Let's make it happen – delivering product on the fly

Summary: Growing revenues $210 million by coaching C-level executives

Problem: Olin bought the $210 million Aerojet Ordnance Division. This required relocating the entire production line from California – with no interruption of production or loss of quality for ongoing government contracts. $103 million of existing sales had to be integrated into existing business, with the rest formed into a separate unit.

Management's direction was simply to integrate the new organizations and products, but with no change of P&L goals for either organization. They also did not want to impact the US Department of Defense customers. Furthermore, the contractual delivery schedule limited the tear-down and start-up times for the relocated operations.

Most resources would come from the people in the newly acquired organization, yet only a small percentage were to be retained after completion. At the same time, those personnel retained all the key technical knowledge and customer relationships. This transfer of information and relationships would have to take place while the existing California operation continued to produce on-time, on-quality, and on-profit for at least six months after the reorganization announcement, until site closure.

Approach: To accomplish management's goals, while dealing with such severe constraints and limitations, I coached, mentored and influenced C-level and senior leaders in Florida, Illinois, California and Missouri to meet performance and communication objectives throughout the nearly two-year process. I also partnered with key customer and supplier teams to coordinate actions and key performance metrics. Besides the formal aspects of program management, much time was spent directing, coaching, supporting and mentoring senior leaders to ensure communication, clarity, buy-in and execution at all levels. This was all done with a "roll-up your sleeves" style that ranged from the factory floor to the executive suites.

Results: Using adaptive coaching and mentoring with the various business unit leaders and teams, the merger integration...

	Met all integration and production milestones
	Delivered all communication plan objectives
	Closed the California operations with no loss of product quality
	Resolved all union issues
	Accomplished objectives within original $8 million budget
	Achieved 100% on-time acceptance of the first lots delivered
	Increased division sales by $210 million and met all P&L goals
	Won follow-on production and development contracts
	Established local teams that: • Reduced metal parts manufacturing and assembly costs 30-71% • Doubled inventory turns • Introduced 8 new products

How we did it:

My primary tool was a project plan developed with the change team members and input from key business, union, community and customer stakeholders. This was coupled with a proactive, situational leadership style that emphasized open communications and partnering with leaders, teams and individuals at any level with a clear focus on performance objectives and actions to resolve issues in a timely manner.

In the context of the change process, the coaching emphasized identifying critical limiting behaviors that negatively impacted ongoing operations and the merger process. These were primarily highlighted by issues with meeting the initial program milestones as identified in the various daily and weekly status meetings.

As some 1,000 people were involved, my focus was on the C-level and senior management leadership to address the issues. My primary interfaces were with the top three organizational layers at every participating site. Once agreement was reached on the priority behavior adjustments, my coaching emphasized praise for improved behaviors and redirection as needed. I was relentless on meeting milestones. Recognition and awards were made to participants through out the two-year process. (I got to be known as the "energizer bunny," so wherever I went I was often greeted with pink rabbits of all sizes or bunches of carrots).

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