Involve employees in decisions. Another thing I do that I
think employees really like
is, if it’s a really big decision
that we make here, like our
401(k), I usually put together a panel with managers
and employees — not just
management but also just
the regular employees. I ask
them to volunteer.
We’ve done it successfully
twice with our 401(k) and
our medical insurance. We
put a panel together, and
we each do our little homework, then we vote on who
we are going to bring in as
a team, as opposed to me
dictating what we are going
to do.
I do a big e-mail blast, and
I do it on a first-come, first-served basis, and I usually
try and get two to three
(volunteers) from each
store. So, I don’t wait for the
people I expect to do it. It’s
whoever wants to do it first;
they’re in.
If I’m full, they’re out. If
somebody really, really
wanted to be on it, I’d let
them. But normally, I get two to three volunteers
from each store.
The beauty of it is I kind of
sit back and let them run
the meeting. Then, they’ll
come up to a determination
amongst themselves that I
can either veto it like any
president or agree with it.
I usually go with what they
want as long as it’s good. I
let them kind of fight it out
amongst themselves.
Lead by example. I never ask
anyone to do something
that I won’t do myself or
can’t do myself, for the
most part.
I’m more of a softer manager. But, yet, as long as
people do things that I ask
them to do, and I always follow up — I inspect what I expect — then we’re good.
If you don’t keep doing what
I ask you to do, then obviously we have problems.
I’m not a yeller or a
screamer. I just ask people
to get things done, follow up
and make sure they get
things done. People that are
new, they learn that about
me as they go.
People take people more
seriously when you do
things like that. Too many
business owners think they
can sit on this high pedestal
and just start barking out
orders to people. But, I
think you earn respect [by
not yelling], and I think if
you earn your employees’
respect, they’ll work harder
for you.
HOW TO REACH: Holiday Automotive Group, (248) 919-6940 or www.weloveholiday.com
