From continuous learning to emptying the garbage bins, being a solid leader takes many forms.
By Jake Nawrocki
Well, it’s that dreaded time of year again. The leaves are changing. The temperature is getting cooler, and the daylight is getting to be a little less every day. You might be tempted to think I’m talking about winter coming, but I am, in fact, bemoaning the season of election time, when we select our leaders.
Now don’t get me wrong, I greatly appreciate the right to vote. There is a lot of gratitude in my heart when I think of those that sacrificed so much to give us that privilege. The problem for me then is not that I “have” to go vote, but centers more around the quality of the available candidates, or lack thereof.
Sometimes it feels like if the elected official would do half of what they said they would, we would all be far better off. They promised only good things such as lower taxes and fighting for our freedom, etc. but alas, at the local, state, and national level seldom do we see our taxes lowered or our freedoms protected. Is this good leadership? I’ll let you be the judge of that as, like most things, this is largely subjective to one’s opinion.
Leadership is important. I do know that there are many in the auto recycling community that serve their communities not only in a political capacity, but on school boards, church councils, civic organizations, and charitable foundations.
Auto recyclers are, for the most part, natural leaders in whatever they do. That is why we are in the position we are in to start with. The auto recycler is usually a resourceful, and imaginative forward thinker and leader. We see a problem that needs solving and we do it – some more than others. We are not all made the same. Truth be told, I do not consider myself to be some cape-wearing super-owner. I’m not even a natural born leader. I’m not extremely charismatic, and I did not get into this industry because I had some grand dream. I kind of backed into it, but I am a leader in the business, none the less.
Since none of this comes naturally to me, I have had to learn what a good leader does. Here is a list of some of the key things I have picked up over the years that have helped me and will hopefully help you too.
#1: I have not learned enough. I am not there. I am not the world’s greatest boss. I need to improve myself and hold myself to a higher expectation. I must continue to grow. Reading and attending seminars are a great way to do this.
On that note, I urge everyone that can make it to the conventions and join me in learning more about this and a myriad of other topics related to the industry. If you have a book that has helped you, reach out to me with recommendations. I am always looking for something to read.
#2: I have learned to be the first one to the office. Years ago, someone shared with me the wisdom of being the first one to work, and the last one to leave. When we do this a couple things happen. One is optics. When the team sees us at work when they arrive and sees us still working when they leave to go home for the day, they can’t help but know we care about our business. This inspires confidence and a willingness to buy in to our philosophy.
It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. My early morning time consists of taking care of messages that need to be replied to, drinking coffee and meditating before the day gets hectic, and sometimes working on removing broken exhaust manifold bolts. For some reason, I really enjoy doing that and we don’t want any engine to leave our facility with broken bolts hanging out. At the end of the day, taking a little time to empty trash cans, sweep, or clean bathrooms is a nice way to be busy while your employees are winding down and heading out. It needs to be done anyway, and for most, it is meaningful to see the boss doing that. It is also therapeutic. It feels good to clean.
#3: Leadership is one hundred percent not about us, but about the ones we lead. To be an effective leader, we must have our team behind us in likeness of mind, but more importantly we need to know what they need and want and do our best to make that happen. As Joe Gibbs said, “To reach your own goals and dreams, you must learn how to assist others in reaching theirs.” This is not always easy of course, but nothing worthwhile is. Every individual on the team is a little different, they have different life situations, dreams, and desires. If we are able to put on enough humility to get to know the things that our people need to get the most out of life while they are part of our work families, it benefits every single team member.
So, as we head to the polling places to select our leaders, let’s all take a moment to thank God for our freedom to do so, and then take a moment to reflect on our own roles as leaders in our workplace, our communities, and homes.
Keep up the excellent work of making our industry one of the best to be in!
Jake Nawrocki, with sister Katy Joles, own and operate Rocki Top Auto Recyclers in Glen Flora, Wisconsin. The company was formed in 1988, and Jake and Katy took over operations in 2009. Since that time, they have been working both in and on the company, in a region that is economically challenged. “Our goal is to make Rocki Top Auto a destination.” Contact Jake at 715-322-5774 or rockitopauto.com.
