O'Connor: Changing Your Culture - Two People at a Time

Everywhere you look today, headlines remind us of division. Politics, social media and even everyday conversations can quickly feel like battlegrounds. It would be easy to believe that divisiveness is the defining characteristic of our culture. But here’s the truth: division only exists if we allow it. And in our business, it doesn’t have to. 

Every day, we’re given an opportunity to push against division, to build trust and to make meaningful connections. We can start small: two people at a time. And the best way to do that? Work hard and be kind. 

In the tire dealership world, culture is the foundation of everything. Marc Pons of Chapel Hill Tire, an industry culture leader, recently commented while on The Modern Tire Dealer Show, “Lean into genuinely caring for your people.” Those words should ring true in every dealership. 

If leaders don’t intentionally set the tone, culture doesn’t just disappear. It defaults. And when it defaults, it usually doesn’t land where we want it to. That’s why we have to define it, model it and protect it. When a dealer builds a culture of hard work and kindness, it permeates every part of the operation, from the shop floor to the customer lounge. Customers feel it. Employees live it. And your community sees it. 

Our industry is built on effort. We’re tinkerers and we do so obsessively. Customers expect us to show up early, diagnose accurately and fix their cars’ problems the first time. Hard work is non-negotiable. But working hard isn’t just about labor. It’s about diligence in every corner of the business. This includes: 

• Following up on the customer who left without buying or better yet, following up personally with a customer who entrusted you with significant repairs;
• Double-checking torque specs, every time;
• Keeping the shop floor clean, even when it’s 6:30 p.m. and everyone is tired;
• Taking time to review numbers and train staff instead of pushing it off until later.

Working hard means caring about quality, about safety and about people. It’s the kind of effort customers notice, even if they can’t name it. It’s what builds credibility. If working hard earns trust, kindness sustains it. Kindness doesn’t mean softness. It means being respectful, intentional and human. It’s about listening before you respond. It’s about explaining instead of dismissing.  

We’ve all seen what happens when shops operate without kindness. Employees burn out. Customers don’t come back. The work may still get done, but the loyalty never grows. On the other hand, when kindness is woven into daily operations, small things make big differences. Kindness multiplies. It sets the tone for every interaction and slowly shifts the culture of a store. 

So how do we change culture when the world feels divided? Not with sweeping speeches or slogans, but with the interaction right in front of us — two people at a time. When a service advisor chooses patience instead of frustration, culture changes. When a technician explains an issue respectfully instead of rolling his or her eyes, culture changes. When an owner thanks an employee sincerely, culture changes. 

These small, consistent choices create momentum. Over time, they stack up. What started as one employee choosing kindness with one customer becomes an entire shop known for trust and care. And when that reputation spreads into the community, you’ve built something more powerful than advertising ever could.

Culture can’t be a one-time pep talk. It has to be trained, reinforced and expected. As I’ve previously written, dealers with mature training programs and healthy/supportive culture almost always do both well. That means training shouldn’t only cover technical skills. It should also teach communication, empathy and consistency. New hires should learn not only how to rotate tires, but how to greet a customer, how to resolve tension and how to make kindness second nature. When kindness is taught the same way torque specs are taught, it becomes a core skill — not an afterthought. 

Every one of us has the opportunity to define our values. If you want your dealership to be known for “work hard, be kind,” then embed it into hiring, training, performance reviews and recognition. Celebrate it when you see it. Correct it when it’s missing. Values aren’t slogans on a poster that hang on your office wall. They’re about practice. Live your values, each day and every day 

The world may appear or feel divided, but our businesses don’t have to be. In fact, we have a unique chance to push against that tide. Every time a customer walks into your store, you get a chance to reset the tone of the conversation — not just about tires or repairs, but about trust, respect and humanity. If we all commit to working hard and being kind, we’ll do more than fix cars. We’ll heal culture, one relationship at a time.

And the best part? It doesn’t take grand gestures or national campaigns. It only takes two people.