Tips to help run your shop better

It takes more than just technical expertise to run an efficient and successful auto repair shop. An industry coach highlighted three areas in which all shops can improve: Autonomy and delegation, team dynamics and the power of perspective.

Rick White, president of 180 Biz, shared insights on these three key areas during his presentation at the Midwest Auto Care Alliance Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Kansas City.

Autonomy and delegation

Understanding autonomy is crucial for effective delegation, White explained.

He emphasized that delegation should not be mistaken for abdication, which implies giving up responsibility entirely. Instead, delegation is about sharing responsibility while allowing team members to make decisions within a defined framework.

“We got to understand autonomy. We got to let people understand how they can make decisions within a framework,” White said.

Take a common scenario where shop owners find themselves overwhelmed with various roles, from bookkeeping to fixing cars and cleaning toilets.

“CEO, chief everything officer. I’m the staples guy, I’m doing the bookkeeping, I’m fixing the cars, I’m selling the work, I’m ordering the parts, I’m cleaning the toilets,” White said.

By establishing clear guidelines and trusting team members to handle specific tasks, owners can delegate effectively and focus on strategic aspects of the business. This shared responsibility fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among employees.

“You got to understand that delegation is a shared responsibility. They’re doing the work, but you share the responsibility of the result,” White said. “When I have clear guidelines for my team, I can start to delegate.”

Not family, but team

Staff in your shop need to maintain personal boundaries with leadership. White stressed that you should treat them as a member of the team rather than a family.

While treating each other with respect is essential, referring to the team as “family” can blur boundaries and lead to complications.

“Please do not refer to your team as family. How many you all got an Uncle George that you wish you didn’t have? Can you get rid of them?” White humorously pointed out, highlighting the potential issues of treating team members as family.

Instead, White advocated for viewing employees as team members who, like a hockey team, can be traded if necessary.

“They are team members, and team members get traded all the time,” he said.

This perspective helps maintain clear behavioural expectations and professional relationships. By setting standards for respect and collaboration, shop owners can create a cohesive and efficient team environment without the emotional baggage that comes with familial ties, he pointed out.

The power of perspective

One of White’s favourite sayings is, “You can’t read the label when you’re inside the jar.”

This metaphor underscored the importance of seeking external perspectives to gain a clearer understanding of situations. White emphasized the need for humility and openness to feedback, as these qualities enable continuous improvement.

“We need people on the outside that can see things we can’t see,” White said. “And then we have to be humble enough to be able to listen so that we can learn to be better.”

Perspective is a powerful tool for influencing others and making informed decisions. By stepping back and considering multiple viewpoints, shop owners can identify a range of solutions to problems without being emotionally entangled.

“As a coach, I can step back and I can see 100 different ideas that might work, but it’s because I’m not emotionally engaged in the problem,” White explained.

This broader perspective allows for more effective coaching and leadership, ultimately enhancing the shop’s operations.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

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