We often don’t point out the things our employees do right, and we should actively try and do better. MUCH better.
COLUMN:
It’s easy writing articles about what’s wrong with the tire and service industry. It comes naturally to most folks — picking out what others are doing wrong. We are all guilty of it. You walk out into the shop and what are you looking for? Rags or parts boxes on the floor, the car that isn’t pulled in yet, the tech without his safety glasses.
Interestingly, we are preconditioned from about age six to look for the wrong. It all starts in first grade. You take a test, and what is pointed out to you? All the questions you answered wrong. This goes on for 12 years! It’s a subconscious process, so we don’t even think about it. Negative comments just come out of our mouths as naturally as breathing.
However, the consequences of being a nag to your employees is great. When you walk out into the shop, they tend to tense up, waiting for the list of things they should or shouldn’t be doing.
We all need to get better at pointing out the positives and making a big deal about when an employee does something right. Or even better when one goes “above and beyond” to take care of a customer or help a fellow employee.
