"You can't always get what you want, " goes the old Rolling Stones song. And for all of us, that old bromide is quite true. None of us get 100 percent of what we "want," which sometimes might be a good thing, while others can be a bitter disappointment.
Keys To The Universe
Somewhere along the line, you decided you could run a shop better than the person you were working with. Or maybe you just up and left another career field and thought automotive service was the next step. No matter how you got here, you got here, and you did that by consciously—or perhaps subconsciously—setting goals. Small ones at first, and then larger ones later on; until you succeeded. You didn't quit. You didn't give up (at least not for any length of time). You pushed and regrouped, and once it was rolling, it became easier every day.
The Choice Is Yours
So, you know this incredible power system, but do your team members? Do they set goals and measure them often? Do you collaborate with them in a structured way to help them achieve their goals? They're helping you with your business goals. It seems only fair to help them with their personal goals.
I know there is this temptation to say, "Hey, I pay them. It's up to them" or "That's their business," which, perhaps to some, may be well and right. But what about that younger tech struggling to pay off his toolbox, buy his first house, and still have free time to spend with his family? Or the more seasoned tech thinking about winding up his career now when he's the most valuable to you? How can you help him and help your business?
More and more each day, one thing that is clear is how tightly team morale and company culture are tied to happy and fulfilled employees. So, here's a simple and easy way to start. We call it a "Personal Dream Sheet," and we encourage every team member to fill one out as part of the onboarding process.
Start Here
So, how do you introduce this to your team? I start with a question. It goes something like this: "What if I told you that there is something that you could start today on improving your life's success and achieving your dreams for yourself and your family? Would you be interested? No, this is not some sort of Faustian bargain. It's much simpler and requires, at the most, paper and a pencil."
I haven't had one person say no to the initial question, so we move right to our Dream Sheet. Following is the header from our "Dream Sheet," and it is an excellent intro to the process. Chances are you'll need to remind them a few times, but the results are worth it. You're investing in your team, paying attention to their dreams, and most likely showing them more personal regard and concern than any previous employer ever thought about doing.
The details are on the worksheet I shared, and you can use much of the verbiage on the first page in your presentation to your team member. As I mentioned, you may need some handholding and perhaps some chasing to get it turned in, but it's worth it. The team member will see that you are just as interested in their goals as you want them to be in yours. The critical thing is to be authentic: to sincerely care about helping your team member's success, not just check off boxes. They'll see that, recognize it, and respond.
Some Hints
Make it a joyous time, not a burden. You may need to help them fill out parts of the worksheet and maybe coach them, but I would encourage you to do this exercise with every team member, starting with the new hires.
On our monthly technician lunch program, one of our service advisors buys a tech lunch at a local restaurant. Once the operations and feedback are reviewed, we talk about the Dream Sheets and their goals. Ideally, every tech meets with a service manager at least three times per year on tech lunches; this process is ongoing, and we get to celebrate each and every success as a team!
Start Today!
I’ll leave you with the worksheet we have developed. Feel free to use it as a template for your own. Reach out to me if you need an editable copy. I'm happy to supply. A new month will soon be upon us in a few weeks, and it's the perfect time to start your own team Dream Sheet project! Start making an authentic difference in the lives of your team, and the culture of your business—today.
