O'Connor: How to Build Your Talent Engine

As we step into a new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about the conversations that shaped 2025 and the ones that will define 2026.

One of them came late last year, when I sat across from a master technician who had just been offered a job at a competitor’s dealership. The offer was for more money — a significant amount more. I braced myself for the resignation speech. Instead, he surprised me. “Honestly,” he said, “I’d rather stay here. My days make sense. I know where I’m going. And I don’t go home exhausted.”

That moment reminded me of a truth I’ve seen proven again and again in tire dealerships across the country. People don’t stay because of the highest bid. They stay because of the best experience. They stay where their work feels sustainable, where expectations are clear, where leadership invests in their growth and where the culture is predictable and professional.

Today’s technician shortage can feel like a force of nature. We hear about shrinking pipelines, competing industries and a job market that never seems to relax. While we can’t control these external factors, we can control the daily work experience inside our walls.

The tire dealerships that consistently attract and retain great people aren’t relying on luck or signing bonuses alone. They’re operating in — and are constantly building — a people-first talent engine. They have a set of rhythms, systems and cultural habits that make their shop the obvious place to work, even in a hyper-competitive market.

And here’s the good news — you don’t need 20 bays or a big human resources department to build one. You can start with the team you already have and the culture you want to create.

Yes, the pipeline of new technicians is strained. But we also lose talent because the day-to-day experience of working in our industry is often chaotic. Techs bounce between jobs with unclear expectations. Service advisors struggle without structure. Store managers spend more time firefighting than coaching. Before we can recruit better, we have to become better places to work. How do we get there? By following these pillars:

Pillar one: Create clarity. People need to know what “good” looks like. This is the foundation of a talent engine. When I ask techs why they leave tire dealerships, “lack of a clear path” comes up almost as often as pay. People want to know where they stand and where they’re going. That means you should have clear role definitions, documented processes, written expectations, a skills ladder from entry-level tech to master tech and advisor pathways that lead to service manager or store leadership roles. In every other industry, career paths are becoming more structured. We can’t afford to lag behind. Clarity creates confidence. Confidence creates retention.

Pillar two: Coach every single day. Managers must become developers of people. Most employees don’t quit companies. They quit managers — not because their managers are bad people, but because they’re stretched thin and are constantly reacting. A people-first talent engine requires a shift from management to coaching. That means building reliable rhythms, such as a 10-minute daily huddle to set the tone; weekly one-on-ones focused on development, not discipline; a simple scoreboard that tracks key behaviors, not just outputs; and regular feedback that’s timely, respectful and actionable. Coaching shouldn’t feel like an event. It should feel like the natural language of leadership. When people know someone is investing in their success, they invest back.

Pillar three: Improve conditions. Make the work more sustainable. Jobs don’t burn people out, but conditions do. Take a walk through your shop. What slows your team down? What frustrates them? What drains their energy unnecessarily? Often, it’s not the big things. Rather, it’s constant interruptions, unclear workflow, broken processes or outdated equipment. Investing in better tools, workflow software, digital inspections and semi-automated equipment isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about quality of life. Sustainable jobs retain people. Exhausting jobs repel them.

Culture can feel big and abstract, so let’s make it concrete. Pick two people — one tech and one advisor. Improve something meaningful in each of their workdays. Fix a scheduling issue. Update a broken process. Set up a training path. Give them a predictable rhythm they can rely on. Small wins create momentum. Momentum creates belief. Belief builds culture. You don’t transform a company with one big initiative. You transform it by improving work for real people, repeatedly.

Customers want convenience. Your team wants fewer interruptions. Digital tools like online scheduling, two-way texting, digital inspections and automated status updates should make the day calmer for everyone. Tools that reduce chaos help people do their best work. Tools that add complexity only accelerate burnout. Make technology an ally, not an obstacle.

Back to that technician who chose not to leave his employer. He stayed because of the experience, the rhythm, the predictability, the clarity and the culture his employer had established. And that’s the takeaway for all of us. In a crowded market where competitors can match your pricing, your pay plan and your promotions, the one thing they can’t copy is how it feels to work in your shop.

Your talent engine is your advantage. Build it deliberately. Build it daily. And build it around your people.