Bu Charles Aubry

In the world of body shops, as in hockey, the best teams win thanks to a strong and clear culture and quiet but powerful leadership. You won’t find the Florida Panthers general manager on the ice or behind the bench: he’s in the office, thinking about strategy, development and sustainability. He has built a team capable of performing without him. 

A good manager is exactly that. They make themselves replaceable. If everything has to stop when they are absent, it means their management is not efficient: they are simply stuck in operations. 

High-level leaders share fundamental qualities. They are: 

• Authentic, they are true to themselves, not copies of managers described in books. 

• Strategic, they implement effective plans that can be measured and executed. 

• Committed to collective growth, they lead their team without ego. 

• Able to question things, they innovate rather than repeat the past. 

• Active, they are on the ground, listening, understanding and acting. 

As far as customers are concerned, they expect everything to run smoothly: impeccable repairs, a warm welcome and professional service. What they don’t see is that behind this impeccable experience, there is a manager who has built solid processes, a clear culture, and an autonomous team. 

A manager may not very visible, but their influence is everywhere. Every cog that runs smoothly, every employee who acts autonomously, every satisfied customer: all discreet but tangible proof of their work upstream.