Skip to main content
EVENT TRACKER
Keep track of rescheduled, canceled industry events with our COVID-affected event tracker - Powered by Snap Finance
Close
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
  • European Rubber Journal
tb-logo
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • OPINION
    • CORONAVIRUS
    • AUTO INDUSTRY
    • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • FACTORY FIXES
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • MOTOR SPORTS
    • NEW PRODUCTS
    • RETAIL TIRES
    • SERVICE ZONE
    • SEMA/AAPEX
    • SMALL BUSINESS
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • Titan to offer free COVID-19 vaccines at Iowa facility
      Bridgestone hosts vaccination events for plant employees
      Cioffi: Will remote working be the new normal?
      Bridgestone Iowa plant navigates pandemic, demand
    • Conti adding dynamic driving simulator at German R&D center
      Yokohama gains OE fitments on BMW, Mercedes-AMG sport utilities
      SEMA picks site in Michigan for 2nd SEMA Garage
      Online retailer CARiD.com looks to triple size of tire/wheel installer network
    • Federal approved as 5th Formula Drift tire supplier
      Falken, Ohtsu tire prices rising May 1
      Telle Tire expands footprint with JBC Tire acquisition
      Video: Michelin looks to diversify for additional growth opportunities
    • Mitchell 1 enhances ADAS info access in TruckSeries software
      Apollo isn't planning U.S. plant — yet
      Tire Business livestream to focus on commercial tire industry
      Apollo lands: Tire maker brings commercial portfolio to N.A.
    • New York chipping in $3M+ toward Sumitomo factory expansion
      SBA extends and expands COVID-19 loan program
      Stimulus spending should help tire industry
      U.S. agro-science firm gets $1M grant to research sunflower latex
    • Nexen touting manufacturing quality milestone
      Japanese R&D cooperative claims breakthrough in sustainable butadiene sourcing
      Guizhou Tyre starts production at Vietnam plant
      Video: Michelin looks to diversify for additional growth opportunities
    • Federal approved as 5th Formula Drift tire supplier
      Maxxis offers discount to ChampCar competitors
      Michelin strikes supply deals with new Canadian racing series
      Bias-ply tires return to NASCAR Cup Series for Bristol dirt race
    • Bosch adds 22 aftermarket parts in Q1
      Snap-On introduces TreadReader handheld tire scanner
      Vogue Tyre introduces ‘biggest, boldest' red stripe tire
      Cooper adds Rugged Trek all-terrain to Discoverer LT/SUV tire line
    • Apollo isn't planning U.S. plant — yet
      Telle Tire expands footprint with JBC Tire acquisition
      Tire prices rising: Is it a sign of more to come?
      Bauer Built promotes pair to VP positions
    • Bosch adds 22 aftermarket parts in Q1
      Marinucci: Detailed instructions will save time
      Bartec introduces TPMS software updates
      Snap-On introduces TreadReader handheld tire scanner
    • SEMA picks site in Michigan for 2nd SEMA Garage
      SEMA touts expanded Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of 2021 expo
      TIA seeking nominations for Tire Industry Hall of Fame
      SEMA survey shows resilient auto aftermarket in 2020
    • SBA extends and expands COVID-19 loan program
      Stimulus spending should help tire industry
      Giti disputes report blasting tire maker for accepting PPP funds
      SEMA survey shows resilient auto aftermarket in 2020
    • Nexen touting manufacturing quality milestone
      Apollo isn't planning U.S. plant — yet
      Apollo lands: Tire maker brings commercial portfolio to N.A.
      Tire prices rising: Is it a sign of more to come?
    • Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      Stocking Tires for Crossover SUVs
      Sponsored By AppointmentPlus
      Three Important Lessons Learned for the Tire Business During a Pandemic
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
  • SHOP FLOOR
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Video: Balancing Tire
      Safety tips for wheel balancing
      An introduction to wheel balancing
      Wheel weights: Balancing form with function
    • Video: Demounting
      Tire changer types, tips and trends
      How to clear rim rust and corrosion
      An introduction to demounting, mounting and inflation
    • Video: Safety
      Customers
      Considerations for shop safety policies
      Introduction: Creating a culture of safety
    • Video: Tire Repair
      Essential tools, materials and equipment for tire repair
      An introduction to tire repair
      How to properly patch a puncture
    • Video: TPMS Service
      The life-saving work of TPMS
      An introduction to TPMS service
      The importance of proper relearn procedures
    • Video: Training
      Internship ideas to attract tech talent
      Choosing the right auto service tech school
      Intro: Finding and training technicians
    • Video:Vehicle Lifting
      The gravity of proper lift points
      Safety essentials when using jack stands
      An introduction to lifts and lift safety
    • Video: Wheel Torque
      The importance of torque specifications
      Introduction to proper wheel installation
      Torque check and recheck recommendations
  • Multimedia
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
    • PODCASTS
  • Events
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Resources
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
  • Awards
    • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
September 13, 2004 02:00 AM

Hey, Boss: Are you really accountable?

Dan Marinucci
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    AKRON (Sept. 13, 2004) — The concept of accountability applies as much to the boss as it does to the employees.

    If you doubt that statement, ask successful owners and managers of prosperous tire dealerships and service shops. Then ask their long-term employees.

    The other day some colleagues were bringing me up to date on the whereabouts of some of our favorite technicians. To cut to the chase, several solid, steady-performing techs I've known for a long time had left positions that supposedly were “dream jobs.” I recalled how each had bragged about finally getting paid what they thought they were worth at these jobs.

    Then something must have changed—something major—to drive these techs away. My buddies assured me that their pay hadn't been cut. In fact, they had good pay in addition to monetary incentives to improve their efficiency and reduce comebacks. But these techs reached the point where the pay and incentives no longer offset the job's stress and frustration.

    Why? The aggravation of the boss' flighty, unpredictable behavior just wasn't worth it anymore.

    I contacted these techs to verify the gory details. Their biggest gripes focused on the boss' lack of accountability—especially when it came to absenteeism. First, any boss who expects his crew to be punctual and productive had damn well better be on time and accounted for. Second, there's nothing wrong with leaving your place of business. But you're flirting with disaster if you don't empower a capable lieutenant to steer the ship while you're away.

    For instance, the owner/manager at one service shop began disappearing more and more often. He left no phone number at which he could be reached and also shut off his mobile phone. Eventually the boss explained that his wife's business was suffering, and he felt obliged to pitch in and refine her retailing skills. When it came to her fledgling boutique, the tech told me, this woman just didn't take “no” for an answer.

    At first, the techs at this shop muddled their way through selling the work once they had diagnosed the vehicles. The next hurdle was learning to order parts efficiently. But no matter how hard they tried to fill the gap left by the absentee owner, they found they were wasting as much as two hours per day on chores outside their job description and expertise.

    To add insult to injury, the inattentive owner/manager began criticizing these chores when he was at the shop. He second-guessed their parts purchases and whined about the way they billed out labor. Simply put, they just weren't doing it his way, and he'd been trained to do these things the correct way.

    “I finally realized that I wasn't going to stomach his criticism on issues I wasn't trained to handle and would never be trained to do. I got fed up with killin' myself so the owner could afford to babysit his wife's store,” the disgruntled tech explained.

    Remarkably, another tech had a similar war story. The owner/manager he worked for never ever bothered to explain his absences and would not answer his cell phone. Sometimes, he said he was going for a hamburger. Other times he claimed to be getting a haircut. But most normal people can eat lunch and/or get a haircut in less than three hours!

    Sometimes this boss would road test a car or take one to an emission center's test lane. He'd leave after lunch and return near quitting time. This absenteeism has gradually increased over the last 18 months or so, the tech explained. The crew discussed a variety of reasons, ranging from mild to wild, for the man's behavior. The prevailing theory: Success has finally gone to his head, and he doesn't feel accountable to anyone anymore.

    More and more jobs were delayed because the work hadn't been sold or authorized. The boss was gone, doing heaven knows what. The final straw, the man confided, was when the boss began showing up hours late for team meetings he planned. Then he would disrupt the work day by rescheduling the meeting to suit his whimsical agenda.

    Hiring and firing several potential service mangers at this shop hurt morale. But morale plummeted further when begging the boss to at least turn on his mobile phone fell on deaf ears.

    Readers, this part of leading and motivating workers shouldn't be rocket science! No matter what you think, you're still accountable to the people who put bread on your table. Demonstrate accountability by appointing, grooming and empowering a capable second-in-command.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    tb-logo
    Reader Services
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • OPINION
      • CORONAVIRUS
      • AUTO INDUSTRY
      • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • FACTORY FIXES
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • INTERNATIONAL
      • MOTOR SPORTS
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • RETAIL TIRES
      • SERVICE ZONE
      • SEMA/AAPEX
      • SMALL BUSINESS
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • SHOP FLOOR
      • BALANCING
      • DEMOUNTING
      • SAFETY
      • TIRE REPAIR
      • TPMS
      • TRAINING
      • VEHICLE LIFTING
      • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Multimedia
      • VIDEOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PODCASTS
    • Events
      • ASK THE EXPERT
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • WEBINARS
      • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Resources
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • Awards
      • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award