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Primarily manufactures and remanufactures heavy-duty diesel fuel injection systems and related components.
“Great Game® is making a difference. It gives us a vision, we know where we are, and I feel like I have someone in my corner. Even in my personal life, I feel more structured. I feel growth.” ~ Mike Koromah, Senior Fuel Injection Technician, AMBAC Associate 12 years
Despite a 100-year-history as a business, AMBAC was struggling both financially and with its culture. Not only was the company facing threats in the marketplace, it was struggling to find ways to get its team working together toward a common future.
Implement The Great Game of Business® (GGOB) in August 2018 with the help of a coach, Kevin Walter, as a way to build a culture of ownership and engagement among the associates.
Following a rough year in 2017, the AMBAC team turned their performance around in 2018. Not only did they boost sales 21%, but they also blew away their profit goals, as PBT soared an incredible 851%—which powered the team to earn their maximum gainshare bonus. “We have come so far, so fast—no one would have believed it was even possible to achieve what we have and we’re just getting started,” says CEO Robert Isherwood. “In a real sense The Game is turning the company around. A once great company is becoming great again, jobs were saved, families are learning their path to financial security, there’s purpose, and there’s optimism. Whatever else happens, we are celebrating, and we are grateful.”
“Even the environment is different, everyone’s involved. People are happier, it’s better, we have unity. Where there used to be rumors, now it’s open. You don’t need to guess or worry, you know. For me, there’s more security.” ~ Roxanne Thomas, Assembly Technician, AMBAC Associate 33 Years
The AMBAC team kicked off a successful 60-day MiniGame they called “Cash is King,” with a goal to tackle overhead absorption. They began by teaching the associates about what absorption was, how they could impact it, and why it played such a critical role in their company’s goals. The MiniGame was a huge success, as the absorption rate jumped up more than 20%—beating their goal by 6%. The best part is that on the months that followed, the absorption rate remained better than ever, which signaled that it had brought about a new awareness and behavior change for the entire team moving forward.
“By having open books, people know what is coming. Before they thought it was being kept from them. Now, we know what we need to do to hit our goals.” ~ Donny Frick, Senior Fuel Injection Technician, AMBAC Associate 31 Years
Teaching financial literacy has already had a major impact on the associates at AMBAC, says Isherwood. “People are seeing a path to entrepreneurial energy, financial literacy, and security for their families,” he says. But Isherwood also sees the opportunity to double-down on that investment—to deepen the associates’ understanding of their company as an economic engine—to help further drive their culture of ownership throughout the entire organization.
“When you think of ‘management’ you think of the Monopoly guy. The top guy that holds all the secrets in a black case, and he runs off with all the money while us minions do all the work. The Great Game teaches us to be the top guy, and we have learned the business. The Game is the best way for us to own our own future.” ~ Angie Pittman, HR Accounting Manager, AMBAC Associate for 8
