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Ward Edwards Engineering: Building Focused Leadership with System & Soul

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Industry

Civil Engineering

Challenge

As Ward Edwards Engineering grew past 25 people, the team hit the usual growing pains—new leadership, shifting roles, and a need for more structure. They wanted a way to stay focused and aligned without losing the close-knit, people-first culture that made them who they are.

Results

Six months after adopting System & Soul, Ward Edwards Engineering gained focus, alignment, and accountability. With clear priorities and new leadership strength, the firm is now living its mission of building healthy communities—both within the team and in the places it serves.

wardedwards.com

System & Soul helped us focus on what matters most, stay disciplined without losing our culture, and build a more confident, aligned leadership team.

Allen Ward

PE

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About Ward Edwards Engineering

Ward Edwards Engineering is a 30-person civil engineering design firm in Bluffton, South Carolina, serving land development clients and local governments along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts. The company is dedicated to building healthy communities through thoughtful engineering and a strong internal culture.

Ward Edwards Engineering found focus and confidence through System & Soul—turning scattered priorities into aligned leadership and stronger culture.

The Challenge

As Ward Edwards Engineering expanded to 30 employees, the leadership team faced mounting pressures: overseeing a larger workforce, transitioning executive responsibilities, and sustaining a collaborative, people-centric culture.

Leadership transition after 25 years under longtime president Allan Ward
Growing pains hitting the 25- to 50-employee mark — needing structure without red tape
Too many “good ideas,” not enough focus on the right ones
No clear framework to align a new leadership team and sustain culture

“Everything we were doing was good—it just wasn’t always what mattered most.” — Allan Ward, Principal & Senior Partner

The Solution

Seeking a solution that would bring order without diminishing their values, Ward Edwards Engineering partnered with certified coach Cary Matthews to implement the System & Soul framework and S2 Sync software. The decision was anchored in the promise of combining operational rigor with a people-first approach.

Adopted System & Soul, coached by Cary Matthews, to bring structure and discipline
Introduced Weekly Syncs and a Road Map to keep priorities visible and measurable
Used a 30-day Strategy Sprint to prove quick wins and build momentum
Shifted Allan Ward into a strategic mentoring role while President Greg Bash led operations
Revisited company values and “hedgehog” concept to realign around purpose

“System & Soul gave us a process—without losing our soul.” — Allan Ward

“Carrie has a sense of urgency without rushing the process. He made it easy to trust the framework.” — Greg Bash, President

The Results

Clear governance and accountability across the leadership team
Two strategic hires in the first six months
Weekly alignment creating confidence and peace of mind for leadership
Better focus on foundational execution instead of chasing distractions
Renewed energy and cultural alignment around the mission: “Growing healthy communities.”

“It’s freed up mental bandwidth. I can focus on developing people and improving our client experience.” — Allan Ward