At Amurrio Ferrocarril y Equipos (AFE), a global leader in railway equipment manufacturing, leadership transformation proved to be just as important as technical innovation. When the company embarked on a major shift toward lean manufacturing, the management team quickly realized that new processes alone weren’t enough—they needed a new way of leading.
That’s where Success Motivation International (SMI®, an LMI® company) programs came in.
Jon de Lapatza, Manager of AFE, shared how the program helped him personally and professionally:
“They [SMI® programs] are based in a deep logic, they have been tested in several countries and with different cultures, and we have experienced real improvement through real facts. The programs touch the person from a complete point of view… they bring real benefits that anyone can feel and the people surrounding them as well.”
By applying the program across the leadership team, AFE uncovered the root causes of management challenges—such as unclear priorities, misaligned goals, and time mismanagement. With coaching and tools to address these areas, the company achieved impressive results:
Stronger teamwork: Managers improved collaboration, solved conflicts faster, and aligned around common goals.
Improved safety: Workplace accident rates dropped significantly.
Higher performance: Key indicators like Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) saw measurable progress.
Clearer vision: The team redefined its Mission, Vision, and Values, creating alignment with strategic targets.
The benefits went beyond the business. Jon himself describes how the program helped him rebalance his priorities:
“I was always arriving home late, putting my family always on a second level. My way of doing things was against me and the people surrounding me. One of my friends talked about this program and I decided to try it… this suggestion came at the right time not only for me personally, but for my company.”
For Amurrio, leadership development was not just an investment in people—it was the key to sustainable growth, improved performance, and stronger relationships inside and outside of work.
When leaders grow, organizations thrive. Read the full story here.