The 4 Keys to Great (Fleet) Managers

“People leave managers, not companies.”

That’s the main point of Gallup’s longtime bestselling book “First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently.”

And fleet departments aren’t immune. If you want to attract and keep talented technicians, supervisors, engineers or employees in other roles, the buck stops with you.

Are you the type of manager your team wants to work for? Do your people feel happy and fulfilled in their roles? Are they a good fit for your team?

After all, as a utility fleet professional, you don’t just manage equipment; you also lead people with different talents, dispositions and motivations. Your job is about much more than keeping vehicles on the road. You’re building a team that can handle high-pressure situations, prioritize competing demands and collaborate seamlessly across departments.

In “First, Break All the Rules,” Gallup outlines the four keys to great managers, offering practical insights on how leaders can unlock their team’s potential, improve operational efficiency and create a culture that drives long-term success.

If you haven’t already done so, grab a copy of the book. In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of the four keys to push you further on your journey toward becoming a great manager.

1. Select for talent … not simply experience, intelligence or determination.

Key Quote
“It’s not that experience, brainpower, and willpower are unimportant. It’s just that an employee’s full complement of talents – what drives her, how she thinks, how she builds relationships – is more important.”

The Big Idea
Great managers focus on identifying and hiring individuals with the right talent for the role. Rather than trying to fit employees into predefined molds or relying only on skills and experience, they prioritize talent because that’s something you can’t teach.

Fleet Application

• What interview questions could reveal a candidate’s natural leadership traits?
• How do you determine if a technician has the instinct to diagnose complex mechanical issues beyond what their certifications show?
• What traits signal that a candidate can maintain positive and productive relationships across departments, such as those with business unit supervisors, field crews and the shop?
• How can you distinguish between candidates who adapt to evolving technology and those who struggle to adopt new systems, such as telematics or diagnostics software?
• Are there specific behavioral traits that indicate a strong alignment with safety-first cultures and compliance demands in utility fleet operations?

2. Define the right outcomes … not the right steps.

Key Quote
“Define the right outcomes and then let each person find his own route toward those outcomes.”

The Big Idea
Great managers do not micromanage tasks. Instead, they set clear expectations about desired outcomes and let employees determine the best way to achieve them. Keeping the focus on performance results rather than rigid processes allows employees to leverage their strengths.

Fleet Application

• Which tasks within your fleet operations could benefit from shifting the focus from process compliance to outcome-driven accountability?
• How can you communicate clear maintenance or repair goals – such as first-time fix rates – in ways that motivate individual initiative and creativity?
• How can you define measurable outcomes (e.g., improved fleet safety or fuel efficiency) while allowing teams to innovate their approach?
• What outcomes could be defined for parts management staff that would reduce repair delays without dictating every inventory process?
• Could assigning outcomes like “reduce turnaround time for critical repairs” allow technicians to find creative and efficient ways to achieve results?

3. Focus on strengths … not weaknesses.

Key Quote
“People don’t change that much. Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was left in. That is hard enough.”

The Big Idea
Great managers understand that building on an employee’s strengths is far more effective than trying to fix their weaknesses. By recognizing what their team members naturally do well and providing opportunities to enhance those strengths, great managers create an environment where employees thrive.

Fleet Application

• Are there shop supervisors who naturally excel at mentoring others? How could you assign them more coaching responsibilities to improve overall team performance?
• Which administrative tasks could you reassign to allow your most skilled technicians to spend more time on high-impact maintenance work?
• Do you have team members with strong organizational skills who could streamline parts management or service scheduling processes?
• What informal roles, such as “go-to” problem solvers or tech-savvy team members, could you formalize to improve shop productivity?
• What strengths have you observed among your team members that aren’t fully utilized in their current roles?

4. Find the right fit … not simply the next rung on the ladder.

Key Quote
“Help each person find a role that asks him to do more and more of what he is naturally wired to do. Help each person find a role where her unique combination of strengths – her skills, knowledge, and talents – match the distinct demands of the role.”

The Big Idea
Not everyone will excel in the same role, and great managers know how to position their team members in roles that fit their talents. This involves matching individuals to jobs and responsibilities that enable them to achieve their fullest potential – rather than forcing them into roles that don’t suit them.

Fleet Application

• How might cross-training opportunities help you to identify where your team members naturally perform best?
• What new positions could you create to better utilize the natural abilities of your high-performing team members?
• What tools or assessments could you use to evaluate whether shop technicians are ready to take on fleet-wide roles, such as training new hires or implementing process improvements?
• Are you considering an employee’s feedback when determining their next role, ensuring they’ll feel aligned with the job’s demands?
• When considering succession planning, how can you ensure that high-performing technicians aren’t pushed into management roles that don’t align with their strengths?

The Bottom Line
When you put the four keys into practice, you’ll build a stronger team, improve your fleet’s performance, and create a culture that attracts and retains the best talent.