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Leading Winning Dealership Teams Cheat Sheet

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Leading Winning Dealership Teams C H E AT S H E E T While the specific challenges facing dealers continue to evolve, as the industry and customer expectations change, the best way for dealers to maintain a competitive advantage is building and leading a winning team capable of adapting whenever needed. Starting in the marketing and advertising department and working his way up through sales and eventually into management, Doug Fleming, general manager of Findlay Chevrolet, emphasizes that a willingness to embrace change is key for dealership leaders to be successful in 2022. In a recent episode of the Dealer Download with Ian Grace, Doug shared the following tips for being a great leader, as well as best practices for cultivating and inspiring winning dealership teams: 1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE Leadership takes many forms inside the dealership, from department heads to managers and team leads. But no matter what the dynamic – peer-to-peer or manager-to-employee – leading by example is what defines a true leader. Doug acknowledges there are many ways to lead; however, effective leaders lead by example, personifying the winning attributes they want to inspire in their teams. D O U G ' S A D V I C E Aside from confidence and humility, Doug says effective leaders need to be stable, calm and great listeners. "You have to be willing to change, and you have to be willing to be wrong. There are a lot of ways to lead, and you need to lead from all positions." 2. KEEP TEAMS CONNECTED In the modern dealership world, keeping teams connected isn't just important – it's a necessity. But with so many new faces, systems and strategies, sometimes teams can feel disconnected even while their tools bring them closer than ever. To combat this disconnect, Doug says communication is key, along with ensuring your team maintains a positive attitude – and a strong connection to each other. "Synergy is so important," he said. "With everyone working together, we're like spokes on a wheel." D O U G ' S A D V I C E Clear communication is key. Success starts with making every person know they matter, ensuring they understand the impact their department is having and how they're contributing to your overall goals. "People want to be involved. They want a clear path," said Doug. "They want to understand … They want to know 'what's in it for me?'" You're not a leader until you can produce leaders who produce leaders. One team, one dream, together everyone achieves more.

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