Whatever the challenge may be, it is real for you. If it is causing you to not be at your best, then it is time to step back and get help.
Often, the reasons we tell ourselves when things do not meet expectations are misconceptions. Being accountable means having a consistent resolve to plan for success and then executing it.
As an auto recycler, regardless of one’s position in the company, the daily grind can be quite busy, stressful, and sometimes even overwhelming. Imagine inventorying X amount of cars a day, knowing there is a backlog of between 30-60 or more vehicles, and now you are being told we have scored 40 more vehicles at a tow lot auction. How about when you forget the jump box and have to crawl through the trunk of a car to pull a taillight? Oh, and it’s midsummer, with almost triple-digit temperatures outside, and the customer is impatiently waiting in the lobby. Nothing like black on black, hey.
What about when a new arrival comes into your depollution bay and the oil drain plug is stripped? You finally manage to finesse a strip socket onto the plug and remove it, only to have antifreeze come shooting out of the oil pan all over your work pants and into your oil recovery catch. You slip in the spill, grab a coolant bucket, and rue the salesperson who said that this was a good engine. Just another day in the yard, am I right?
However, when reflecting on the ebb and flow of the workday, it is often our physical and mental health that we overlook and potentially take for granted. We become fixated on what to do, or worse, what has gone wrong, instead of prioritizing how to strategize and implement healthy habits to combat the job’s pain points.
Now I won’t go as far as to say that we are all like snowflakes, each unique in our own way, but I would point out that we are all human, each with our own catalysts and credos. Furthermore, what motivates or pacifies me does not mean it will resonate with you. However, there are inane methods that are fairly translatable and relatable across all types of people.
Stephen Covey, in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, discusses detailed principles that illustrate the possible progression from dependence to independence and ultimately to interdependence for individuals in the workplace. And again, this book may not be for everyone, for self-help is only as effective as one’s effort and open-mindedness towards change. Yet I single this book out for not only its content but its meaning. As a habit to combat the slog that comes with being an auto recycler, making the time for reflecting and reset is one of the most effective methods to maintain a healthy physical and mental state.
Success can be subjective, and when the object of our labors is inconsistent, unsustainable, or seems out of reach, it is easy for the mind to waver and the body to toil. By setting this as an expectation, we can remove ourselves from working within the business, and take the time to work on ourselves. Taking the time to give an honest assessment of what we are doing and where we are at in each state of being can help us identify what we need and where we are lacking. Ask yourself: Is the task of those uninventoried vehicles weighing heavily on your shoulders? Are you busy beyond belief with trying to meet that quota of dismantling X amount of cars per day? Or you are overwhelmed with parts sales that you repeatedly skip lunch, or do not leave your desk for more than a few minutes throughout the day.
Whatever the challenge may be, it is real for you. If it is causing you to not be at your best, then it is time to step back and get help. Tap into the 7 Habits, strategize a plan or routine for yourself, or be proactive and find the resources you need to continue your path to success. Remembering that only you can be accountable for your mental health and physical state and making time to reset, refresh and reimagine how you can move forward and accomplish your goal in a healthy and prosperous manner is the most effective habit we can create.
This practice may seem difficult to some and to others just self-help jargon, but its roots lie in the core healthy habits we can cultivate that will undoubtedly help achieve sustainability and success.
Time is Money, Act Accordingly
A challenging concept for those in our industry who wear many hats is Time Management. Learning to manage your time effectively is more than just keeping your Google Calendar updated or managing a meeting to stay within the allotted timeframe. Effective time management involves making the most of your time spent on each endeavor throughout the day, only after you fully understand where to prioritize your efforts to maximize the return on your time investment. Time is valuable, as it significantly impacts success. Are you spending your energies on what makes you money and gets you ahead? Or are you spending time on things that should be delegated or deprioritized? If you work 8-5 with a one-hour lunch break, that means you have 480 minutes to accomplish anything that you have deemed a priority. How and where you choose to spend these minutes is crucial in determining what you complete, when goals are met, and when you can take on the next endeavor. Learning to master time management is an essential habit that needs to become routine by putting things in terms of money and minutes, as well as through delegation. By periodically qualifying the day’s workload, we can determine who is best suited for specific roles and situations and how to contribute your minutes to the effort. That is what brings in the money and enables us to continue growing and evolving.
Lack of Accountability is Leaving Money on the Table
The other initiative that ties in with time management is accountability. Accountability is not taking blame or wearing someone else’s hat to get the job done to avoid consequences; it is taking responsibility and realizing the need to set, communicate, and hold others and ourselves to vetted expectations. We frequently hear the excuses and blame-shifting from others who fail to meet expectations – such as “John was behind in swapping out my inventory vehicles, so I missed out on almost an hour of inventory,” or “if Jill wasn’t so slow in the shipping department, that headlight could have gone out tonight.” Excuses shed light on process or production issues that the team needs to address as a potential profit leak.
Excuses are the enemy of accountability that we need to weed out. Often, the reasons we tell ourselves when things do not meet expectations are misconceptions. Being accountable means having a consistent resolve to plan for success and then executing it. Evaluating our team and its needs, we can then set clear expectations and communicate the corresponding responsibilities. Holding ourselves and others to these expectations, we can help eradicate our excuses and move together towards the shared goal.
Mistakes happen, unforeseen variables and challenges will arise, but dedicating ourselves and our operations to accountability prepares us to navigate when things go wrong and motivates us to live up to expectations.
Learning from Others
There are plenty of healthy habits, pro tips, and competitive edges we can create to help us succeed. There is no one-size-fits-all quick fix or fast track to prosperity or profitability. Each of us operates differently, and we all face our own unique sets of challenges. Staying true to ourselves and understanding how we, as individuals and as a business, operate is the first step in determining what works for us. The healthy habits you create for yourself and for your team are only as effective as the effort you put into them. From time management to accountability, or even work-life balance, peer mentorship, and team meetings, instill commitment to these priorities and enforce them with positivity.
From recycler to recycler, some things do not translate, yet learning what other recyclers are doing to succeed is often helpful when looking to improve your systems. The fact that we are all willing to share our best practices with others is one of the best aspects of our industry. Yet, we need to be willing to put in the work with whatever phase or process we aspire to improve, and it starts with us. If you are not sure how or where to start, as Walt Disney once said, “The way to get started is to quit talking, and begin doing.” Everybody has to start somewhere. Continue to move forward and make change happen. Only you can get yourself
to where you want to be.
Brian Bachand is a second generation auto recycler, who helps own and operate Westover Auto Salvage in Belchertown, MA. He is on the Board of Directors for the Auto Recyclers Association of MA and a proud ARA Member. Brian has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and paired with almost 25 years of auto recycling experience, will continue to implement ARA Advocacy for being a leader in the auto industry.
