CASE STUDY: New Growth Path Strategies Create Leadership Alignment

the situation

A mid-sized maritime services firm, Marcom Services, had grown steadily over the course of ten years. They had established themselves as a key subcontractor for the large, east-coast shipyards that service the United States Navy. As the company entered its second decade, the next generation of leadership took over from the founder—a longtime industry veteran. The internal challenges that often accompany a leadership transition were exacerbated by a cyclical downturn in their market. After weathering a challenging year, the new leadership engaged Fahrenheit Advisors’ Strategy & Intelligence Team to help craft a strategy that would both identify new paths to growth and provide a clear and concise set of priorities around which they could achieve tighter internal alignment.

our approach

Fahrenheit’s Strategy & Intelligence Team leader, Peter Grimm, met with each member of the leadership team individually to understand their unique perspectives on the business challenges and opportunities. He also conducted 1-on-1 coaching with the new CEO. The four-week process culminated with a full-day working session with the entire leadership team facilitated by Fahrenheit Advisors. The team was led through a series of exercises which clarified the root causes of the challenges they had experienced and illuminated key opportunities for differentiated and sustainable growth. The process aligned the team around a concise set of strategic priorities and a defined set of measurable 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year goals. The key items were documented, and an owner was assigned to each to ensure accountability.

Left to Right: Ryan Weatherby, Dir. of Programs; Ethan Holmes, Dir. of Operations; Peter Grimm, Managing Director; George Murphy, CEO; Kevin O’Connell, VP of Programs and Contracts, Shannon Ferguson, CFO.

results

Following this four-week process, and continuing quarterly check-in support from Fahrenheit, the Marcom leadership team was now much better positioned to deliver on their aggressive growth targets. With a set of clearly defined strategic objectives, measurable short- and long-term goals, and distinct lines of accountability, the Marcom team was once-again firing on all cylinders.

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