Personalizing Growth

In an industry plagued by a never-ending cycle of turnover fueled by burnout and stagnation, automotive repair shops are under increasing pressure to retain the talent they have while developing the talent they need.

Despite this pressing need, many owners and managers still rely on an antiquated quarterly or annual performance review structures to give employee feedback and receive input on overall shop operations. These infrequent touchpoints with management are sometimes the only structured conversations employees ever get with their managers.

Rick White, president of 180BIZ and a former shop owner, says it’s time to leave those reviews in the past.

“These types of reviews just don’t work. They create defensive responses,” White says. “They don’t drive real improvement. If I did something wrong, I need to hear about it now, not six months from now.”

Sara Fraser, vice president of auto business consultant Auto Ignite Management, agrees that development must be continual, not occasional. Additionally, however, she says growth and development are no longer added benefits of the job; the next generation of technicians expects it.

“It’s so important to have a plan of what this could look like or where I could take this. That’s retention,” Fraser says. “Younger technicians, especially Gen Z, want growth, want education, and they expect a promotion within their first 18 months. We have to get ahead of that.”

Both White and Fraser say the clear solution is creating Personal Development Plans, or PDPs, that are structured, future-focused and are tailored to individual employees.

What PDPs are and why They Work

A Personal Development Plan isn’t another form, and it isn’t a checklist of past mistakes. It’s a living document and an ongoing conversation between employee and manager.

White describes PDPs as “a structured system that replaces traditional performance reviews and creates focused, ongoing daily growth, both professionally and personally.”

That “personal” part matters. In White’s system, employees set both professional goals, such as what an employee wants to be doing at your shop in the next two years, and personal goals, such as what kind of lifestyle they want to achieve for their family.

Fraser says development can’t be vague or imposed from above. PDPs need to have clear goals and be driven by the employee.

“If we give someone a plan and we don’t follow through, we’ve lost their trust,” she says. “And trust is retention.”

Shops must commit to consistency and transparency if they want PDPs to work.

PDPs as a Recruiting and Retention Tool

If executed correctly, PDPs can drastically change the culture of a shop, Fraser says. As someone focused on hiring and recruiting, she says that makes PDPs a powerful tool.

“Retention starts in hiring,” she says. “If someone doesn’t want to grow or is just looking for a quick job, that’s not the person a training-focused shop should bring on.”

Fraser adds that throughout all of the interviews she and her team conduct with technicians across the country, two recurring themes keep popping up: growth opportunities and workplace culture.

“Money comes up, but it’s rarely first,” she says. “And when it does, it’s usually about consistency, not the dollar amount. The thing we hear most is, ‘Is there room to grow?’”
A PDP gives that answer upfront and shows employees that they’re valued beyond just their productivity.

Replacing the Corporate Ladder

Many shop owners hesitate to discuss “career paths” because their shops are small, which means there isn’t a multi-layer hierarchy that provides a clear and easy progression path. 

Fraser says that limitation is more imagined than real.

“I don’t think growth should be tied to a title,” she says. “It has to be tied to growing skill and capability.”

In smaller organizations with only a level or two between employees and the boss, a PDP instead might focus on developing specific skills. In the case of repair shops, that may look like prioritizing ADAS calibration certification, becoming the alignment expert, or learning how to diagnose EV systems.

Generally speaking, PDPs should help employees move from needing assistance with something to working independently before eventually gaining the ability to mentor others as an expert.

And though Fraser said money isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes up in interviews, it is still a crucial part in upward growth. Successfully working through a PDP should come with compensation adjustments.

“Don’t tie growth to years of experience,” Fraser says. “Tie it to skill.”

White says PDPs should be aligned with both the shop’s goals and the technician’s personal drivers. He teaches shop owners to identify seven motivators:

1. Personal growth
2. Life experiences
3. Family
4. Physical dreams
5. Material dreams
6. Legacy
7. Career advancement.

“It’s time for you to be one of those people who sees more in your team than they see in themselves,” he says.

What a Successful PDP Looks Like

Both experts emphasize the importance of co-creating the plan, not dictating it.

Fraser says the most important questions are determining what success looks like for both the shop and for the tech.

“You need clarity on both sides,” she says. “Success needs to be measurable and mutually understood.”

White adds that motivation must be intrinsic, not forced. That means giving employees autonomy to choose what they want to learn and letting them have meaningful practice—which will inevitably come with mistakes.

“We make learning unsafe, then wonder why people stop trying,” White says.

Giving employees the power to chart their own path gives their work a new sense of purpose, which White says is crucial.

“We have to remember what the first word is in PDP: personal,” he says. “Otherwise, it’s your goal, not theirs.”

Giving your PDP Structure

Both Fraser and White outline clear frameworks for keeping PDPs alive throughout the year.

Fraser follows a 30/60/90-day check-in process on an employee’s goal, as well as including a six-month and one-year review to assess progress, recap what’s working and what’s not, and to set a new goal if the previous one has been achieved.

“If we’re not measuring it, we’re not managing it,” Fraser says. “And we have to protect that time. Chaos can’t get in the way.”

Timelines must include flexibility, she adds. If a technician isn’t where the plan said they’d be at six months, the next questions are why and what needs adjusting.

White’s system embraces even more frequent communication. In addition to an annual game plan meeting and quarterly check-ins, he includes monthly five-minute “huddles” and daily “toolbox” talks, giving employees regular access to feedback.

“One of the biggest problems in shops today is under-communicating,” he says. “Feedback is never micromanagement. Micromanagement is telling you what to do.”

Fraser says the biggest pitfalls to avoid are vague goals, too few check-ins, tying growth to years instead of skills, and making promises without following through.

PDPs demand commitment. White says if you start, you have to stay on course.

“Don’t drop the ball,” he says.

Lasting Culture Shifts

When PDPs are done well, they don’t just develop technicians. They can transform your shop. White says when your technicians are happy, even customers feel the difference.

“When your team feels supported and fulfilled, they go the extra mile,” he says. “Business growth and innovation are by-products of that.”

Fraser says PDPs make the shop the kind of place technicians are searching for: stable, supportive, trustworthy, and invested in their future.

Perhaps most importantly, successfully implemented PDPs help establish a team-first culture in the shop, helping ensure that you won’t be facing problems by yourself.

“You’re not going to face your business problems alone,” White says. “You’ll solve them as a team.”