Job Description… THE BOSS
By Bob Greenwood
A lot of time has been spent by many shop owners writing out the various job descriptions required throughout their business. I find it interesting that they will never spend time writing out a full description for their own position. Yes “the Boss” is a position within the shop and it is the most critical position to understand when it comes to shop responsibilities and success.
Let’s go through the Boss job description and then you take the time to compare to this list and evaluate how you are doing. Be honest with yourself.
Set Goals
It is the owner/management’s responsibility to establish proper goals and objectives for the shop that must be met daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly. The math and the processes that require change must be proven. No “let’s try it and see if it works” program is acceptable in this day and age. Datelines must also be set for each goal to keep the “boss” accountable.
Plan the Business
Once the goals and objectives are set then the owner/manager must plan the strategy and processes required to achieve #1. Exactly “how” are we going to do this, in what time frame and who is involved? It is the detail required in this step that is so important.
Hire Remarkable People
Owners/Managers must take this responsibility seriously and get away from “entitlement” issues or how long a person has been in the shop. If an employee has been in the shop for 5, 10, 15 or more years BUT is not keeping up with the times and desire to be the very best, then they must be repositioned into a productive position they have the skill for or let go. Complacency in this business cannot be tolerated because we are in a safety and reliability business with our clients. Remember this also: “Good people leave a business because bad people stay”. Talented people want to work with a company that has an excellent culture and accountability instilled into the system. That’s how professionals think and that is the type of team you want to build into the business.
Bring out the Best in People
It is the owner’s responsibility to build a positive and productive team. Micromanaging and/or managing people by fear is so archaic today. Establish a daily routine of finding one positive thing each team member did each day and sincerely bring it to their attention. Don’t patronize. Talk to them and compliment them on what they did no matter how small it may seem to you, it could be important to the team member to actually hear something positive out of the boss’s mouth. Challenge everyone to always strive to be the very best that they can be and reach for new horizons they perhaps once only dreamed of. Support their ambitions through your behaviour and watch how loyalty becomes part of the business culture because everyone learns that everyone has each other’s back. It’s just not about me, it is about us.
Ensure the Success of the Company
This is the biggest responsibility of all. You the owner have asked people to join your team BUT it is just not the individual, it is also their family. If you do not do your job properly and the business fails, you have dramatically affected the lives of the people in the business. Remember that employee’s think differently than employers and that is why they are employees. Don’t take this Boss position lightly.
Do your job properly and not only will the culture of your business flourish, you will find that great clients will want to deal with the business as they actually enjoy the experience considering the grudge purchase they must
make with their vehicle. You are the owner. You are the Boss. Should you get a raise or should you be fired? Re-examine your position and responsibilities carefully.
