KCF Technologies
The Problem
KCF Technologies is a leader in optimizing American Manufacturing through using acoustic engineering to stop machinery breakdowns before they happen. KCF works in industries throughout the continental United States including HVAC/R, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Pulp & Paper, and Food & Beverage.
In 2017, KCF was poised to grow from their staff from a fifty-person team to one hundred and fifty employees. In person meetings could no longer align the company with KCF work ethic and energy. And the upcoming aggressive recruitment campaign lacked strong language that defined KCF values and evaluate employee fit.
In response, KCF leadership first hired an HR consultant to help them define their values. The resulting language was generally accurate but lacked the verve essential to KCF vulture.
The Solution
Founder Jeremy Frank sought my feedback on the new language and hired her to develop a new set of values to guide KCF going forward. I noted that the new language lacked a clear narrative on what made KCF unique and what they sought to accomplish in the world.
To close this gap, I facilitated a Ground Truth Process to identify the core of Frank’s role as a founder and thirty-year tenure with KCF. What was true for him would extend to the rest of the company. Tone and culture began with him.
I then identified the sharp and driven voice that resonated with Frank and KCF culture. These values were about a resilient approach to problems and profound growth mindset.
The Results
I took this new understanding of the KCF culture and reworked the values material. The word choice and vocabulary completely shifted from standard HR talk into words that caught the sharp and driven personality of the company:
Smarts—It’s not just being smart. It’s acting smart and becoming smarter.
Grit—We are undaunted by challenges and never stop until the problem is resolved.
Drive—We win when we act with purpose and elevate manufacturing workers.
This translated into three measurable behaviors and expectations within company culture:
Performance—when it’s time to work, you work hard and work smart.
Autonomy—It’s your work to do. You define how you do it.
Health—Take care of yourself, your teams, and your customers.
Application
Frank and his team used this new language across the company. It guided their rapid growth and hiring process to their current one hundred and fifty employees.
KCF is now a multi-million dollar company, the leader of their field, and an economic center in their local community.
The values also translated into effective external communication. Frank continues to use #smartsgritdrive in his online discussion of KCF as seen in his frequent Linkedin posts.
Internally, the language guided communication with the community both through physical installations (such as a poster series and a new employee clubhouse), and through employee assessment and evaluations. The language is also first information offered on the employment section of their website.
The work done for KCF was as an employee of Rowland Creative.
