Columns
STRAIGHT TALK Joe Marconi
ACHIEVING ACCOUNTABILITY How do you put an end to the employee blame game?
GETTY IMAGES, MICHAEL HOEWELER
From the first week of his employment, there was something about Chip
(not his real name) that just wasn’t right. Chip was qualified for the position and was a good technician. He had the experience, certifications, and skill level. But the “chip” on his shoulder was so large, it closed his mind to accepting any help or advice. Every problem was someone else’s mistake, never his. It got to a point where Chip became unapproachable, which never creates a good work environment. In that first week, Chip damaged a control arm during the installation. When the manager approached him to
ask what happened, Chip replied, “I told the service advisor not to buy that brand. It’s not an exact fit. Go talk to him about it.” Two weeks later, Chip was rebuilding a Jeep rear differential. He damaged two pinion bearings while installing the pinion shaft. Chip’s excuse? “I told the advisor to get OE bearings, not aftermarket bearings.” At this point the foreman stepped in and offered to help Chip rebuild the differential. Chip’s reaction was, “You don’t trust me?” The foreman replied, “We have two destroyed bearings. I just want to make sure this rear differential goes back together right.”
Joe Marconi has more than three decades of experience in the automotive repair industry. He is the owner of Osceola Garage in Baldwin Place, N.Y., a business development coach for Elite Worldwide and co-founder of autoshopowner.com. j.marconi@eliteworldwide.com ratchetandwrench.com/marconi 11. 2 0 / R + W / 19
