There are many people who benefit from the work of fleet management experts, every day, across a multitude of industries. Here's the soft skills you need as fleet manager.
There are many people who benefit from the work of fleet management experts, every day, across a multitude of industries. The behind the scenes nature of the job and the skills needed to succeed, make fleet experts the silent heroes of industry. If you’re considering a career in fleet management - here are a few of the softer skills you’ll need to own to tackle this job head on.
Be a multi-tasker master
As a fleet expert you are constantly juggling a variety of demands from drivers, management and suppliers. The art is not dropping the ball and being able to multitask: ensuring all vehicles comply with current fleet legislation, sustaining driver and road user safety, ensuring the business runs effortlessly towards its business objectives - all while generating profit.
While multitasking will improve with age and experience, having the ability to manage different tasks at once is vital to ensure drivers, trucks and suppliers are all satisfied.
Be an effective communicator
The life force of any business and the single most important skill any manager could hope to have, is the ability to communicate well.
Fleet experts will need to hone in on improving their communication skills – both oral and written and electronic. They will need to have the ability to conceptualise ideas and then communicate them clearly – at all levels of management. It’s a vital part of the fleet manager’s role to be able to translate the business needs to its drivers – and vice versa.
Be a good listener
Communication is a two-way street and it is important for fleet experts to listen to their teams so that know what their daily challenges are and how they might help them. A good listener is open to differing perspectives and new ideas.
Being a people business - there are many different personalities and levels of management a fleet expert will deal with, so being a good listener is one of the most important softer skills to have.
Adapt to change
Fleet experts have to come to terms with the fact that their career will be ever changing and that they themselves, as well as their teams, need to be adaptable. New technology and legislation means they must be able to not only keep up with the pace of change, but be ahead of the game.
Over the past few years the fleet industry has changed dramatically – notably within the areas of safety, big data and smart telematic systems.
Fleet experts must be willing to stay abreast of new technologies and constantly look to the future – preparing themselves for what might be coming.
Being a leader everyone wants to follow
A great fleet manager is able to lead and coach drivers - motivating a team toward a common purpose or vision. Effective leadership starts with being a team player and often the most successful fleet managers are willing to dive right in to a variety of job requirements.
They are able to submerge themselves into all of the aspects of the fleet – whether maintenance, safety, compliance or driver training – taking charge and leading multiple people and projects, across various departments and disciplines, towards the business objectives and goals.
In summary, to become a fleet expert and find success in the industry one needs to be able to display a diverse communication skill set, be a strong and proficient leader, and be abreast of developments adapting accordingly to become a leader in an ever-evolving industry.
Have a question you'd like to ask our community of experts? Click below:
