The Six Gears That Keep Your Business (and Your People) Running
Lisa Ryan
Catch someone doing something right. That’s what appreciation looks like. It builds trust, lowers stress, and gives people a reason to stay when things get tough.
It’s getting tougher to find and keep good people.
Every yard, every dismantling shop, every parts business is feeling it. You train someone up, they finally get the hang of it, and then they’re gone. Sometimes without notice, sometimes without a word.
You can raise pay, tighten policies, and post better job ads, but if your people don’t feel valued, they’ll still leave. And the ones who stay might stop caring long before they walk out the door.
Keeping your best team members isn’t about another bonus program or pep talk. It’s about how you lead, communicate, and connect every single day. That’s what my framework, The Six Gears of Grategy®, is all about – practical ways to create a workplace people want to be part of.
Here’s what that looks like on your side of the gate.
- Attitude: The Way You Show Up
Your attitude sets the tone for everyone around you. If you walk in looking worn out and irritated, your crew will pick up on that before you say a word.
Leading with a grateful attitude doesn’t mean pretending everything’s perfect. It means noticing what is working and saying it out loud. When you acknowledge effort, especially on hard days, you remind people that what they do matters.
Start your next morning meeting by calling out one thing that went right yesterday. It doesn’t have to be huge. Maybe the new guy stayed late to finish a job. Maybe shipping finally caught up. It’s a small habit that changes the entire energy of the place.
- Appreciation: Finding the Good Every Day
Appreciation isn’t a company initiative; it’s a personal practice. You train yourself
to see what’s good instead of focusing only on what’s broken.
In this industry, there’s always something to fix: a machine down, an order missed, a part that didn’t ship. But there are also people showing up, figuring it out, and keeping things moving. Don’t let that go unnoticed.
Write it down. Say it out loud. Catch someone doing something right. That’s what appreciation looks like. It builds trust, lowers stress, and gives people a reason to stay when things get tough.
- Access: Keep Communication Real
An open-door policy doesn’t mean much if no one believes you’ll actually listen. Access means making sure your people can reach you and that you’ll do something with what they share.
Ask simple questions:
“What’s making your job harder right now?”
“What’s one thing that would make it easier?”
Then follow through. Even small fixes, such as better lighting, clearer schedules, and faster answers, show that their voices matter. That kind of access keeps people from checking out mentally or walking away physically.
4. Applause: Recognition That Feels Real
Most employees don’t need another plaque. They just want to know that their effort didn’t disappear into thin air.
Recognition isn’t about ceremony; it’s about sincerity. If someone handled a tough customer or caught a safety issue before it became a problem, say it right then. Do it in front of their peers when you can.
A simple, public thank-you hits harder than you think. It costs nothing, but it tells your crew that good work doesn’t go unseen.
5. Acts of Service:
Leadership With Your Hands
If you lead people who work hard, you earn respect by working hard with them. Step in when things get busy. Help load a car, answer phones, or walk the yard. When people see you rolling up your sleeves, they know you’re not asking them to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself.
Acts of service say, “We’re in this together.” And that message builds loyalty faster than any slogan on the wall.
6. Accountability: Keep Your Word, Every Time
The last gear is the one that holds everything together. Accountability means doing what you say you’ll do, even when it’s uncomfortable.
If you promise to look into a concern, follow up. If you make a decision that doesn’t work out, own it. When leaders model accountability, employees start to mirror it. That’s how you build a culture where people trust each other, not because of rules, but because of respect.
Putting the Gears in Motion
These six gears aren’t programs. They’re habits. They work together every day on every shift.
• Attitude sets the tone.
• Appreciation keeps your focus on what’s good.
• Access makes communication real.
• Applause reinforces what matters.
• Acts of service build connection.
• Accountability keeps it all honest.
Start with one. Don’t overcomplicate it. Maybe today’s focus is appreciation – catch one person doing something right before lunch. Or maybe it’s access – take ten minutes to ask your team what would make their workday smoother. You’ll start to notice the change. So will they.
Why This Matters
Margins are tight, work is physical, and schedules are packed. You can’t afford to keep training new people every few months.
When your employees feel respected, trusted, and valued, they stick around. They care more, they produce more, and they talk about your company the way you wish every employee would.
“Read more about this topic in Lisa Ryan’s book, Gear Up for Greatness: How to Transform Workplace Culture with the Six Gears of Grategy, available on Amazon.”
Retention isn’t luck. It’s leadership. And gratitude is your most powerful tool.
Because when you value your people, really value them, they don’t just do their jobs. They help you build something that lasts.
Lisa Ryan, CSP is Chief Appreciation Strategist at Grategy®, helping manufacturing and trades leaders keep their best people through gratitude-driven retention and engagement. She’s the author of Thank You Very Much and host of The Manufacturers’ Network podcast. Learn more at LisaRyanSpeaks.com.
