A good friend of mine who was the head diesel mechanic (best mechanic in the shop) at a Ford dealer for many years was promoted to the shop foreman. I think it's long overdue. He really knows his stuff and does excellent work. He was getting a little tired of some of the BS going on and even looking at going into another line of work. Now he can run the shop like it should be run. I'm really happy for him.
I wish your friend the best. I hope it works out well. Unfortunately, the attributes that make him a good mechanic are not necessary in the skill set for being a good shop foreman, and the skill set necessary for being a good shop foreman are seldom found in a good mechanic. Your friend's biggest challenge goes from real, hard, definable skills to the soft skills of managing people, both customers and employees. One of the big fallicies in business is the best person at a job is the best candidate to become the supervisor. Skill sets are often totally different.
Yep have to agree with terex herder! Many years before I retired my boss at that time told me he was looking to give me a promotion to shop boss. I told him straight out thanks but no thanks! He asked me why, so I told him I have no trouble explaining why I did something but no way I want to be spending 90% of my time explaining why eight people did what they did! He said he understood and never gave me any crap for what I said
The only way being a shop "King" works is if all ownership and or management supports every decision you make 100%. Including if you wish to give everyone under you, next friday off paid, or what ever other unpopular decision it is you make.
I think after working there for many years and seeing a lot of the BS he has the best understanding of what he would like in a foreman so tries to be that person. Despite is wrenching prowess I think his biggest asset is he is very likeable and easy going. I can't see him blowing up at someone unless they really screwed up and he doesn't play favorites. He's more likely to step in and help someone out before they mess up. I think he'll get a lot of respect from the other people in the shop. He changed the distributor in my water truck lining the timing up with old one and had it changed in literally 5 minutes. I was walking to my shop to get a different wrench but he managed to get the bolt lose and had the new distributor bolted in and the plug wires attached before I got back. He makes things look so easy.