"My foreman doesn't teach me anything" - is this about lazy teachers or unclear expectations? Andrew Uglow reveals why this complaint stems from broken systems and mismatched expectations, and shares practical frameworks for creating effective mentorship that actually works in busy workshops.

Main Topics Covered

• The "foreman doesn't teach me" complaint diagnosis
• Teaching vs. mentoring: understanding the difference
• Why foremen are promoted without teaching training
• Unclear expectations on both sides
• Classroom learning vs. workshop learning
• Why Google can't replace hands-on mentorship
• Generational differences in learning expectations
• Creating structured mentorship systems
• Setting clear learning expectations
• Teaching moments in busy workshops
• Balancing production demands with training needs
• Technician ownership of learning journey
• Documenting tribal knowledge
• Creating effective training protocols
• Building a culture of continuous learning
• Measuring training effectiveness

Key Insights & Learnings

1. Expectation Mismatch - Technicians often expect classroom-style teaching (spoon-feeding information), while foremen expect self-directed learning (asking questions). Neither works without clear communication about expectations.
2. Untrained Teachers - Most foremen are promoted for technical excellence, not teaching ability. They've never been trained in how to mentor, coach, or transfer knowledge effectively.
3. Teaching vs. Mentoring - Teaching is structured information transfer. Mentoring is guiding someone's development journey. Workshops need both, but often provide neither systematically.
4. Google Isn't Enough - While information is freely available online, context, application, and hands-on guidance can only come from experienced mentors. Knowing what to search for requires understanding you don't have yet.
5. Shared Responsibility - Effective learning requires both parties: foremen must create teaching opportunities and be approachable, while technicians must actively seek knowledge and ask questions.

Stories & Examples Shared

• The Promotion Without Preparation - Real examples of excellent technicians promoted to foreman who had no idea how to teach, creating frustration on both sides.
• The Google Generation - How younger technicians expect instant access to information but lack the context to apply it effectively, while older foremen assume "figure it out yourself" is sufficient training.
• The Teaching Moment Missed - Examples of busy foremen missing opportunities to explain "why" while showing "how," leaving technicians able to copy but not understand.
• The Question Culture - Workshops that punish questions ("you should know this already") versus those that encourage them ("great question, let's figure it out together") and the dramatic difference in learning outcomes.

The Tribal Knowledge Problem - Critical workshop knowledge that exists only in senior technicians' heads, never documented, creating vulnerability when they leave.

Get in touch Andrew:

Andrew has a variety of free downloads and tools you can grab.

Discover if your workshop is Retention Worthy© here or visit his website, https://www.solutionsculture.com where the focus is on bringing reliable profitability to automotive workshop owners and workshop management through the Retention, Engagement and Development of their Technical Professionals.

Production:

Co-host: Anthony Perl

This podcast was produced by 'Podcasts Done for You' https://podcastsdoneforyou.com.au.