Out of the Crisis.Org

[Louis Altazan]

Dr. W. Edwards Deming's Fourteen points

Point Eleven: Eliminate numerical quotas for the work force and people in management, spoke of the ineffectiveness of a goal without a plan or resources to reach it. Rather than simply setting goals, I believe, managers might be more effective working to remove the obstacles that prevent better performance and monitoring the results.

Point Twelve: Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship.

Shop owners are normally pretty adept at dealing with problems. No/not enough cars to repair, rising insurance premiums, low profits, taxes, each is normally taken as a challenge and worked with. When it comes to “people problems” however, what I have seen is more of a shuffle and avoid strategy.

My impression is, many managers in the auto repair trade, seem to think workers exist only to fix vehicles, when vehicles are there to be fixed. If there are no vehicles, employees should be happy to stand idly by until more come in. A few managers may also feel a trained technician should be thrilled cleaning up, painting, fixing equipment or anything else that needs doing, at a reduced rate of pay or for free.

Disagreement with this policy may get a worker branded as “having a bad attitude.” Solutions seem to range from elimination of all employees, “You just can’t find decent workers,” to operating a revolving door, “Hire-em and fire-em shop.”

Three of my four technicians, “Had a bad attitude,” according to their past employers. The forth had only worked for his Farther. In my opinion, with the state of the trade, “Having a bad attitude,” is a pretty good recommendation.

I was told by one of my technicians, on his previous job, he worked hard to align vehicles properly. He made certain all reading were right, yet they would come back with worn tires.

He asked several times to have the machine calibrated. In response he was told, “Nobody complains about it but you.” Since he did all of the alignments, that was not surprising.

In desperation, he began using a tape measure to try to verify the alignment. As a result he received a written warning for having lower production. Two weeks later, and sixteen years ago he left and came to work for me.

De-motivators may included, instruments that are inaccurate or don’t repeat. Having to hunt through clutter to find pieces of equipment and tooling. Incomplete and inaccurate information with which to work. Very hot work places in the Summer and very cold workplaces in the Winter. Working in a dark workspace with a glaring drop light. Being asked to use substandard parts, and perform partial and/or substandard repair. Asking for help only to be told you are the problem. It is not difficult for me to see why many workers do not feel pride in their work.

I believe every workman has a right to joy-in-work, and the feeling that comes with a job well done. I have found it very difficult to match the self-motivation of a person doing a job they enjoy. When a person truly enjoys their work they may wish to know more about it. They may work hard to learn new and better ways to do the job.

I once wrote a story on how mountain climbing is a lot of work, yet to an enthusiast it may be enjoyment. My experience has been, the same is possible with repairing vehicles for a living.

It is, in my opinion, not possible to motivate others. Rather I believe the wisdom of management lies in removing as many of those things that de-motivate as is possible.

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Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA