In “Pioneering the Unknown, Champ Rawls, shares leading today’s dealership, or any business for that matter, into tomorrow takes more than just the experience from the past or the knowledge of working in the business with the previous owner.
Today’s leaders need to search for new opportunities to develop themselves, their team, and the family they surround themselves with. Champ continues on saying a business of the future requires not only a change in leadership skill-sets but also the ability and willingness to prepare, plan, and protect in the face of the unknown.
Here are some ways owners and successor can set themselves up for success:
- Engage in a leadership development program to improve upon influence, communication, and culture building skills that lead to continued growth as a leader.
- Consider professional coaching to help navigate some of the unique and complex situations impacting how you affect others, and how that can impact the effectiveness of your team.
- Partner with subject matter experts (i.e. CPAs, lawyers, succession planners, etc.) who can help build plans, procedures, and protections for leadership legacy.
- Integrate ongoing technical learning and culture building opportunities into your dealership, ensuring your team has the skills to keep your store(s) competitive while cultivating next-gen leaders.
- Embrace up-and-coming future leaders by involving and including them in the plan to ensure bench strength is available in the time of need.
- Invest in a strategic planning effort to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with your business, community, and competitive landscape.
In essence, there are some pieces of history to help successors with transitioning into new roles, but the reality is that there is a lot of unknown for them to pioneer.
Read the complete article on the Digital Dealer website then give us a call. Champ Rawls has incredible insight as a NextGen developing leader himself, as well as working with many NextGen developing leaders as a Partner with The Rawls Group. Contact Us
