ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Being the best technician in the shop doesn't automatically make someone ready to lead it. But across the "we fix things" industries, that's often exactly how shop foremen are chosen.
They're great diagnosticians. They're productive. They're experienced. They know the vehicles. Then one day they're responsible for leading people.
In this episode of Earned Influence, Patty Ruggia, Jade Price, and Joshua Taylor dig into what actually separates a technically capable shop foreman from an effective leader.
We talk about why communication matters just as much as diagnostic ability, why empathy should be treated as an operational tool, how trust is earned through action, the importance of one-on-one conversations, and why the difference between saying “my team” and “our team” might matter more than you think.
Jade also shares a personal example of what happened when a leader took the time to listen, understand what she was dealing with, and create an environment where the rest of the shop supported her too.
The question isn't whether your shop foreman can fix the hardest car in the building.
It's whether anyone ever taught them how to lead the people fixing them.
This is Earned Influence on The Wrench Turners Podcast.
Send this episode to a service manager, shop foremen, advisor, technician, or fixed-operations leader who wants their departments to work better together.
Negative pushes.
Positive pulls.
God Bless
j.
Featuring:
Patty Ruggia
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patty-ruggia-07913863/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/autocanada
Jade Price
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-price-4675016b/
https://www.instagram.com/theautomotivecapture/
https://www.tiktok.com/@theautomotivecapture
Hosted by Joshua Taylor
Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/
⚠️ Disclaimer:
I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence.
Chapters
00:00 Earned Influence
01:11 Are Soft Skills Operational Tools?
03:49 You Can't Checklist Leadership
06:55 Trust Is Earned Through Action
09:12 Leaders Have to Listen
12:43 Why Foremen Get Promoted
16:20 Communication Reveals Priorities
19:04 “My Team” vs “Our Team”
21:06 The Words Leaders Use
23:31 Humans Are Complicated
24:41 Teaching Foremen to Lead
26:15 Are We Training Leaders?
