Process LeadershipLeadership means taking initiative, accepting responsibility, and setting a good example for your employees. If you want a first class diesel repair business, you must provide your employees with clear direction as to what they are expected to do, the method to achieve it, and the time to get it done. An essential component of leadership is good organizational skills, which define the functional components of the whole and the relationships involved. A skilled organizer constantly reorganizes as changes in the business occur, to achieve a sense of order and predictability.

By documenting processes, leaders give employees the ability to concentrate on the task at hand and the discrimination and confidence to know what to do next. Well documented processes remove guesswork, assumptions, indecision, and inaction from the daily workflow. A key step is to take the time to review the mission and goals of the organization and select the functions of your repair shop that need improvement.

Step 1      Identify a key goal you wish to achieve.

Step 2       Document the step-by-step process that is currently followed to reach the goal, or if there isn’t one, create a new process map.

Step 3       Select the key performance indicators required to measure the results of the process.

Step 4       Based on the variance of your key performance indicators, change the corresponding part of the process to improve it.

Step 5       Beta test the improved process.

Step 6       Quantify and test the key performance indicators of the process.

Step 7       If the results are good, standardize the process into your operation manual. If the results are not good, start at Step 4 and go through the process again, until the desired key performance indicators are achieved.

By leading through process, it allows you to innovate your diesel repair shop by involving your employees and technicians in the innovation process and thinking methods required to constantly improve. True confidence is achieved in each employee as they are educated in the logical versus emotional tasks of getting work done successfully. Stress is greatly reduced, conflict disappears, relationships improve, and people are motivated as actualization is realized. Implementation of continual ways to succeed inspires everyone by communicating the power of leadership as it was meant to be. Teaching, helping and motivating others is what leadership is all about.

Many frustrations can be overcome, and problems solved by re-evaluating the components that make up the foundation your business. Here are some examples:

Organizational Structure:

Are your repair technicians frustrated because they are assigned work by different levels of management? Or are they confused about whom they should be reporting to?

These types of issues can be resolved by evaluating and updating your Organizational Structure to create a more streamlined and coordinated work force hierarchy that can function more efficiently and productively. All levels of employment, including upper management, should be coached on the importance of following the organizational structure.

Job Descriptions:

Every employee wants to know exactly what is expected of them, without any surprises. Accurate and updated job descriptions help eliminate stress and confusion in the workplace and gives employees the confidence to perform their job correctly. A thorough evaluation of all job descriptions will reduce duplicated tasks, as well as superfluous tasks, resulting in greater productivity and happier employees.

More often than not, an employee is handed a job description on the day they are hired, only to stash it away in a drawer, never to be looked at again. Review job descriptions with your employees on an annual basis to be sure they know and understand their responsibilities.

Policies & Procedures:

Policies and procedures are the backbone of every organization. Without them, your employees would pretty much do whatever they want, whenever they want, and your repair shop would be in total chaos.

Good leadership involves training your employees on how to follow policies and procedures, and teaching them the importance of them. It also involves recognizing when a policy or procedure is not serving its purpose, and making changes to improve it.

Demonstrating leadership through process implementation and innovation conveys your commitment to your employees’ well-being, as well as the prosperity of your business.

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