Unlock Results with Kevin Arrington, Professional Business Coach
Bridging High level strategy and ground level execution
Sometimes companies have a gap between their strategy and their execution.
Their strategy breaks down at the frontline and they don’t get the results they are striving for.
Hi, I’m Kevin Arrington. I bring a unique blend of military discipline, academic excellence, and extensive hands-on experience. My results-oriented approach has consistently delivered excellent outcomes across a variety of industries. I will help your team unlock results through a combination of leadership development, frontline engagement, and process improvement.
Below is some of the background that gave me the experience needed to help you transform your systems and bring greater success to your company.
2nd Ranger Bn and Ranger School
In the US Army I demonstrated the grit, perseverance and fortitude required to qualify to serve in the 2nd Ranger Battalion out of Ft. Lewis. It was a high stress, fast paced and exciting environment. I qualified for and successfully graduated from Ranger School class of 8-93. Ranger School is the military’s toughest course and is the premier small unit tactics and leadership school.
I discovered the importance of creating a good plan, practicing it, and having contingencies. Knowing any plan was not likely to survive first contact, I learned to quickly adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and unexpected challenges, and of the importance of clear and concise communication under pressure. It is here that I also learned the importance of physical and emotional resilience.
MBA
In the Marriott School of Business I acquired knowledge about business strategy, operations, marketing and finance. We explored the international business environment and supply chain challenges, risk assessments, ROI models and the sticky situations you sometimes encounter working with other cultures.
I added to my understanding of decision making in a fast-paced business environment and learned about leadership styles, management systems and organizational behavior.
15 Years as a Business Coach
American Airlines has a Landing Gear Shop at their MRO in Tulsa, OK. They needed to lower their average turn time when refurbishing landing gear from 89 to below 60 days to avoid grounding aircraft or outsourcing their work. I helped them reach 56 days with no additional manpower and no increase in overtime. Safety improved dramatically from 12 recordables to 6. Click here to view case study.
I learned how to navigate the rules of a union shop, and experienced firsthand how bottlenecks and choke points can move from one shop or process to another as performance improves. I saw the impact of an effective management system and how the frontline became engaged when performance became visible and targets were clear.
The Boeing Company
Boeing finished certifying their 747-8 aircraft and had more than a dozen aircraft that needed to incorporate the found changes and be delivered to customers on time. Late deliveries come with steep financial penalties, as well as harm to the brand.
Functional Test of Landing Gear was taking 10 days, but they would miss delivery dates on 3 aircraft if they couldn’t get it below 6. The Factory was doing it in 5. I assembled a cross-functional team and we made all three deliveries, ultimately bringing the test down to 4 days. Click here to view case study.
I experienced the power of pulling the right people into the room and creating a safe space to focus on improving a broken process successfully
Change Incorp
Change Incorp was worried about delivering their first freighter late and asked me to ensure its timely delivery to the customer. Interiors and Wings had the most substantial work packages. I helped each optimize their schedule, then coordinate it with Parts, Electrical, Functional Test and Engines. We delivered the aircraft on schedule and met our safety and quality targets.
I saw the importance of creating and optimizing the schedule with input from the frontline, and the power of coordinating the schedule with other crafts working concurrently in the same space. I also learned how critical a good management system is to monitor and prioritize a complex build.
BP PLC
BP’s largest and most complex refinery is in Whiting, IN. They were rated to process over 425,000 barrels of crude per day, but were stuck at an average of 385,000 due to persistent unexpected maintenance downtime. Working closely with the plant manager, we redefined the management system and helped Reliability, Maintenance and Operations execute it with rigor and discipline. After a year of working on this, downtime was reduced and the refinery hit 450,000 barrels per day for the next year. Click here to view case study.
I learned the power of a well thought out and coordinated Business Process Management System, and developed an appreciation for the importance of proactive maintenance applied correctly to aging equipment. This was a heavily unionized environment, and I saw them lean in and engage as targets became clear and communication improved.
Sinclair Refinery
Sinclair has a refinery in Rawlins WY that was accustomed to ‘cowboying it’. However, this ‘can do’ culture did not include a robust process safety component, and they experienced several difficult years that caused significant harm to the plant. They were at risk of losing their license to operate.
Working closely with their newly created Process Safety department, I learned how to identify, assess, prioritize and mitigate hazards to keep people and plant safe. I also facilitated a successful revamp of their MOC process. Resulting in a process that was decisive, quick to respond, got the right people involved early, and ensured proper communication and training on the back end.
Refineries
Engaging with small, growing businesses ($7M-$30M range) demonstrated the importance of refreshing processes so they keep pace, upgrading management systems to meet growing needs, training frontline leaders who know the trade, but have not been taught leadership skills, and bringing in strategic talent that is familiar with the new level of complexity.
Working with several large refineries on Turnarounds, I have learned the importance of careful planning, solid work packages, clear dashboards, early frontline participation, freezing scope early enough to get long-lead parts and materials in time, and use of tabletop exercises to optimize the schedule and the critical path.