Do You Inspire Your Employees?

Do you actively seek out ways to inspire your employees? If you don’t, you should start doing just that … as soon as possible. Think about it: as a dealer, you can’t just tell a person to be inspired and enthusiastic about their job and expect it to instantly happen. They need to be inspired first … by you!

 

As Roy H. Williams, the famous Wizard of Ads, so eloquently puts it … People inhale inspiration and exhale enthusiasm. They cannot give you enthusiasm until you give them inspiration.

Whether or not you want to admit it, there most likely are people at your dealership right now who feel stuck in their careers and severely lack motivation. When this happens to any employee, it is only natural that they become dissatisfied with their position, and a bad attitude soon follows.

 

So how do you begin to turn things around? While there isn’t any one single way to motivate every employee (because each one has their different personalities and things that make them tick), one thing is for sure: the blend of motivation and enthusiasm is what makes a group of employees great. These things yield more productivity because the employees are focused and work harder; and the trickle-down effect means improved employee retention and, ultimately, more satisfied customers. The logical next question is … what are some of the things that can inspire your workforce to be its best? Here are some ideas on how to inspire your employees.

 

Get to know them. Employees respond positively to leaders who understand them and sincerely care about their well-being. Frequently taking a few minutes to speak to each employee one-on-one makes them feel appreciated.

 

Be actively involved … but not too much. If you were aware of what was happening with each of your employees, you’d know what it would take to get each of them to the next level as business professionals. At the same time, once you’ve activated these new tools, get out of the way and let them flourish; but be there for them as a coach every now and then when they need encouragement or assistance.

 

Earn their trust. Being transparent with your employees goes a long way toward getting them to trust you. In addition, when they know you believe in them, they’ll believe in you. Before you know it, you’ll have their trust – and their respect, too!

 

Set the example for them. The old “do as I say, not as I do” adage rarely works. Your employees are looking to you to set the example and will take cues from you. Whether or not you want this to be the case, it’s absolutely true; you set the tone for the entire dealership in terms of work ethic and overall values.

 

Make sure there are clear opportunities for advancement. It’s difficult to become motivated if you perceive you’re in a dead-end job. If you find someone who’s smart and works hard, you need to cultivate those qualities – because that person’s a keeper! Show him/her ways they can move up the ladder, and they’ll have a goal to shoot for.

 

Money Isn’t Everything!

Remember, not every employee is motivated by money alone. While money is certainly a tantalizing carrot for your commissioned folks, not everyone at car dealerships has that pay structure. But regardless of how your employees are paid, those who are motivated for the right reasons are the best employees – and therefore, they’re also the best representatives for your dealership.

 

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.