You know those people who are natural-born tinkerers and do-ers? Those are the folks who seem to be constantly enmeshed with some kind of project based on some technical knowledge and a real willingness to learn the rest while doing. That’s an impressive set.
NOLN’s profile subject this month strikes me as a mixture of both types of people mentioned above. The people in Jonathan Brown’s orbit can’t say enough nice things about him, the way he learns skills and values that knowledge, and the way he shares that experience with others. For people like Brown, it all seems to come naturally, but it’s certainly not without its hard work.
Reviewing the profile story, I was struck by the fact that after Brown took a position with SpeeDee corporate, he still finds himself driving from shop to shop, helping the techs there improve their processes and increase their knowledge. It might seem like I’m revealing a lot, but that’s just a sliver of Brown’s industry contributions. I invite you to check out the story for yourself.
Speaking of doing right by others, I had the great pleasure of talking to three operators about their community service projects for another one of our featured stories in this issue. So many operators participate in fundraisers here and there, sponsoring a team or raising funds for a cause. It’s great that it is so common, and that’s a kudos to all you operators who do so.
Finding that extra drive and meaning in a community service project really helps operators to energize their teams and push to make them successful. As you’ll read in the story, it doesn’t mean that you raise gobs of money to be successful. It’s more about what it means to you and your beneficiaries.
Elsewhere in the magazine this month you’ll find a notable story that summarizes an interview NOLN had with Jiffy Lube President Edward Hymes about the company’s electric vehicle service program. There’s an article about how to use all that customer data that your newfangled shop management software collects. You’ll also learn about how to manage a good problem—keeping your team cohesive when you choose one of them for a job promotion.
I’d wager that there are lots of natural-born tinkerers and teachers among quick lube operators, managers, and technicians. Drawing from Jonathan Brown’s tireless approach at SpeeDee, I’m confident you’ll find that it’s a skill worth adding to your set.
