How one CEO got out of the weeds to build a system-driven company

As a CEO, do you feel like you’re the hub of your company, where every major decision, and many minor ones, eventually lands on your desk?
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In a previous 5 Minute Growth Tip, “As a CEO, are you stuck in the weeds?”, I described the catch-22 many CEOs face: you’re too busy doing the work instead of building the systems that would free you from it. You’re trapped in the "sand" of day-to-day firefighting, leaving no time for the "rocks": the strategic moves that drive long-term growth.

Today, I want to share the story of Sandy Miller, General Manager of Arnason Industries in Winnipeg. Sandy’s journey is a masterclass in how to systematically move from being the Chief Firefighter to a Strategic Leader.


The Challenge: The Expert in the Middle

Arnason Industries does specialized, high-stakes work: building critical infrastructure like roads and water treatment plants in Indigenous communities in northern Manitoba and western Ontario. When Sandy took the helm, the company was heavily dependent on a few key technical people.

Sandy was the ultimate hub. With years of experience, he was personally involved in everything from scoping and bidding to overseeing site supervisors and equipment logistics. He knew that if one key person left, projects could be really impacted.

His vision was to build an organization that could thrive long beyond his tenure, an organized system that didn't depend on any one person.

But he was buried in the sand. To get out, he had to build a leadership team from scratch while simultaneously getting projects and keeping them moving.


The Four Pillars in Action

Sandy didn't try to change everything overnight. Instead, we worked through a disciplined process to build a solid foundation:

1. Alignment: Once Sandy groomed two key people into potential leaders, they launched an annual and quarterly planning process. They collaboratively developed their first One Page Strategic Plan (OPSP), building on their project mindset to layer on a business leader mindset. They also got aligned on their roles and what was expected of each of them.
2. Execution: We established a Meeting Rhythm of daily huddles, weekly meetings, and monthly check-ins, supported by a Results Tracking System. This created a pulse for the business that didn't require Sandy to instigate every move. They also began replacing their accounting and construction management system to enable better operating and financial forecasts and reporting.
3. High-Performing Leaders: Sandy used Job Scorecards to define exactly what success looked like for his new leaders. This clarity allowed him to move from being heavily involved to focusing on coaching. He used personal assessment to get clarity on the role-fit of his leaders.
4. Healthy Culture: They defined core values like Integrity with specific behaviors like "Communicating openly and truthfully." This wasn't just talk; they used stories to keep the core values top of mind, coached managers and employees to those behaviours, and hired using Topgrading to get strong-culture-fit hires.

The "Aha!" Moment: Choosing Not to Step In

The true test of Sandy’s transformation came recently. When a key site supervisor couldn’t make the transition to live up to the company’s core values, Sandy made the tough call to remove him.

In the past, Sandy would have jumped in to run those sites himself. He’s good at it, and it would have been the fastest fix. But Sandy realized that jumping back into the weeds would be a major setback. Instead, he stayed in the coaching seat. He empowered his project management leader to step up and handle the oversight, while Sandy supported him from the background.

Sandy admitted it felt strange not to get involved. But it was also freeing.


The Result: The Virtuous Cycle

By staying out of the sand, Sandy created a virtuous cycle. He now has the bandwidth to:

• Coach his leaders, helping them become self-sufficient high-performers.
• Support his leaders with organizational improvements, such as implementing the new accounting and construction management system.
• Focus on the financials, develop himself, and think more about succession plans.
• Replace himself in other tactical areas, like hiring a new manager to run the heavy equipment department, creating further bandwidth for him to work more ON the business.​

​Today, Arnason Industries is no longer just a collection of talented individuals. It is becoming an organized system. Sandy is no longer the firefighter; he is the architect of a company being built to last.

If you want to shift from being stuck in the day-to-day to focusing on strategic leadership, let’s talk. Email me or contact me on my website . Or look for my next 5 Minute Growth Tip where I’ll cover how to take the first step in getting out of the weeds. 

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If you are a prairie CEO who wants to grow a thriving company, team and life more quickly, more easily and with less stress and headache, please contact me here.