I was looking for a company with an international character, development potential, a high standard of technology and a position with a lot of freedom to make decisions.

 

What skills did you develop early that are still useful today?
I am interested in almost everything and have tried out many things. In my youth and during my studies, I worked through different jobs and tried out an incredible number of hobbies. In team sports, associations and event management, you learn a lot of things that are worth a lot in your later professional life. This includes team spirit, organizational skills, personal responsibility, courage, endurance, resilience and motivating people who are often unpaid at a place where there is a job to be done.

 

Photo of Michael
Photo of Michael

 

How have you grown in your career at Avery Dennison?
Since joining Avery Dennison, my progress as a leader has been tremendous. For example, the perspective from which I look at leadership has shifted to focus more towards the people I work with. Also, the importance of diversity and the benefits of cultural differences have a central importance at Avery Dennison and have come more into focus.

 

In my day-to-day professional life, I am allowed to take on responsibilities in a very broad field and any duties I have are supported with the appropriate rights. I am supported by superiors and HR in the form of advice, training and continuing education. My team is constantly growing and I have all the necessary resources to train my employees as well.

 

What's the biggest stretch opportunity you've taken on?

My move to Avery Dennison came just in time of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizing a large team with many production-critical tasks into the home office and taking the lead on that team remotely was one of the biggest professional challenges of my life. The biggest personal challenge I constantly face is projecting the standards I set for myself onto others.

 

What role has mentorship played in your career?

Mentorship has played a big role in my career. I believe that I received a good moral compass from my parents, which has always guided me well in my relationships with others. In a professional environment, the last 3 years have made a great impact on my thinking and leadership style. I would like to thank my direct supervisor, Doctor Florestan Koehler, for working with me and always guiding me.

 

 

I chose Avery Dennison because in addition to an extremely competent and multidisciplinary team, good supervisors and a complex product from the automotive environment were also a part of the equation.

 

What’s the best career decision you’ve ever made?

I believe that the most important thing about choosing a job is that it makes you happy. You spend most of the week at work and often more time with your colleagues than with your partner. The best decision I made was to compromise on distance from the center of my life, to leave my comfort zone and accept a challenging job with conditions that fit. Avery Dennison and my partner are giving me the opportunity to lead and work remotely in a balanced way with presence.

 

As you think about the next steps in your career, what are the most important actions you plan to take?

My long-term goal is to take on even more responsibility and make as much of a positive impact as possible on the world we live in. Since Avery Dennison plays a global role and as a company actively takes responsibility for its surroundings and environment, I can well imagine developing my career here over a long period of time.

 

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

I am lucky that people allow me to lead them. Leadership has to be earned and is not something you get by signing a contract with a title. I am immensely grateful for my skilled team who make my job as easy as possible every day. The thing I enjoy most about my job is the trust of my team members that I am doing the right thing for them and the company.

 

 

Photo of Michael

Be a part of our team

We are always looking for talented people to join our team. Find an open role that suits you.