Work Functions

 

This is us. The work crew hanging out on a Saturday night. Good Times, Great Food, and Excellent Company. Over half the team showed up along with their favorite other, speaking volumes to the culture we are building together.

The beautiful setting in the Okanagan was just the baseline to truly special evening where we continually create the opportunity to erase the invisible lines that often separate us at work. Departments can sometimes feel like islands. And with the busy flow of work and lifestyle sometimes connecting with each other is a task beyond the normal working hours.

Why It Matters?

Work functions are social events that build culture. They remind us that collaboration is smoother when we understand each other, not just our roles, but as human beings and makes another happy. Work functions allow teams to strengthen trust to get through the grind while also giving us a chance to lead with humanity - because leadership isn't only about strategy and results. It's also about connection.

Never underestimate the value of creating space for others to connect outside of routine. It's in these moments that loyalty deepens, silos fade, and the foundation for real teamwork is built.

The Courage for New

 I watched My Year at Oxford this week, and something in me stirred.

Not because I’ve ever dreamed of attending Oxford, but because I know what it feels like to walk into a room—into a season of life—where I’m unsure if I belong, yet determined to make my mark.

The main character in the film has a life  experience that is reshaped by a single year in a new place. She became surrounded by unfamiliar traditions, new expectations, and people who see the world differently. It’s not just about academics; it’s about identity, courage, and the willingness to be changed by the experience.

We all have our “Oxford” moments. They might not look like ancient stone halls or candlelit debates, but they’re those life chapters where everything feels foreign… and yet something inside us insists, This is where I’m meant to grow.

I thought about how often in leadership—and in life—we avoid stepping into new rooms. We stay in the spaces where we feel certain, where we know the language and the rules. But the growth happens when we sit with the discomfort long enough to learn something new and long enough to be shaped by it. This is the active part of being uncomfortable.

As leaders, our job is not just to enter those rooms ourselves, but to invite others into theirs—and to remind them that feeling uncertain is often a sign they’re exactly where they need to be.

Maybe for you, the “Oxford” moment is taking on a project you don’t feel ready for.
Maybe it’s starting the business you’ve always dreamed about.
Or maybe it’s learning something purely because it excites you—even if it scares you, too.

Growth rarely comes from standing still. Sometimes it starts with walking into a room you’re not sure you belong in… and discovering that you do.

The world doesn’t just need you where you’re comfortable—it needs you where you’re becoming.

Mattering

 CONTRIBUTION

Do I matter?

 Mattering – is the experience of feeling significant to those around us because we feel valued and know that we add value.

 It is not a grand gesture that creates this. Mattering happens in everyday moments, in the tone of a conversation, in a glance of recognition, and in the way we’re listened to and responded to.

 For Leaders, this means TRULY seeing and hearing the people you lead. Not just as employees, but as individuals whose contributions shape the culture and outcome of the organization

 SEEING – acknowledging them and paying attention to the details, ebbs, and flows of their life and work.

 HEARING – showing a genuine curiosity abouts someone’s thoughts, ideas, and challenges and responding in a way that creates trust and psychological safety.

 When people feel seen and heard, they feel that they matter. And when they matter, they give more of their best selves to the work, to the team, and to the mission.

People rise when they feel seen, believed in and backed.

The Unsung Engine

After years of caring for his aging father, Marco found himself searching for purpose—and a paycheck. He took a job as a detailer, not realizing just how vital he would become to the heartbeat of the store.

From the outside, it looked simple—washing, vacuuming, wiping down vehicles. But on the inside, Marco quickly learned something: everyone depended on him.

The service team needed clean, polished cars ready for pickup—customers didn’t consider the job “done” until they saw their vehicle sparkling.

The sales team needed cars prepped to perfection—deliveries couldn’t go out, photos couldn’t be taken, and deals couldn’t close without his final touch.

The pressure was real. The pace was fast. And yet, some days, Marco still found himself battling a quiet doubt: I wish I were doing something more important.

    Am I just the guy who cleans up after everyone else?

One afternoon, his manager caught him between vehicles and said:

“Marco, you’re not just detailing cars. You’re keeping the whole operation moving. When service finishes a repair, you’re the one who completes the experience. When sales makes a promise to a customer, you’re the one who brings it to life. We can’t deliver without you. You’re the closer.”

That was the moment it clicked.

Marco began to see himself not as support—but as essential. His hands helped finish stories: the relief of a repaired vehicle, the joy of a new delivery, the trust that a customer feels when everything looks just right.

He wasn’t in the background. He was in the flow. 

And the dealership? It didn’t run around him—it ran with him.

Lead Where Your Feet Are

 Stillness is what creates love. Movement is what creates life. To be still and still moving - that is everything. - Do Hyun Choe

Presence is rare and powerful these days. In a world that values hustle, being fully present is in one conversation, one decision, or one team huddle can mean the world to the other person, it's what earns you trust and builds culture.

As a leader, we often associate value with how fast we solve things or how many tasks we knock off before lunch. But what if your most powerful move today is to pause? 

To think before speaking. 

To ask one more question before deciding. 

To take five minutes and truly breathe before your next meeting.

These powerful pauses allow you to decompress, align your thoughts with the outcome, and consider the individuals involved along the way, not just the process. 

Your presence is your preparation.

The world doesn't always need a faster version of you. Sometimes it just needs a more present one. So today, let your presence do the heavy lifting. 

Be where your feet are.

Listen longer.

Breathe deeper.

As Prescence isn't passive, it's one of the most powerful tools you have so let's use it to transform relationships, decisions, and outcomes. Use it well, and you won't just lead better, you'll be remembered for how you made others feel, seen, heard, and valued.

Teaching that Sticks

LEARN

Creating a Learning Environment

Forget

Act

State

Teach

Enter

Review

 I have so much information to teach you. Quickly grab a pencil—I only have today to transfer all this knowledge. Take notes, follow along, ask questions… but not too many, I may get frustrated.

 This rushed, overwhelming approach is how many people teach new employees. But it hinders real learning.

 With the learning path in mind, we need to create the right environment for the student to study the craft. Adult learners need to understand why they’re doing the work and how it connects to something bigger.

 We’re here to serve—start to finish. Every customer matters. They keep the lights on, and we take care of them like family, supporting them through every part of their automotive journey.

 We tell our teams, “The customer is our family.” Let’s train our people the same way—patiently, clearly, and with purpose.

 The greatest skill you can teach is how to learn.

1 Forget

Have the trainee let go of what they think they know and stay open to the learning experience. A clear, curious mind creates space for real understanding.

Encourage presence and self-belief – positive self-talk lays the foundation of learning.

 2 Act

Replace passive consumption with active engagement.

Have trainees take notes, ask questions, and chunk learning into 25-minute bursts followed by brief reflection times to process information. The more involved they are, the faster they learn.

 3 State

All learning is STATE dependent.

Help learners enter the right emotional and physical mindset: joy, curiosity and fascination improve memory and engagement.

Remind them: your mind-state is a current snapshot of your emotions, thoughts and physical condition.

Learning improves when the state is intentional.

4 Teach

Once they’ve learned something, have them explain it back in their own words.

Teaching reinforces understanding, reveals gaps, and builds ownership. Remember: when you teach something, you learn it twice.

 5 Enter

Have the learner block dedicated time in their calendar labeled “Training and Development.” Meet with the individual regularly to support their progress on the learning journey.

Encourage intentional action – learning sticks when they actively work on their craft.

 6 Review

Encourage active recall.

Have the learner revisit what they’ve learned at spaced intervals over a few months – this strengthens retention and turns short-term efforts into long-term skill.

Education Equalizes Society

 Education is society's most effective lever for equality. It arms people with the ability to think critically, contribute meaningfully, and rise beyond limitation of their circumstances. From the classroom to the boardroom, education empowers individuals with the confidence and competence to participate fully in society.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela

In every community, and across every industry we see the same truth repeated: opportunity is not evenly distributed but education has the power to shift that. Education is a structured path out of generational cycles. It's the spark that ignites someone's potential. It s the training ground where quiet strength and untapped brilliance are brought to life.

Education doesn't stop with formal learning, it continues with how we manage our people. We must ask ourselves;

            Are we developing our teams for the runway ahead?

            Can they not only do this job they're in today but the next role after that?

            Am I doing what's needed as a leader to prepare them for my role and beyond?

If your employee turned in their updated resume every six months, would it reflect growth? Would it show new skills, greater confidence, and deeper impact?

That's the True Test of Leadership!

We must want our people to succeed, whether they stay or go. That's how we build a culture of excellence, mentorship, and shared success. When we pour into people with intention, we create leaders who will carry that forward through our teams, our industry, and our community.

Sacred Spaces

 Ever wonder why you seem so distracted? Take a look around your workspace. Is it Messy?

Messy workspace = unfinished business = unnecessary stress.

When your working area is in disarray you may feel defeated before you even get started.

What experience are you creating with your guest?

What impression are we giving when we work so hard to build rapport?

Their visual sensory is taking in all the information it sees leaving imprints on the interaction as distractions, chaos, unorganized, and unprofessional in hopes you get it right with their vehicle.

Do you swear in church? Or sing hymns in a bar? NO. If it doesn’t belong in your sacred working space then you need to remove it.

Whether you’re showing the space to a new employee, or a visit from clientele, having a clean workspace can create a strong first impression, improving morale and attract or retain clientele.

          Your workspace influences your behaviour and shapes your interactions.

I used to think clutter just meant I was busy.

Until one day, I paused—and really looked around.

Scattered tools, papers, and wrappers weren’t just mess. They were silent distractions. Little stress signals. And proof I’d started treating my space like it was ordinary.

But this space is not ordinary.

This is where important things happen. Guests form first impressions here. Teammates build trust here.

We build relationships—sacred bonds—in the middle of all this.

When I cleared the clutter, something changed: 💡 My focus sharpened. 🛠️ Tools were easier to find. 🧠 My mind calmed down. 🤝 People responded to me with more trust and ease. Clean spaces aren't just tidy—they’re powerful. They shape how we think, work, and connect. They say: “I care. This matters.” This isn’t just a work area. This is a sacred space. And how we treat it, reflects how we show up for each other.