The Value of Management and Staff Development
Managers, you are the key to fostering employee growth.
In fact, I’ll state that management is the secret to the success of every process implementation and operational endeavor.
Consult any vendor. Consult your OEM representative. Nothing happens without active participation and managerial buy-in. Your GM gets angry because they can’t gain buy-in,” and the store doesn’t develop.
Employee development is driven by managers. Your client’s experience is created by them. They coach and develop your squad. The quality of your organization’s managers affects how well it performs.
Why, then, do you feel so left out? Do you receive the same level of training as the salespeople, BDC representatives, service advisors, etc. that you supervise? Do you have the skills necessary to help your team members succeed, or are you just a glorified babysitter?
The following four actions will help you develop as a manager and leader:
Prioritize both important and urgent tasks.
I hear that managers don’t have enough time to do their jobs all too frequently. You do have enough time, but you must set priorities and drop unimportant tasks.
There is no avoiding irate clients. The service drive cannot be stopped, so you can spend some time coaching your service advisers. You cannot control the sale of cars using a calendar schedule. They must be done immediately.
But significant things need to be given their due time. Important things frequently get overlooked in favor of everything else. Consider how you can organize the chaos in your day. Make time to attend to what is important.
Become personally acquainted
The adage “people buy from people” is common knowledge. Indeed, but there are also those who work for others. Establishing a personal and emotional connection with your team members is essential for coaching and encouraging them.
That does not obligate you to become close friends. It implies that you are aware of the motivations behind your employees’ employment. It implies that you are aware of their job goals. They must feel confident that you are making an effort to support them in achieving their objectives.
Do you understand why your staff members work at your shop? Do you know what drives them to succeed in the real world? Do you know what their goals are for the next two years? Learn more.
Make success-measuring scorecards.
You have to show me what success looks like if you want me to work for you. That goes beyond simply stating how many vehicles are ideal to sell or how many meetings your top BDC agent schedules.
Employees must comprehend the tasks they must complete in order to succeed. Activities produce outcomes. If you can convince your staff that doing tasks on a regular basis will lead to success, you’ll achieve the results you desire.
For a fresh hire vs. an experienced veteran who has been with you for 12 years, these tasks should differ. Make sure your scorecards have experience-based levels. An employee can always “promote” from one scorecard to another as they advance.
growth perspective
I questioned if you were obtaining the same amount of training as your staff earlier in this article. If not, you’re responsible. You have access to practically countless materials that can help you advance your managerial abilities.
You may improve your coaching and mentoring skills by using a variety of channels, including YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, leadership books, and communities. Spend some time using them.
A growth mindset is the conviction that there is always more to learn. You aren’t only managing your team by sitting back and leveraging expertise. You must always be on the lookout for chances to advance and develop.
Execute
Duh.
If you don’t put the following tasks into practice, they are all for naught. With excellent intentions, the road has been laid. Execution is what distinguishes real leaders from babysitters.
Everyone has the ability to make a deal. Your value does not lie in that. The development of your staff is the real reason you are where you are. Keep in mind that you are the difference between a failed and successful dealership.
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