After interviewing hundreds of candidates throughout my career, I've learned one important lesson:



Resumes tell you where someone has been. Conversations tell you where they're capable of going.



Instead of spending 45 minutes verifying a résumé, I've spent that time discovering the person.



I always wanted to know:



• What is their "Why"?

• How do they…

The automotive industry has invested heavily in technology, facilities, and processes. Yet one of the greatest opportunities to differentiate ourselves isn't found in a CRM or a showroom renovation.



It's hospitality or what I have always referred to as the “Wow Factor.”



In “Unreasonable Hospitality”, Will Guidara shares how…

When management leads from a place of mental ownership, the attitude becomes contagious throughout the organization and profitability, performance, growth, and fulfilling long-term strategic plans can become a reality.

Can you check ALL boxes to see if you possess an ownership mentality:

✔️ Are you proud of every aspect of the way the facility looks, all…

Culture is not simply developed by a plaque on the wall. It’s patterned by leadership behavior which is being watched all the time.



Your team doesn’t follow what you say in meetings. They follow what you tolerate, repeat, and personally model.



✔️ If you want accountability, be accountable.

✔️ If you want urgency, show urgency.

✔️ If you want respect, demonstrate it when it’s inconvenient.



The moment leaders stop acting…

Are your weekly managemnet meetings "Production KPI-Goal Focused", or "Asset Management KPI Focused"?



Or (hopefully) a combination of both?



While production KPIs focuses on the immediate impact on revenue, asset management KPIs focus on long term financial health.



Concentration on both produces long-term sustainable profitability.



For meeting time allocation, consider focusing 60%-70% on production KPI-Goals and 30%-40% on asset management…

“Servant leadership” has become a buzzword. Many leaders say they practice it, but few truly live it.



In its purest form, servant leadership flips the traditional leadership model upside down. Instead of people working to serve the leader, the leader works to serve their people. In a dealership environment, where culture, communication, and connection directly impact customer experience, this leadership style is critical.…

One of the biggest challenges we have all faced is avoiding the perpetual end of the month sales syndrome. Invariably, it seems as though a vast % of the months sales come down to the last few days of the month. A few thoughts on avoidance:



✔️ Set weekly goals instead of monthly goals

✔️ Use of daily score boarding

✔️ Early bird pay plan…

When your dealership implements projects or initiatives to improve productivity, improve CSI, or respond to industry dynamics, it requires changes. Regardless of oil embargos, high interest rates, product shortages or economic downturns, our industry has always been resilient due to our ability to institute change management in our businesses.



The following is merely a reminder of how to implement change…

It’s incumbent on dealership leaders to put meaning to each employee’s job function and in turn make sure they understand how their work contributes to the greater good of the company, regardless of their position.



All too often we celebrate and recognize those on the "front line" and not those in a support position. Each position in a dealership has a connection to customer satisfaction and profitability. Whether its someone in accounting, a…

I have often thought that after over 50 years in the car business I should have kept a diary and turned it into a book. The problem is, I would have to label it fiction as no one would believe what occurred in the early “ rough and tumble years” in the car business. Through it all , way back in the '70s, I formulated how I might operate a dealership if I had the chance. It turned out to be a great learning experience. A few  anecdotes along the way:…

Employee annual turnover in the car business is staggering and remains close to 50%



According to NADA's 2021 Dealer Workforce Study dealerships average 46% turnover annually and have a median tenure for employees of just over three years (That is about double the national…

While this age of new technology introduces successful tools for the retail automotive business, there are no magic bullets that will, by themselves, improve ALL aspects of your dealership.  The best dealerships still get better at executing the basics of the business.



These basics remain the same:



✔️ Establishing a culture that embraces accountability

✔️ Recruiting and hiring employees that share your…

Let’s start with the basics: resilience is your ability to bounce back when life or work knocks you down. It’s like being a rubber band—you stretch, you bend, but you don’t break.



Everyone faces tough times. Maybe it’s missing out on a sale, dealing with an unhappy…

How effective are you at interiewing?



✔️ Cultural effectiveness starts with the hiring process.



✔️ Typically, in most dealerships, hiring is conducted based on immediate need, whereas recruiting should always be an ongoing process.



✔️ When hiring is done out of desperation, people are hired who would not necessarily be considered during…

I am excited to announce the launch of DealerCulture.com. This website is designed to share the experiences, insights and strategies that have shaped my career and guide dealership managers to enhance their leadership skills, cultivate strong team dynamics, and build lasting success.

Great dealership leaders practice MBWA (Management by Wandering Around) and its benefits:



*Their Visibility Promotes Positive Culture

*Encourages Employee Engagement & Openness About Their Goals

*Builds Trust by Showing Servant Leadership

*Reinforces Company Values and Goals

*You Can Discover Your Company's Future Leaders…

It's truly a sad day as the car business has lost an very influencer leader with the passing of Garry House.  We have been working together all year on a future project.  I will miss his intellect and…

1) Forecast from “bottom up”, not top down, team memebrs must participate!

2) Begin with last 90 days of activity

3) Contact your mfg. for insight

4) Look at market & economic…

As legendary American football coach Vince Lombardi once said: “Leaders aren't born, they are made, and they are made just like anything else, through hard work.”



Training your dealership's new leaders, rather than simply anointing them into positions based on tenure, loyalty, or informal recognition, is crucial for long-term success. Here’s why training new leaders is significantly more beneficial than relying on anointing individuals to…

by: Richard Nimphie, Dealer Management Coach

I am thankful for my mentors and am dedicated to assisting others likewise. Here are few fundamentals I learned through my mentors.........

1.Employee culture and retention:  I learned the importance…