Team-Building: The Ratio of We's to I's

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Management

Building a Team: The Ratio of We’s to I’s

The next time you think about taking your business to the next level, assess whether you’ve truly built a team.

Sean Donohue
By Sean Donohue
Sean Donohue joined Babcox Media in early 2008. Prior to this, he worked in sales and marketing for the Akron Beacon Journal. Over the last decade, Donohue has served in a variety of sales roles, most recently Vice President of Sales and Publisher of BodyShop Business. Other roles have included Group Publisher of TechShop, Motorcycle & Powersports News, AutoSuccess, Professional Carwashing & Detailing and Engine Builder brands. Sean is a graduate of Kent State University.
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I was scrolling through BodyShop Business’s Twitter feed the other day when I came across a quote that stood out to me as I had never seen it before.

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I had heard the famous quote “There is no ‘i’ in the word ‘team’” before, but this particular quote on Twitter had a different twist: “The ratio of We’s to I’s is the best indicator of the development of a team.” The quote was posted by Pro Spot, and it was credited to Lewis B. Ergen.

It struck me as a very clever way to determine how far along you are in your development as a team. Of course, we know that a team truly works together; no one works on an island, and everyone works together for the betterment of the whole. A team is marked by selflessness and answering the call if someone needs help.

I could not help but reflect on the team that makes the BodyShop Business engine go: editorial, sales, design, production, ad services. Without one of those pieces, the whole thing blows up. Also, if any one of those departments works independently of the others, the engine breaks down.

Is your staff truly a team? Do they truly work together and have each other’s backs? Have you ever heard, “That’s not my job”? That might be an indicator that your “team” is not where it needs to be yet.

The next time you think about improving your business and taking it to the next level, assess whether you’ve truly built a team. If not, that is one major component to work on. Once you’re there, the engine will run a lot more smoothly.

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Squad Goals: Empowering Women in Collision Repair

Eight strong, smart, skilled women help Jason Wong guide his two CARSTAR locations in San Francisco.

Jason Wong
By Jason Wong
Jason Wong, who was named the 2022 CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year, is the owner of CARSTAR Auto World in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco and San Jose. Wong, who joined CARSTAR in 2018 after several decades of operating a collision repair facility, built an exemplary business model with CARSTAR that delivered exponential growth for his first CARSTAR location. He generates outstanding performance across all CARSTAR KPIs, from length of rental to CSI scores. He is known for providing superior customer service, community philanthropy and industry leadership, all with a humble attitude and engaging smile.
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I love running my collision repair facilities and enjoy helping customers, dealing with insurance companies, coaching my team and working on ways to improve the business. But who am I kidding? I’m one guy going in 20 different directions all at the same time. Fortunately, I have eight strong, smart, skilled women who herd me the right way, guide my business, help our customers with kindness and compassion, and generally kick butt every day.

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