Don't promote and forget if you want to grow your dealership!

Recently a LinkedIn post caught my attention, it was about one of the most common mistakes bosses make and that is ignoring the people who are doing the best work because “they don’t need me” or “I don’t want to micromanage.” I thought to myself we should also be careful not to forget those whom we believed in enough to promote them as well.

Many great employees have earned a promotion and then failed to live up to the same level of greatness and either left for another opportunity or stepped back down but never recover the fire they once had inside.

As a salesperson at a dealership early in my career, I was once denied a promotion to the Assistant Manager (Closer) position because my GSM feared losing his top performer. Frustrated and undervalued, I decided to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Little did I know that this journey would lead me to discover the importance of ongoing training for managers in our industry. 

When the time came for me to give my notice, the GSM's reaction was nothing short of explosive. He went ballistic, telling me I would fail without his guidance and come crawling back. But little did he know that I had already found a mentor who believed in me. This mentor became my guiding light, providing the support and training I needed to thrive in my new role.

Through this experience, I discovered a fundamental truth: leadership may come naturally to some, but management is a skill that must be learned. As I transitioned into my new position, I quickly realized that being a manager meant more than just being a top performer. It required a whole new set of skills and perspectives. Thankfully, my mentor was there every step of the way, ensuring I understood the intricacies of my new role and had the support I needed to succeed.

As the automotive industry evolves, sales teams are no longer just order-takers. The focus has shifted to building strong teams and delivering exceptional customer experiences. But while we invest time and resources in training our salespeople, service writers, and parts counter staff, we often forget about the training needs of our managers. They are the ones responsible for leading our front-line teams to success, especially as the competition heats up.

Investing in focused training for managers reaps numerous benefits. It enhances their understanding of their role, equipping them with the skills needed to tackle challenges, foster teamwork, and inspire their team members. Effective training helps managers develop crucial communication and decision-making abilities, enabling them to navigate complex situations with confidence. Moreover, by prioritizing managerial training, we foster a culture of growth and development within our organizations, boosting employee morale and engagement.

Here are just a few tips for providing ongoing training for promoted employees:

• Identify the needs of your employees: The first step is to identify the training needs of your promoted employees. This can be done by conducting a needs assessment.
• Provide training that is relevant and timely: The training you provide should be relevant to the roles of your promoted employees. It should also be timely so that it is relevant to the current challenges and opportunities facing your business.
• Make training accessible: The training you provide should be accessible to your promoted employees. This means that it should be offered at times that are convenient for them and in a format that they can understand.
• Provide opportunities for feedback: It is important to provide opportunities for your promoted employees to provide feedback on the training they receive. This feedback can help you to improve the quality of your training programs.

Remember a promotion by itself isn't a guarantee that your team member will succeed for themselves or for the team as a whole, be sure to support and provide the training and tools they need in their new roles!