John Falck, Automotive Shop Manager for Fleet Services

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to a managerial role?

Always treat your employees with respect and always be open and honest with them. Learn the job – not just how to do it, but WHY you do it. Never ask your employees to do anything you won’t do (or at least try to do) yourself.  You’ll get better results if you’re the leader that your team works with, rather than the boss that your team works for.

How do you measure success in your position?

I measure my success by looking around at my team and my environment. Are people getting along with each other? Are they in good moods? Is the work getting done in a timely manner? Is there a general sense of accomplishment throughout? I like to be able to look around at the end of the day or the end of the week and see that we’ve made a positive impact.

How do you build and maintain relationships with stakeholders and partners?

A lot of it has to do with how you treat people. Be respectful and listen to their concerns, questions, ideas, etc. I have a friendly, easygoing personality, which generally makes it easier to communicate with people. I also work hard to make sure people are happy with what my team and I are providing. Being able to produce results and maintain a high level of quality is paramount to both building and maintaining those relationships.

How do you maintain a work-life balance?

I try not to think about work stuff when I’m not at work. Sure, there are those times when your mind just grinds away at a problem or a particular project, but I try to set that aside in my time off so I can focus on spending time with family, on hobbies, or taking care of personal projects around the house.