Get rid of this management style in your shop

If you’re using fear-based management to run your shop, it’s time to make a chance, a shop coach recently urged.

If you want better team dynamics, the styles you may have been raised with when coming up as a technician won’t help you achieve that, said Murray Voth, an automotive aftermarket consultant and coach with RPM Training.

What he wants to see is shop owners abandon fear-driven management practices in favour of collaboration and open communication.

At the recent Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario training event in Mississauga, Ontario, Voth shared insights on modern management techniques that foster positive work environments. He pointed out that fear and intimidation were once common tactics in automotive workplaces, but are now seen as obstacles to team success.

“We use fear. We use intimidation. Because that’s what we were taught,” he said, recalling past practices. “If you use fear, you are not going to get the most out of the people that you work with.”

Instead, Voth advocates for a culture that brings employees together, particularly as the industry faces a growing shortage of skilled technicians and service advisors. He stressed the need to break down barriers, noting that even major manufacturers struggle with departmental silos that prevent smooth communication.

In smaller shops, Voth explained, silos often form between front-desk staff and technicians. He urged shop owners to bridge these divides, citing the common tension between “those lazy bugs up front” and “those people in the back that are always breaking things.”

The key, he emphasized, is building empathy and teamwork across the board. “How’s it going between the front and the back of your shop?” he challenged the audience, urging them to foster understanding rather than rivalry.

Drop intimidation and focus on bringing people together for a more efficient and harmonious workplace, Voth emphasized. He encouraged shop leaders to shift to supportive, team-focused approaches, reminding them that effective management is about empowerment, not control.

“It’s about getting rid of fear so that everyone may work effectively for the company,” he said.

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