2
Showerthought: When the boss tried a no-talking rule at our bike shop
Our manager got this idea that if we all worked in silence, we would get more bikes fixed each day. He posted a sign that said 'Quiet Time' right above the repair stands. Have you ever tried to true a wheel without saying a word to the person next to you? We ended up waving tools around like we were playing charades. I once mimed needing a chain tool by pretending to pull links apart, and my coworker handed me a bottle of chain lube instead. The whole thing fell apart when a customer walked in and we all just stared at each other, not sure who should talk first. What did he think would happen, that bikes fix themselves?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
victorb512mo ago
That 'Quiet Time' sign above the repair stands, man, that takes me back. I get why your manager thought it would help, but I see it differently. Sometimes when you're deep in a fix, talking can break your focus, and a bit of quiet lets you hear the bike's problems better. Sure, the charades thing sounds funny, but maybe the rule just needed clearer signals or specific times for quiet. It's like, you need balance, not total silence, because bikes don't fix themselves, but neither do they need a committee meeting every bolt. In the end, communication is key, but so is knowing when to shut up and work.
5
ericfox2mo ago
Man, we tried that silent repair thing at my old shop too. Total mess. @victorb51 is right, you need balance, not a library. What finally worked for us was basic hand signals for a few key tools. One finger for a screwdriver, open palm for a rag, stuff like that. It cut down the chatter without turning us into mimes. You still gotta talk for the weird problems, but for the usual jobs, it kept the focus. Manager got his quiet, we got to work without the guessing games.
1