Please read this article. This is not a political message.
Well, like him or dislike him Barack Obama is our new President Elect. He has a Vision for the country. The proof in the pudding will be if he can execute his vision. Can he communicate it so it becomes real? Does he have the people in place to pull it off?
Now let’s talk about you…in business, a vision refers to the superordinate objective or goal of an organization or enterprise. The development and communication of a Vision Statement is a key aspect of adopting a systematic approach to strategic management. In the automobile business we need to be able to communicate “how” our organization can fulfill our Vision.
2009 is almost here and the question is, have you done some strategic planning or does your plan consist of what expenses can you cut next? If you have a plan in place for next year, the key will be if you can execute it.
There has never been a time when it is so important to have the best players in place. Your vision/strategic plan won’t take you very far if you have the wrong people. If you have the right people, pay them well and hold them accountable. Ask more of them than you ever have. The right people will rise to the occasion.
Dealers that are doing well right now are those that many years ago had a vision of what their Fixed and Used Operations should be. They knew that in tough times, Fixed and Used would carry them. Truer words were never spoken. It is not too late to right your ship, but you cannot keep talking about it. Evaluate your people, evaluate yourself, and evaluate your processes. Find something to believe in and do it well. When Vince Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers, he did not have a lot of plays, but he and his team believed in the ones they ran, and they ran them very well.
Jim Valvano, the great coach at North Carolina State University, who won the 1983 NCAA National Basketball Championship against very high odds, said there are three things you should do everyday:
- Pray
- Cry
- Laugh
He also said “never ever give up.”
That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs