When owners invest in their business, they usually think about three areas: marketing, how the shop looks, and how it operates. Within operations, one piece is almost always ignored: developing the people who work there. Chuck Lafferty believes that is the most important investment a shop can make.
In episode 53 of Maximum Octane, Chuck shares his journey as a leader in the automotive industry and the lessons that taught him the value of developing employees. He and Kim Hickey discuss servant leadership, why it sometimes makes sense to pull people out of production, the role of feedback, and whether it is possible to develop “a rock.”
What You Will Learn
- About Chuck and his journey and growth as a leader in the automotive industry
- Why developing your internal customers is the best kind of investment
- Pulling people out of production to grow the business
- The importance of fluent communication and feedback
- Is it possible to develop “a rock”?
Chuck’s Journey as a Leader
Chuck opens by sharing his journey and growth as a leader in the automotive industry. Like many leaders, he learned through experience that results depend on people, and people need development to reach their potential.
Many leaders learn the importance of development through experience. Early in their careers, they may focus on their own performance. As they take on leadership roles, they discover that their success depends on the success of their team. That realization often shifts their focus from doing the work to developing others who can do it well.
Why Development Is the Best Investment
Around the 8 minute mark, Chuck explains why developing internal customers is the best kind of investment. Equipment depreciates. Marketing campaigns end. But skills, confidence, and leadership ability grow over time and pay dividends for years. Developed employees are also more likely to stay, which reduces the high cost of turnover.
ATI’s The Training Effect: The Power of an Effective Program on Your Shop and 4 Coaching Tools to Increase Staff Performance offer practical ways to invest in your team.
Development also improves retention. Employees who see opportunities to learn and grow are more likely to stay. Replacing an employee often costs a significant portion of their annual salary when recruiting, training, and lost productivity are considered. Investing in development helps avoid those costs while building a stronger team.
Pulling People Out of Production
One of the most challenging ideas Chuck shares is pulling people out of production to grow the business. For many owners, every hour a technician or advisor spends away from billable work feels like lost money. Chuck argues that time spent on training, planning, and leadership development is what makes future growth possible.
This might look like:
- Moving a top technician into a shop foreman or trainer role.
- Giving an advisor time each week to mentor a new hire.
- Scheduling regular training sessions during business hours.
- Freeing a manager from production so they can lead.
Jim Bennett makes a related case in Why You Should Train Your Trainers.
The short-term cost of pulling someone out of production can feel significant, especially for a small shop. But the long-term benefits, such as better-trained technicians, stronger leadership, and improved processes, often outweigh the cost. Owners can manage the transition by planning ahead, adjusting schedules, and measuring results to confirm the investment is paying off.
A common mistake is pulling someone out of production without defining what success looks like in their new role. A technician promoted to shop foreman who is given no clear responsibilities often drifts back into turning wrenches because that is what feels productive. Before making the change, write down what the person will be responsible for, how their time should be divided, and what results you expect to see after a few months. That clarity protects the investment and helps the person grow into the role.
Communication and Feedback
Around the 21 minute mark, Chuck discusses the importance of fluent communication and feedback. Development does not happen in a single conversation. It requires ongoing, honest feedback about what is going well and what needs to improve. Leaders who give feedback regularly avoid the surprise and frustration that come from saving everything for an annual review.
ATI’s 12 Keys to Better One-on-One Meetings and A Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Annual Reviews can help structure those conversations.
Effective feedback is specific, timely, and balanced. It describes the behavior, explains its impact, and suggests a path forward. Regular feedback, both positive and constructive, helps employees understand where they stand and how to improve. Many leaders use frameworks like “situation, behavior, impact” to keep feedback clear and objective.
Feedback also has to flow both ways. Leaders who ask their team what is getting in the way, what support they need, and how the leader could do better often learn things they would never have discovered otherwise. Making that request a regular part of one-on-ones, and acting on what you hear, shows employees that their input matters. Over time, that openness makes it easier for leaders to deliver hard feedback, because the team trusts that it comes from a place of support.
The True Meaning of Servant Leadership
Chuck and Kim discuss what servant leadership really means. It is not about being soft or doing everyone’s work. It is about seeing your role as helping your team succeed: removing obstacles, providing resources, developing skills, and supporting growth. Servant leaders still hold people accountable, but they do it from a place of investment in the person.
The concept of servant leadership was popularized by Robert Greenleaf, who argued that the best leaders prioritize the growth and well-being of their people. In a shop, servant leadership might mean making sure technicians have the tools they need, removing obstacles that slow them down, and investing time in coaching. Servant leaders still set high standards, but they see their role as helping people meet them.
Can You Develop “a Rock”?
Chuck closes by asking whether it is possible to develop “a rock,” someone who seems resistant to change or growth. His answer offers a realistic view of development. Some people are harder to develop than others, and leaders must decide how much effort to invest and when a different approach, or a different role, is needed.
Some employees resist development for reasons that can be addressed, such as fear of failure, past negative experiences, or unclear expectations. Others may simply not be a good fit for the direction the business is taking. Leaders should make a genuine effort to understand and support resistant employees, while also recognizing when it is time to make a change.
Building a Development Culture
A development culture is one where learning is expected, supported, and celebrated. It includes regular training, mentoring, feedback, and opportunities to take on new challenges. Leaders in a development culture see mistakes as learning opportunities and celebrate growth as much as results.
Building that culture takes time and consistent effort. It starts with the owner’s commitment and spreads as leaders at every level adopt the same mindset. The payoff is a team that continually improves, adapts to change, and takes pride in its growth.
How to Put Development Into Practice This Month
Start small and specific. Pick one employee who shows potential and sit down with them to discuss their goals for the next year. Identify one skill they want to build and one opportunity you can give them to practice it, such as leading a morning meeting, training a newer technician, or handling a challenging customer conversation with support.
Schedule a short check-in every week or two to talk about how it is going. Celebrate progress, discuss what was difficult, and adjust the plan. After a month, look at what changed for that person and for the shop. Many owners find that one successful development plan makes it much easier to extend the approach to the rest of the team.
Development Questions for Your Shop
- What percentage of your budget goes to training and development?
- Who on your team could grow into a leadership role with support?
- How often does each employee receive feedback?
- What would happen if you pulled one strong person out of production to lead?
Angie and Ken Rocha show how training can become a competitive advantage in How to Turn Tech Training Into Your Auto Shop’s Superpower, and Fred Gestwicki connects development to accountability in Transparency, Accountability, and Clear Communication at the Service of Auto Repair Growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is employee development important for an auto repair shop?
Employee development builds the skills, confidence, and leadership a shop needs to grow. Trained technicians diagnose and repair vehicles more efficiently, and advisors who develop their communication skills serve customers better. Development also improves retention, because employees who see a future at the shop are less likely to leave. Since equipment wears out and marketing campaigns end, investing in people is one of the few investments that keeps appreciating.
What is servant leadership in a repair shop?
Servant leadership means seeing your role as helping your team succeed. In a repair shop, that looks like making sure technicians have the tools and information they need, removing obstacles that slow work down, coaching people to improve, and supporting their career goals. It does not mean lowering standards or doing everyone’s work for them. Servant leaders hold people accountable while investing in their growth.
How often should I give feedback to my employees?
Feedback works best when it is frequent and timely. Brief, informal feedback can happen daily when you notice good work or something that needs correcting. Regular one-on-one meetings, often weekly or every other week, give space for deeper conversations about goals and development. Annual reviews still have value, but they should summarize what has already been discussed throughout the year rather than introduce surprises.
How do I handle an employee who resists training or change?
Start by understanding why. Resistance often comes from fear of failure, past bad experiences, unclear expectations, or not seeing how the change benefits them. Have an honest conversation, explain the reason behind the change, and offer support. Set clear expectations and a reasonable timeline. If, after genuine effort on both sides, the person still is not willing to grow with the business, it may be time to consider a different role or a change.
Resources and Links From This Episode
Connect With the Guests
- Chuck: LinkedIn
