I recently had a tripod set up in my office working on a video for a proposal for the NADA convention. Not being satisfied with it after several takes, I decided to let it rest a few days before coming back to finish. Rather than put the tripod away I just left it standing in the middle of the office.

For several days all I did was walk around it. It would have taken little or no effort to set it aside and out of the way. But nope, I just kept walking around it.

It finally dawned on me that’s what some weak leaders do. They know they have a problem or issue and they just keep walking around it. Day after day, month after month, they just keep walking around the issues.

They listen to complaints about it, moan about it, but do
nothing to fix the problem. One of the privileges of being in an upper leadership position is you have the power. You have the power to fix anything you want to fix.

This is especially true if you are the dealer, owner-operator or general manager. In most situations the only person you answer to is yourself. You have the power, which is often equated to you have the money to fix anything you want to fix.

Real leaders fix things. Real leaders move obstacles. Real leaders don’t walk around problems. They attack them, fix them and move on to “next.”

Maybe it’s time you started moving the obstacles that are creating the roadblocks that are affecting your team’s progress.

That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

It’s hard for me to fathom someone being successful in the automobile business without being passionate about it.

I can’t think of any business where being passionate is as important as in the automobile business.I see a number of people in the business that aren’t passionate, yet they appear to be having some element of success.

Their success has nothing to do with being passionate; it’s a result of being in a good set of circumstances.

A good set of circumstances would be the right product, at the right time, in the right market. I have to wonder how much more successful they would be if somewhere along the way a rocket of passion had been lit under them?

Organizations like Zappos, Starbucks, and Apple will point to the passion of their employees as a driving force in the culture, which contributes greatly to their success.

People and organizations don’t necessarily fail because they are stupid or don’t know what to do. They fail because of the lack of passion. Passion is not something that can actually be taught.

I’d love to hold a workshop on passion, but I doubt it can be done. Besides, most people wouldn’t feel they need a workshop on passion. They think they already have it. The reality is that many don’t.

I can show you what passion looks like. I do my workshops with great passion. You won’t agree with everything I say, but you will agree that I do it with great passion.

Passion is created when you’re doing something you love to do. The problem is some people are doing what they do for a check.

Passion is multiplied in any organization by finding like-minded people. Passionate leadership will establish standards that are of the Ritz Carlton/Disney type.

These standards have to be fed to the masses every day by the passionate ones to the extent that people either eat it or move on. If passion scares non-believers away, how can that be a bad thing? You should expect people to become believers and if they can’t, then it’s time to make a change.

If you’re not passionate about this business, maybe you’re in the wrong business. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs

I’m in lots and lots of dealerships over the course of a month’s time. I’m not always in them as a consultant, speaker, trainer or coach. I’m in so many dealerships because I’m shopping them.

I love shopping dealerships. I’m betting I shop more dealerships in a month than most people shop in a year.

I shop the biggest of the big and the smallest of the small. The number one issue I observe, regardless of size, is the lack of activity by the sales staff.

It’s not just that they don’t wait on me in a timely manner. It’s that they are standing around doing nothing. Standing around waiting for something to happen, rather than making something happen.

30 years ago we struggled with keeping the sales people busy and productive. A lot has changed the last 30 years. Not much has changed the last 30 years.

But guess what? All those people standing around doing nothing? It’s not their fault. It’s your fault. You’re the boss. It’s okay to be the boss. Just don’t be bossy. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

1. How much do I know?
2. Am I still learning?
3. Am I doing all I can do?
4. Am I restricting the team?
5. Am I giving the team the things they need to get the job done?
6. Am I seeking input from the team?
7. Am I being “loyal foolish?”
8. Has my thinking gotten stale?
9. Am I investing in myself and the team?
10. Do I believe in what I’m doing?

That’s all I’m gonna ask, Tommy Gibbs

One of the things you often hear leaders talking about is operating at a higher standard. Leaders are constantly pushing the theme to the troops in one message after another.

What some leaders fail to realize is that in order for the team to operate at a higher standard, the leader has to operate at a higher standard. As the leader’s standards improve or erode, so goes the team.

The standard setting by the leader is often the missing piece when it comes to growing and developing the team’s culture, progress and esprit de corps.

The standards you are setting are a culmination of the decisions you make each day. From the simplest decisions of just being nice, to the more difficult ones like resolving a conflict with customers and/or team members.

Holding yourself to a higher standard means ensuring that you are productive and making things happen today. A great motto to keep in mind is “speed of the boss, speed of the crew.”

On the other hand, if you’re the sort of leader that goes around telling others to make something happen, all you’re doing is creating hate and discontent. If you’re going to talk-the-talk, then you better walk-the-walk.

97% of people and organizations operated at average or below standards. To be part of the 3% of the elite who are operating at a higher standard, then you need to demand excellence of yourself. Only when you demand a higher standard of excellence of yourself will the organization begin to move toward the top 3%.

If you were writing a book on higher standards and each chapter was a day-by-day account of the standards you set, would you want to include today as a chapter in your book? That’s all I’m gonna ask, Tommy Gibbs

We often read and hear about courage as it applies to heroic acts during war, when people are dealing with pain, or dangerous circumstances. The term is also loosely tossed around in the world of sports. Depending on one’s point of view, those may all very well be true.

I like to think of courage in business in a couple of ways.

1. Courage is doing the right thing when it’s easy to do the wrong thing. Courage means taking a stand even when sometimes taking a stand is not the most popular thing. Never forget it’s not about who is right, but what is right.

2. Courage is the willingness to stick your head above the fence once in a while knowing full well someone’s going to throw a rotten tomato in your face. It’s a willingness to try something different. It’s a willingness to get out of your comfort zone. It’s a willingness to accept harsh criticism.

Sometimes I tell you stuff that I know you’re not going to like. Sometimes I poke my head above the fence. Sometimes you throw a rotten tomato at me. If nothing else I’ll help your improve your aim. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs

Being able to inspire people can be complex and tricky. There are times when people in leadership positions actually un-inspire their team more than they inspire.

Even with good intentions, we often overthink whatever it is we’re trying to improve. Keeping it simple and real is always the best approach.

“A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.” Harvey Mackay.

Keeping It Simple:

1. Challenge them with reasonable objectives. Not too easy, not too hard. The key is the objectives have to be achievable. Achieved success will lead to even greater achievements. Success breeds success. It’s great to be an optimist. It’s even greater to be a “realistic optimist.” Tossing out “pie in the sky” numbers doesn’t challenge people; it defeats them and they eventually just ignore them.

2. Show encouragement by leading from the front and pushing from the rear. Cheer and cheer some more. There’s nothing better than a pat on the back or a double high five to get ’em going and keep ’em going. Sometimes you have to show them “how” and sometimes you coach them “how.”

3. Watch what you say and how you say it. Saying the right things, in the right way, at the right time can do wonders. Choose your words carefully. Remember the whole world is watching and listening to everything you say and do.

4. Show them that you care in a sincere way. It has to be real. There’s nothing more powerful than a leader that truly cares. You either care or you don’t. You can’t fake it.

I’m pulling for you, that’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

Could it be your missing piece? Almost all businesses have a multitude of personalities within the company. Nowhere is that more evident than in an automobile dealership.

One of the hardest things for leaders to do is to make a mental connection with those they serve. You as a leader serve others. You should not think of those hard working team players as serving you.

Often the most challenging situation is that of 2nd and 3rd generation leaders or dealers. The father or grandfather that started the business was most likely someone who grinded it out. Started from scratch and along the way they figured out that they had to connect to the staff or else they didn’t have a chance.

The generation that is now in charge struggles because so many of the inherited team members are comparing the “new guard” to the leadership of the past.

For the current generation of leadership the deck is stacked from day one. As the 2nd and 3rd generation dealers have come on board, the personality trait of connecting to the troops can be a bit illusive. It’s not just 2nd and 3rd generation leaders who struggle with connecting. It happens throughout the chain of command.

10 Tips For Connecting:

1. Accept and embrace the leadership of the past.
2. What did they do that you can learn from?
3. It’s ok to be “you.”
4. It is never ok to put yourself above others.
5. Connect and at the same time stay grounded. Your ego will doom you.
6. Connecting takes time. Give others some time.
7. Everyone brings something good to the table. It’s up to you as a leader to figure it out.
8. Listen. Listen some more. Listen to some more than others. But listen to all.
9. Don’t be afraid to implement the ideas of others. You’re not as smart as you think you are and others are a lot smarter than you think.
10. Connecting is a full time job. Don’t think for a minute that you can talk the talk for 30 days and it’s done. You have to walk the walk every day. People can spot a phony in a heartbeat.

Don’t be a phony. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

Winning or losing? That’s easy to answer. Of course it’s winning. We all want to win. Winning with character and remaining humble is often the challenge.

A week ago the University of Kentucky saw their hopes for an undefeated season come to a halt. They finished 38-1, best record in college basketball for the year, but didn’t win the National title.

When I was the head football coach at Frederick Military Academy, I lived by Vince Lombardi’s quote, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” That thought process has followed me throughout my life’s journey. I hate losing at anything.

When you’re in the moment, in the heat of the battle, winning can consume you. Winning in sports is very important. The reality is losing may be even more so.

You lose your job, you lose loved ones, you lose opportunities, you lose money, you lose a business. Life is about winning and losing. It’s important to know how to handle both.

You never want losing to become a habit. But, losing teaches you to dust yourself off, go back to work, get better and make things better.

The University of Kentucky won 38 games this year. I’m sure they learned a lot from winning. But, the most valuable lessons they learned may very well have been from the one loss.

In some people’s eyes that one loss will define their team for a lifetime. The reality is how they as individuals handle the loss is what will shape and define their lives for the real life that’s ahead of them. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs

Woody Hayes’ (the legendary coach of Ohio State University) career was cut short because he punched a Clemson University player on the Ohio State sideline.

Coach Hayes once said, “Paralyze resistance with persistence.” Regardless of what you think about Coach Hayes, you have to give him credit for a very powerful statement.

Change, continuous improvement, and daily disciplines are often met with resistance. Resistance is not a generational thing, it’s just a thing. It’s a thing that’s always been present. It’s been around since the caveman.

There are always strange forces of nature at work. Resistance is the force of nature against persistence. We’ve all seen very talented people fall flat on their faces because of a lack of persistence. Talented people will often resist having to be accountable. They like doing their own thing. The lack of discipline is a close cousin of resistance.

Persistence can be a two edged sword. We’ve all known sales people who drove us nuts. They bug you to death and work you until your nerves are on edge. But, the bottom line is they were persistent. Persistence wins over time and persistence will sell lots of cars.

There is always room for improvement and you should never be satisfied…and you should never let them be satisfied. Becoming satisfied leads to complacency.

To keep the “boogie man of complacency” away, you as a leader have to be persistent in all things that have been deemed to be important to the success of the organization. It is so easy to lose persistence. Being persistent is not something you do once in a while. It is something that has to be done every minute of every day.

Discipline is the twin brother of persistence. Discipline is what carries you through the down moments; those moments when you want to throw your hands in the air and say the heck with it.

I like to think of persistence as always staying after it regardless of your current state of mind. Being highly motivated can come and go. Even when you are not feeling all that motivated you can still remain persistent.

Being persistent means have intestinal fortitude and a willingness to grind it out regardless of the obstacles that keep coming your way. Think of obstacles as just bugs on a windshield. Persistence is the windshield wiper. Wipe ’em off and keep digging.

The enemy is resistance. Your sword is persistence. Fight the good fight. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs