Fireman? ...No, Foreman.

"It was kind of an accident if I'm being honest." -Clinton

This week on Wrench Turners Podcast

Mechanic, Foreman, and Leader

Sonic Automotive Group

Clinton Cruz

Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Unexpected events can lead to discovering a passion

2️⃣ Technicians need to take ownership of their training

3️⃣ Managing different personalities within the shop is challenging

J.

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I’m Joshua Taylor and at Wrench Turners, we're developing Technicians into High-Value Leaders. Click my name + follow + 🔔 to get daily automotive service content.

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Episode Summary

Clinton Cruz shares his journey into the automotive trade, starting with a car repair accident that led him to discover his passion for fixing cars. He worked at a gas station repair facility before moving to a Dodge dealership and eventually transitioning to a Toyota dealership. Clinton emphasizes the importance of following instructions and learning from mentors in order to become a good leader. He also discusses his love for working on Supras and reflects on the changes in the automotive industry over the years. In this conversation, Clinton Cruz and Joshua Taylor discuss the challenges of being a leader in a shop and the importance of communication and training in the automotive industry. Clinton emphasizes the need for technicians to take ownership of their training and to surround themselves with good people who can inspire and mentor them. They also discuss the importance of separating personal and professional feedback and the value of building relationships with other technicians. The conversation ends with Joshua sharing his plans for future podcast episodes.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:29 Getting Into the Trade

05:15 Transition to a Dodge Dealer

07:36 Transition to a Toyota Dealer

11:35 Working at Toyota

24:10 The New Supra

24:36 Discussion on the high price of sports cars

27:12 Clinton's progression in the automotive industry

28:21 Challenges of being a leader in the shop

32:05 The importance of separating personal and professional

36:59 Clinton's advice for technicians

49:01 The value of surrounding yourself with good people

50:05 Closing remarks and upcoming episodes

Keywords

automotive trade, car repair, gas station, Dodge dealership, Toyota dealership, following instructions, mentors, leadership, Supra, automotive industry, automotive industry, leadership, communication, training, personal development, relationships