Turning 50 Years of Legacy Into a New Growth Trajectory

Gradex: A Case Study in Leader-Led Culture™

Gradex, a multi-generational family company founded in 1973, is a heavy highway contractor that provides grading, excavation and site work.

The company prides itself on providing a great workplace, with employees averaging 15 years of tenure.

Opportunity

The people at Gradex have always been among the best in the industry. They all cared, but they didn’t necessarily have a shared focus.

“We had this 50-year-old company and things were going pretty well,” said Jason Dapp, President and CEO of Gradex. “But we needed to get intentional about where we want to be and how to get there. We needed to get everyone rowing in the same direction.”

After reading countless business books and generating lots of internal ideas, the leadership at Gradex wasn’t sure where to start in implementing change.

Solution

After hearing ADVISA CEO, Heather Haas, speak at an industry event, Charles Smith, Director of Product Delivery for Gradex, was intrigued. Gradex engaged ADVISA in late 2021, and in the first quarter of 2022 cultural transformation work began.

“Activate” driver

Build commitment from the top.

In our Diagnose + Define Leadership Summit, ADVISA helped Gradex start with a solid baseline understanding of their team. The process also revealed that some important considerations were missing from the business plan.

“Target” driver

Establish desired future state.

We created a strategic plan – including mission, vision and values – that would help all Gradex employees have shared sensibilities and behaviors in support of clear goals and objectives.

“Lead” driver

Develop confidence and capability.

Training has included ADVISA Leadership Academy, Leadership Fundamentals and Predictive Index workshops to help put behavioral insights to use in the workplace.

“Today it’s not what we train them to do, but how. Now we are all rowing in the same direction, with the same agenda. It feels completely different.”

Jason Dapp, CEO

“Apply” driver

Improve performance with people data.

Gradex leverages the data from Predictive Index® behavioral assessments to better manage its people.

“Scale” driver

Enable behavior change.

Conversations have shifted from a technical and cost focus to a people-management focus. The Predictive Index platform helps support daily decisions.

Results

  • Shared focus. From internal decisions to new-hire decisions, the ADVISA process has given the Gradex team clarity unlike ever before.
  • Improved employee communication. Today, Gradex employees practice transparent communication around any issues that arise – and how to make improvements.
  • Decreased job costs. As communication has improved, so has the company’s ability to come in under budget.

“It gets to the point where you don’t even talk about the numbers anymore. You focus on the people, and the numbers take care of themselves.”

Jason Dapp, CEO

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has named Gradex to Best Places to Work in Indiana.

Continued Partnership

“We’re on a new growth trajectory. It wouldn’t have been possible without ADVISA.”

Jason Dapp, CEO

Discover the advantage of Leader-Led Culture™

To learn how ADVISA can help transform YOUR organization, request a free consultation today.