It used to be enough to be the sharpest voice in the room. The one who knew the numbers, called the shots, and made sure the team “knew who was boss.”
But the modern dealership does not respond to that kind of leadership the way it once might have. In fact, we have seen it push good people away. So leadership in the modern dealership is required.
Today’s top performers do not want a commander — they want a coach.
Someone who is in it with them. Someone who listens. Someone who earns their respect through action, not just tenure.
Leadership in 2025 is not about being the loudest, or the first to point out what went wrong. It is about creating an environment where people feel safe to improve, where wins are shared, and where the bar is high but at the same time, fair.
We have collaborated with leaders across the country who have made that shift. It did not happen overnight, and it did not come from a PowerPoint deck.
It came from reflection, feedback, and the decision to lead with intention.
They started asking more questions and giving fewer orders. They spend more time coaching after the heat of the moment. They showed up at morning meetings ready to listen, not just talk.
And they built cultures where people wanted to stay; not because they had to, but because they felt part of something worth committing to.
The hardest thing about leadership today?
You must earn it every day.
You do not get to rely on your job title. Not today, when the industry is shifting, customer expectations are rising, and staff have more options than ever before.
But that is also the opportunity.
Because when you lead with clarity, humility, and purpose, people follow. And that’s when performance becomes sustainable.
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