Shop coaching is first the relationship then the numbers

When it comes to running a shop, if it were simply about what we know, I think most shops would be riding a never-ending wave of profits, driven by happy customers lined up and out the door. I would even go one further and say that it is not about how hard we work either (with most of the shop owners I know), working brutally long hours.

Our greatest challenges in the Automotive Repair industry are "change and follow-through" on the policies, procedures, and strategies that will move us from being a good shop to being a great shop. Hiring a coach might be what it will take to finally get us doing the things we should be doing to get our shop running the way it should be and the way we had planned.

Unlike consultants, who are paid to fix what we tell them to fix, coaches generally take on the good, the bad, and the ugly of our operation; working closely with us to first identify where the problems are and assist us in developing strategies that will help us with that journey from good (or not so good) to great. It is not only about knowing what is broken, but also about the willingness to do something about it. A coach can turn that knowledge into appropriate and thoughtful action.

If your ego is going to have trouble handling somebody rummaging around in your underwear drawer, or if you are not truly committed to participating in the change that will be asked of you, then coaching is likely not a good choice for you. On the other hand, if you are willing and anxious to dive into your business and work (one on one, with your coach) from week to week, and month to month to fix your shop and shop operation, I strongly recommend investing in coaching and the transformational change it will bring to you and your shop. Coaching works!

Coaching works because (by its very nature) it is intimate, at close quarters, and one-on-one. It is not only about finding issues with your operation (this is typically easy) but it is about walking through why they are significant and working together to develop a strategy to address the identified issues (e.g., parts margin, lack of production, incapable staff members or inattention to the process of leadership). Both of you being accountable to the result.

Somewhere in there, if the Client/Coach relationship is where it should be, the shop owner realizes he has a partner as committed (or maybe more committed) to success than he or she is. From that moment forward, progress is made, and the shop is transformed. More practically, when it comes time to step off into that great unknown, do you want to be alone at that moment, or do you want someone beside you, totally committed to your safe arrival on the other side? Having the right coach makes those first steps much easier. Remember, excellence is a journey, and your coach will be there, every step of the way.

A few tips for coaching success:

• Find a coaching company with a track record and a reputation for excellence.
• Find out what is expected of you as a client and commit yourself completely to the process.
• Do not let your ego get in your way.
• Do not deceive or lie to your coach. He or she cannot help you without the unfiltered truth.
• If you have appointments, keep them, if you have tasks you agree to complete, get them done.
• If you are confused, do not be embarrassed or afraid to ask questions.
• If you cannot commit to what a coach would ask of you, do not enter a coaching relationship.
• If you are at odds with your coach or are not seeing the results, ask for a different coach.

Great athletes, corporate executives, and successful people from all walks of life (and all industries) have coaches. A coach is not a gimmick but a very serious strategy in taking your business from wherever it is today, to wherever you want it to be. Coaching is not generally cheap but rather than being an expense, coaching can (and should) be an investment in you, your business, and your future.

Do you think it is a coincidence that certain basketball or football programs win year after year? Do you think it unusual that Joe Gibbs can go from the NFL (where he won three Super Bowls, with three different quarterbacks), to NASCAR and be hugely successful at both? Do you think it is a coincidence that the Alabama Crimson Tide won college national football championships in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020? I’m thinking the head coach (Nick Saban) might have had something to do with that extraordinary success.

Great players occasionally win games. Great coaches (no matter the arena, and no matter the obstacles) are successful, year after year, after year. It’s all about that relationship and all about the right coach bringing out the very best in you, even if we don’t yet know what that looks like. The better coaching companies know that their coaches are the product and, in the end (when you see what can be accomplished), they hope you will figure that out for yourself.

By design, leaving your coach won’t be easy but remember, that coach is an investment in you. Their success only comes with your success. Besides, a good coach more than pays for themselves. There are no guarantees, any relationship can end in a hostile breakup, but the right relationship, built on trust and commitment, can last a lifetime, and take you anywhere you would choose to go.      

Who’s coaching you? How’s that working out?