“So you’re the Dealer Principal contestant on the television show, Are you smarter than a 5th Grader. And host Jeff Foxworthy presents you with this final sixth grade question for one million dollars: Name the most important tool that dealerships can use in the 21st century to achieve a sustainable advantage in their marketplace. What would your answer be? If it isn’t COMMUNICATION, then you have to look into the television camera and say, “I may be a Dealer Principal, but I’m definitely not smarter than a 5th grader.”
This is a excerpt from the article “D” is for DISMAL by Pamela Devillon, Freelance journalist. To read the entire article click here.
PDPAuto TIPS:
In order to avoid a DISMAL culture with no meaningful levels of communication or engagement, so far we have shared:
TIP #1: Listen to empathize and understand
TIP #2: Don’t Let Conflicts Create Obstacles
TIP #3: Remember The Golden Rule Begins with a verb
TIP #4: Don’t Let Distractions Destroy Communication
Here is TIP#5:
Sheep Don’t Innovate
A Dealer Principal recently asked me why he wasn’t getting bombarded with creative ideas for improving his business from rank and file workers. “Simple,” I said. “Sheep don’t innovate.”
In this particular automotive organization, the general feeling I had after one week of assessing their performance was that the majority of employees had resigned themselves to a This is nothing more than a J-0-B mentality. One service consultant put it this way: “Why bother suggesting anything when no one really listens?”
And while the brutal truth shocked that Dealer Principal, he listened to the message. Don’t just hire people to fill slots on your payroll sheet. Give them autonomy to do what they do best as well as a forum for advancing their innovative recommendations for organizational improvement.
Click here to check out this article To Foster Innovation, Connect Coworkers Who Share Aspirations.
Stay Tuned for Tip #6 – arriving in your inbox on 9/22/16!
PDPAuto: WE DRIVE RESULTS THROUGH IMPROVED COMMUNICATION & PERFORMANCE
TIP #1: Listen to empathize and understand