The greatest leadership secret in the world is not a secret at all to the best performers in the industry. This secret to their success is their passionate pursuit to serve and satisfy their customers regardless of what it takes.
The best leaders have a compulsion for taking care of their customers and the employees they serve. This passion for serving the customer starts with a selfless attitude to do the right thing for other people.
Here are a few of the best practices of leaders in the automotive industry:
1. Purpose
The best leaders have a deep sense of purpose. They recognize that their job has meaning and that they can protect their customers from other dealers. In addition, they are great at communicating that vision to others to motivate them with a sense of mission that inspires the ordinary to do the extraordinary.
2. Passion
Great salespeople have a love for what they do and for the customer. Their enthusiasm is contagious and they get everyone around them excited about the dealership, their products and themselves. Enthusiasm is like a heater that spreads warmth throughout the entire dealership, and it can create an attitude of winning that is crucial for teams to succeed.
3. Belief
The best believe in themselves, the dealership and the products they sell. This belief will shine through in everything you do. Do you really believe your product is the absolute best in the market? Do you believe your dealership has the most to offer? Do you believe in yourself and your desire and ability to serve your customers during and after the sale? If your belief is strong, it will help you shine through the difficult moments.
4. Attitude
Leaders with a great attitude are more productive than people with a negative attitude. Customers and fellow employees want to be around someone with a positive attitude. If you want to change your behavior you have to change your attitude.
5. Good Thinking
Great leaders have great thinking. The best leaders focus on the positive opportunities and people around them. If you think positively, you will feel and behave positively. You are what you think; therefore, you should watch how you think.
6. Circle of Control
Leaders realize that it is a waste of time to focus a lot of time and energy thinking or complaining about things outside of their circle of control. The most effective leaders spend most of their time and energy focusing on what they can change. If we recognize a problem and focus on the solutions we can take action on, then we are being more effective.
7. Constant Improvement
The best become the best because they are always seeking ways to become better. It surprises me that average people are usually content with who they are and what they are doing while the above-average performers are always seeking to grow and improve. Pride is the enemy of progress because average people focus on why they are so great; great people are always trying to reach above and beyond the average. No one is perfect, and some people use this as an excuse for being complacent and not trying to go to the next level.
8. Eager Student
The most progressive leaders are always learning and growing. People who have an open mind and seek new and better ways to do things drive progress. If you ask the right people the right questions, you will get the right answers. When people first start in their job, their attitude is positive and they are eager to study, learn and grow. Unfortunately, after a little time goes by some of us can believe the myth that we have “figured it all out.” The fact is, success is a journey and not a destination — and the most productive leaders are always learning.
9. Process
People who follow a clearly defined process are usually more effective than those who do not. If someone has a lot of natural talent and performs well without a process, he or she will normally perform even better with a process. When a dealership has a clearly defined process for how they handle all of their customers, they can deliver a constant positive experience for their customers on the showroom, service isle, phone, Internet, follow up and more. The best leaders define their process by focusing on how customers buy rather than on how they like to sell. What would you like your customers to experience when they shop, buy or service their vehicle at your dealership?
10. Execution
In the end, results are what matter and the best leaders establish positive habits that lead to positive results because they execute. There are a lot of talented people in the car business and the one thing that separates the good from the great is their ability to execute day in and day out to get the job done over the long term.
By following these leadership principles and approaches, I hope you not only make more money, but make a real difference in your life and the lives of the people you serve.
Sean Wolfington
