As a manager or owner, you undoubtedly said or thought a few of these things as you put out the fires popping up in your company:
- “My team isn’t producing like they should.”
- “Should I fire Joe? He’s doesn’t seem to get it…”
- “All of my training seems to go in one ear and out the other…”
When you say and think things like that you’re pointing the finger at everyone else. It’s easy to do. After all, it’s easier to blame others.
But the fact of the matter remains: You, as the manager and owner, are responsible for everything that happens in your business. Its success is dependent upon you and no one else.
As the owner/manager, your three primary tasks:
- Hire the right people.
- Give them the right training.
- Hold them accountable.
Are you focused on those three core tasks every day? Nearly every challenge you face in your company comes from a breakdown in one of those areas. Let’s take a look at each of those situations I mentioned earlier and where the breakdown may have occurred:
My team isn’t producing. If you find yourself saying this, your first question to yourself is: Do I have the right team? Or are most of your employees people you hired quickly simply to fill an empty spot? As a manager, you must continually recruit—yes, it should be a daily priority.
If you feel like you have good people, what kind of training are you providing? If you notice your average invoices is slacking, what types of training do you have prepared to address that issue? Are you training consistently, as in at least once a week? If your numbers are down, I suggest increasing that number.
If you have the right people and the right training, how are you holding your team accountable? Are you using Scoreboards? Are you doing ride alongs? Are you looking at invoices and immediately talking to techs who you can tell are missing opportunities? Also, are you publically recognizing your top techs who are putting up good numbers?
The next question I mentioned earlier was…
When should I fire Joe? Start by asking the same type of questions: Is Joe the right person for the job? If he isn’t, then you owe it to your team and to Joe to find a replacement. If Joe seems to be a quality person who is just struggling, what kind of training can you offer Joe to help him? Honestly assess how well you’ve done as a trainer—have you done everything imaginable to help Joe succeed? Lastly, have you been holding Joe accountable? Does he even know that he’s not performing to your standards?
If you’re providing the right training, if you’re holding Joe accountable, and Joe still isn’t producing, it’s probably time to make a change.
Again, before removing someone else, assess how you’ve supported the employee in question as a manager.
My last statement I mentioned earlier was…
Training seems to go in one ear and out the other. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but I’m going to ask the same questions: Are you offering the right training? Are you wasting your training on the wrong people? Are you holding your team accountable to take training seriously and implement it in the field?
We all make the mistake of looking at problems or challenges and immediately pointing the finger at others as to why something isn’t working. In reality, that finger should usually be pointing back at us. It’s not a pleasant realization, but it’s one we should recognize. Once we recognize our imperfections, we can work on getting better—whether it be finding better people, offering better training, or holding everyone more accountable.