Learn how moving company owners can improve employee feedback, reduce repeated mistakes, build trust, and manage different personality types more effectively.

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Ryan Englin, CEO of Core Matters, explains how moving company owners can give better feedback, separate people problems from process problems, and hold crews accountable through clear communication, trust, and commitment.

Most moving company problems are not just “people problems.” Many are communication, trust, training, and accountability problems.

If your crews keep repeating mistakes, your managers avoid hard talks, or employees shut down when corrected, the issue may be your management system.

This playbook will help you give better feedback, hold movers accountable, and adjust your communication based on personality type.

How Do You Give Feedback Without Crushing the Crew?

Moving crews are often tired, hot, and mentally drained after a job. But waiting too long to address problems can make the conversation harder.

The better approach is to stay close to real time, but start with questions.

“Always be curious.”

Instead of saying, “You damaged this,” ask questions like:

• What were the challenges today? Let the crew talk first.
• What went well? Start with their view of the job.
• I got a customer call. Tell me more. Ask before assuming.
• What support did you need? Look for training, tool, or process gaps.

This helps you learn if the problem was carelessness, lack of training, bad equipment, unclear expectations, or something else. If communication breakdowns keep showing up on jobs, a moving company communication playbook can help you make expectations clearer before the crew leaves the shop.

Quick Win

Today, ask one crew leader after a job: “What went well, what was hard, and what should we fix before the next job?” Write down one improvement.

How Do You Know If It Is a People Problem or a Process Problem?

Before blaming the mover, inspect the system. A good employee with no clear process can still look like a poor performer. For repeated mistakes, learning how to scale a moving company with processes can help you turn training into something crews can actually follow.

If an employee makes a mistake that costs money, think of it as an investment in training unless it was theft, dishonesty, negligence, or an integrity issue.

Firing too fast can waste the lesson. Coaching the right person can create your return.

How Do You Hold Movers Accountable Without Just Writing Them Up?

Accountability is not the same as rule following. You can only hold someone accountable when they clearly understands and commits to the standard.

This matters with serious rules like no phone use while driving a moving truck.

Use This Commitment Script

1. Review the policy: Go line by line if needed.
2. Ask what it means: Have the employee explain it back.
3. Ask for commitment: “Are you committed to following this?”
4. Document it: Make sure it is clear and written.
5. Follow up fast: If it happens again, ask why they broke the commitment.

This changes the conversation from “you broke a rule” to “you committed to this and did not follow through.” If standards keep slipping after training, a system to keep crews on standard can help you connect expectations, follow-up, and consequences without guessing.

That is a stronger and clearer management conversation.

How Should You Communicate With Different Personality Types?

Not every employee receives feedback the same way. Some want direct correction. Some need reassurance. Some need a checklist.

The podcast discussed personality traits using the DISC profile idea.

• High dominant: Be direct. Get to the issue and the fix.
• High extrovert: They want to know they are liked. Balance correction with relationship.
• High steadiness: Give clear steps and checklists.
• High conformity: Be clear, specific, and fact-based.

The same “compliment sandwich” will not work for everyone. Some people appreciate it. Others see it as avoiding the real issue. When feedback turns defensive, conflict resolution for moving companies can give you a better way to slow the conversation down and get back to the facts.

Your job as a moving company owner is to adjust the message so the employee can actually hear it.

How Do You Build More Trust With Your Team?

Employees often hide problems for two reasons: they do not trust the response, or they do not want to look incompetent.

If your team only tells you “everything is good,” that does not always mean everything is good.

Trust is built when employees know they can bring mistakes, problems, and personal challenges without being attacked right away. If you want that trust to last beyond one conversation, moving company culture that keeps good movers is the next layer to build.

• Ask before judging: Get their side first.
• Separate behavior from the person: Correct the action, not their worth.
• Notice the personal side: People bring home stress to work.
• Be consistent: Give feedback regularly, not only when something is wrong.

Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, was mentioned as a useful resource for understanding trust inside teams.

Common Mistakes

• Waiting too long: If you avoid feedback for weeks or months, the employee may not even know there is a problem.
• Assuming bad intent: A mistake may come from poor training, missing tools, or no documented process.
• Using one communication style: Different personalities need different types of feedback.

How to Apply This This Week

1. Pick one repeated crew issue: Choose one problem that keeps happening.
2. Check the process: Ask if the process is written, trained, and reinforced.
3. Talk to one employee with curiosity: Ask what happened before correcting them.
4. Get clear commitment: For one important policy, have the employee explain it back and agree to it.
5. Schedule one short review: Give one employee feedback on what they do well and what to improve.

Tools like Fieldcon were discussed as a way to help managers run performance reviews, compare manager and employee assessments, create scripts, and document conversations with field employees.

This article was based on the conversation in “The role of personality traits in management - with Ryan Englin” from 2 College Brothers Moving & Storage. Watch the full video and visit their YouTube channel for the complete discussion.

What is Grow Your Moving Company Podcast?

Follow the host, Wade Swikle from 2 College Brothers Moving & Storage, Moving Titan Retreats, and Titan Up Training as he showcases successful moving companies from around the world and offers valuable insights on increasing revenue and operating efficiency. They aim to help the independent mover dominate their local market.