Looking for Leaders

What makes a quick lube employee an ideal manager?

In the timeless debate of nature vs. nurture, David Rogers, co-founder of Auto Profit Masters and Shop4D, says quick lube shop management roles require a bit of both.

“You’ve got to understand the difference between skill and talent,” says Rogers, relaying a bit of wisdom from a close friend. “You’re born with talent. You work for skills. It takes both to be successful.”

Rogers, who has 28 years of shop ownership experience, specializes in leadership training for independent shop operators through his Auto Profit Masters business. Shop4D is the company’s shop management system.

After working in hospitality, running high-end hotels and fine dining establishments, Rogers says he experienced a culture shock when he transitioned into the automotive maintenance sector in the mid-1990s.

“I walked out probably day 3,” he says. “I went to the owner and said, you know, I don’t know that this is for me. I’m not accustomed to people yelling at me. I’m not accustomed to people viewing me as an adversary. And I don’t know why you guys put up with all this chaos. This is insane.”

Ultimately, Rogers stayed in the industry, but sought to shift the paradigm of the relationships between management and staff, as well as employees and customers in the fast maintenance industry. After brief stints working for two other auto shops, Rogers joined Keller Bros. Auto Repair in Littleton, Colorado, as a service advisor before becoming its chief operating officer.

Rogers recently spoke with NOLN about how shop owners can identify potential leaders on staff (as well as outside their shop) and prepare them for management roles.

Choosing Wisely

When considering potential candidates for manager positions, Rogers says shop employees should fall into one of two categories: “yes” or “not on your life.”

“We’re really looking for someone who is 100% loyal to the process,” Rogers says. “Process is one-in-one with our brand. Our process is based on care, education, and protection. We’re protecting customers. We’re protecting each other. We’re protecting the business. We’re caring for everybody. There is no other thing. That’s the thing I’m looking for. They have to accentuate that. They have to be that kind of material.”

That mindset of looking out for one another plays into a key tenet of Rogers’ general approach to leadership that he instills upon trainees, which he calls “the management triangle.

“There are three sides to the triangle: There’s customers, there’s the employees, and then there’s the company, including ownership and the company itself, the entity,” he says. “If I understand those three sides are all critical to my survival and my future as an employee or as a manager or owner…It doesn’t matter—the rules are the same for everybody.

“And I’ve got bad news for owners who want to be high and mighty. Your ego is in the way, and if you think you’re better or more important than those people working for you, you are sorely mistaken, my friend.”

Rogers works with shops that promote from within and make outside hires for leadership roles. Preparing to become a manager takes time, Rogers says, because a successful manager needs to understand the responsibilities that come with the role and how the shop operates. For that reason, he strongly recommends against hiring someone from outside and dropping them into a position of authority on day one.

“Never hire a shop manager. I will never do it,” he says. “You have to come in and learn and live and love our process. You have to master the process. Otherwise, you’re going to come in and bite me on the process and tell me how much more you know about it, even though you were unemployed when I hired you.

“I consult with hundreds of shop owners, and I’m telling you, it’s a problem. Don’t hire outside managers. Hire inside and grow them.”

Rogers later clarifies his philosophy about outside hires: “When I say don’t hire a manager from outside, I mean, we hire plenty of people as manager trainees. We hire plenty of people in assistant manager roles. We just don’t let anyone come in and be over everybody until they’ve earned everyone’s respect and mastered the system. Nobody’s going to feel comfortable having them interact with customers or train employees if they haven’t mastered our system and prove they’re proficient in all aspects.”

Ideal Leadership Traits

When choosing your next shop manager—whether it’s a promotion for someone on staff or an outside hire to be trained—prioritize character and take the time to find the right individuals for the job. Even during the busiest times of the year, hiring a warm body just to fill a position is a recipe for disaster.

“Hire people for character,” Rogers says. “Even if they don’t have skills, if they’ve got character, then they’re worth it.

Be on the lookout for signs of dishonesty, including sins of omission. Ideal potential managers are those employees who are inclusive by nature, “looking at everyone in the circle and all the pieces of the puzzle is what you have to work with today. That’s what you’re going to make the most out of, and that’s what you’re overjoyed to have the opportunity to be part of,” Rogers says.

Pay attention to prospective leaders’ word choices, Rogers recommends.

“When you start thinking about the language someone uses every day, are they an inclusive person or an exclusive person?” he says. “Is it ‘we’ or is it ‘they’ or ‘him’? Was it their fault, his fault, her fault, or my fault? Did I drop the ball here? Is this a person that takes full responsibility, even for sometimes things that maybe were not quite totally their responsibility?

“And not because they’re a people pleaser, but because they understand that each of us, there’s a part in every problem where every single one of us could have done something just a little bit differently or a little bit sooner or recognized something and maybe changed the outcome.”

Find someone who understands leadership, reflects your values, and doesn’t just preach about what they can do for your business. “Talk to them, and make sure what they’re talking about is the kind of environment you want to have in your business,” Rogers says.

More often than not, Rogers says, managers will self-select. For example, when looking for potential managers, take notice of employees who are quick to offer help when work needs to be done, whether it’s managing inventory or interacting with customers.

High-potential candidates can also be seen lifting up those around them, taking those who struggle under their wing and making them feel more a part of the team, Rogers says.

“Those are the people that are leaders, man,” Rogers says. They’re showing you who they are. Skills, I can develop. That can be a very systematic, clear process.”

Training for Success

In Rogers’ program, training starts with customer interactions over the phone and at the counter. This is followed by understanding how the shop is organized, and being able to handle inquiries about the status of vehicles, educate customers, and review work orders to confirm services were completed properly.  

Next comes facility upkeep, from cleaning bathrooms to taking care of coffee for customers. Managers in Rogers’ program are then coached on vehicle maintenance tasks so they understand how they’re done and why they are important.

“We’re going to go through that whole process, and I know some people are sitting here going, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re a pain in the rear,’” Rogers says. “Well, my friends, the more of a pain in the rear you are on the front side of it, the less of any of this you’ll ever have to worry about later.”

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Having spent three decades in the business, Rogers says he takes pride in seeing new employees whom he has never previously met saying words that he taught the new hires’ managers when they came on board 15 or 20 years ago—a sure sign his message is resonating and the culture is strong.

“How cool is that?” says Rogers. “I’m so grateful.”

And the training doesn’t have to stop, even after employees have completed a certain amount of education to be certified for a leadership role. Ongoing education can present opportunities to drill deeper into different aspects of the business, level up management skills, and create pathways to further promotions and upper management roles.

“Remember that all of us want to be heard. All of us want to make a difference,” Rogers says. “You don't grow managers to be like perfect little list takers that sit in the box and come out whenever you want them to and then go back in the box and be quiet. If you want leaders, OK, then you've got to find people and grow their passion.”

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For more insights, listen to excerpts from NOLN's interview with David Rogers on the NOLN Podcast: