“Do you have your Shi(_) together?” 

No, not that – and are you ready for the upcoming journey?

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492! Many of us remember that rhyme from our grade school days and at that time we didn’t quite understand the significance of what that really meant.

Columbus was looking for new trade routes that would take him into uncertain waters.  When he embarked on his first exploration; he had no idea what lay ahead! But He anticipated a huge return from the risks he was undertaking.

 So what do you and Columbus have in common? A lot actually.

 First, he was a risk-taker, and like you,  running a shop has its risks but also can reap huge rewards.

Each day we put our key in the door with a degree of uncertainty of what the day will bring. 

Columbus was also a visionary, entrepreneur, and businessman.

He had employees, (crew), and an enterprise to run, (the Ninia, Pinta, and Sante Maria). And don’t forget his leadership skills. As a leader, his ability to clearly communicate the vision of reaching these new trade routes is what allowed him to build a crew to sail three ships and have someone else pay for the journey.

We’ll look at a few key things that will put your shop in shipshape and help to ensure your journey ahead is a successful one.

First, have a clear vision that you share regularly with your team. You’re headed on a journey, where are you taking your team members. Having a shop is like taking a road trip, you need to know where you want to go, the trip is a lot more fun if you have a destination. 

Conversely, while your dog might like just going on a drive.   Your team is sure to suffer a protracted “ride to nowhere” which can lead to frustration, loss of desire to work for you ultimately it can lead to the employee seeking a new job. Which results in a loss of valuable talent at your shop. 

A good leader casts a clear vision including the destination.

Second, is to have goals in place. Goals are merely waypoints along your journey that help you stay the course. A few things to consider…

Are you tracking:

• Annual sales goal?
• Average sold hours per repair order?
• Productivity and efficiency?
• Customer retention rates?

Do you keep a scorecard in place so everyone knows where they stand at any given time?

Third, what’s the state of your equipment?

Is all your software up to date and each piece of equipment in good running order each time it needs to be used. Technicians can easily become frustrated and have reduced productivity and efficiency as the equipment maintenance declines. 

You’ll find that the state of your facility and equipment will either draw or repel top talent.

A Vision, Goals, and equipment will go a long way towards having your ship together as you cruise on your journey.

This video is sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper.