This time of year, we are all reminded to take stock and reflect on the year now nearly behind us. Generally speaking, a year in reflection involves reminiscing about the highs and lows.
Those interested in career development also take time to reflect, both personally and professionally. It's an important practice that helps us improve our skills, make better decisions and grow in our careers.
A long time ago, I had a boss. Let's call him Doug, He was heavily interested and invested in my success. He never said those words, per se, but he didn't have to. His interest in my success was apparent — not just because my success was the business's success, but it also was part of his success.
He was a true leader and one day, he said, “Randy, if you ever wonder why some things aren’t quite right or are happening around you that you don’t like or appreciate, you need to remember that we reward what we appreciate and deserve what we tolerate."
That took a while to sink in, but since then it has long been one of my favorite phrases; I’m passing it along to you.
Doug was so passionate about success, there was rarely a week that passed by that I wasn't getting coached. In my early days running a single-location dealership, his preferred method was to show up at the shop, usually unannounced, and take me for a ride and a meal.
As I branched out to overseeing multiple locations, the in-person lunch dates were replaced by 6 a.m. phone calls. Doug knew my schedule and knew when I would likely be on the road, traveling to a store. He was not only making sure my tail was in gear, but that I learned to make the most of my windshield time to, from and between locations.
He also would make sure whatever message it was he wanted to convey was said three times. It used to bug the heck out of me, but it was intentional, and today I appreciate that intentionality.
Valuable lessons emerged from his feedback. I recognize that not everyone gets to look back, reflect upon and appreciate guys like Doug. He's a big part of the reason I was able to find success in our industry. (Thank you, Doug!)
As a business leader and as an employee, it's imperative to have those conversations together. Ideally, I recommend, at minimum, "a year in review," where these conversations intentionally trickle through the org chart so that each and every team member has a conversation relative to their performance and how the learnings apply to the year ahead.
If this type of culture doesn't exist at your dealership, there's nobody stopping you, as an employee, from requesting this type of conversation with your leader. Ask your boss out to lunch. See what happens.
If your boss is any type of leader, he or she will not only make time for the conversation, but will greatly appreciate and likely reward your initiative. If that type of conversation can't or won't be had, you can try and find a fellow colleague who might be interested in opening up to help you reflect. Bare minimum, this will help your relationships on the job, while giving you some insights from a colleague that can help you reflect and grow.
The fact is, by and large, our industry does a terrible job with feedback and reviews. And “terrible” is putting it lightly. None of us are stuck with that. You can change it. You don't need to wait for someone else to build the system. Take charge and build your own — if not for your team, then at least for yourself.
Structured and timely feedback sessions should be an absolute must, but they don't need to be as structured as you think. Doug’s model of regular and unscheduled feedback sessions, both on the road and as he ate some of my French fries during our lunches, remains extremely effective.
At the end of the day — or in this case, the end of the year — those who appreciate the purpose and value of timely and intentional feedback get the reward. Those who don't shouldn't be upset while they're tolerating what they deserve. So again, you reward what you appreciate and deserve what you tolerate. What will you do to open up the lines of communication at your dealership in the new year?
