Why are strong managers essential in today’s dealership model?
The saying “managing by walking around” can be very influential to the team and have a significant positive impact on belonging, caring and getting to know your people. I was fortunate to have a Dept leader during one of my Toyota HQ rotations (in Distribution Ops), and the boss would frequently walk through the department, randomly stopping at a desk and inquiring what the associate was working on, and frankly, learning more about the inner workings himself. Some could think of it as spying, but it was far different. He was getting to know his team at all levels and gauging their thoughts and insights, even beyond their specific job. Then later in bigger meetings or month-end sessions, he would reference some of these sit-downs, things he learned, or recognize his team’s contributions. He was a boss that people wanted to work for and felt comfortable sharing information with him.
What have you learned about leadership that every dealer principal should embrace today?
These core principles can work well within all dealerships – listen to your customer, practice and live your core values, and ultimately respect for people. I always appreciated a Dealer Principal who frequently observed their business from the customer’s eyes. These can be all facets of the operation, such as getting there early to observe the customer line at service, listening to the ASM’s interaction in person and on the phone, monitoring F&I team practices and customer interactions and walking up to customers in the reception or service waiting area. Each interaction allows them to hear validation or if necessary, opportunities for change or improvement and emit a sense of pride in the business and the team.
