Dreams are often the seeds in which goals are grown from, but it takes acting on a dream to achieve a goal.  Sometimes big goals can be as overwhelming as a football field to a five year old.  Like that scared five year old, we can let a daunting task get in the way of our success because of a fear of failure. When engaging in…

Following in the footsteps of three generations of outstanding educators, I took on the career of a high school teacher in my early twenties.  Being the new kid on the block, I was given two classes out of five that were "at risk" students.  High school students don't usually relish in the idea of math class and most "at risk" kids seem to see math as a total…

Before class started on one peaceful Saturday morning, my yoga instructor made this big announcement with much fanfare that there was some huge event coming to our studio.  There were no additional details as to what the event was, when it might occur, etc.  Just a stay tuned teaser.  I was so excited that I could barely focus during class wondering what this event was, when it was going to occur and…

When I was a child, I was the question asking machine.  Now that I am an adult, I am the question asking machine.  Not because I want to be annoying.  I really want to understand why.  Knowing the why helps me deliver on the expectations.  Knowing the why gives me the follow through to see an opportunity to completion.  Understanding why gives me access to understand the process and how each…

I had an elementary school teacher who claimed that there are no dumb questions other than the question not asked, because you never know who might also have the same question and need an answer but lacks the courage to ask.  With all the great information available on sites like Dealer Elite, why do so many resist the temptation to take advantage of free tips, advice and road maps towards success? 

As an…

Best piece of advice I have been given as a manager:  Always be teaching others how to be you.  Inspire them to be gunning for your desk and to become you.  Humbly step aside when they replace you.  Without them to replace you, the opportunities of your advancement decline. 

Right after that tidbit of wisdom was imparted on me, I was asked to spear head a rather large project.  Enjoying…

During a department head meeting in which processes where being discussed, it became evident there was an information gap for our clients.  Our recruiting team was reporting a break down in information regarding who we are, what we do and what we have to offer.  The team shared how they answer certain questions over and over again.  They reported the funny misconceptions that they often hear.  I sat…

My youngest sister was born premature and as a result had pulmonary problems as a child.  Because she suffered from chronic asthma, there was little expectation for her to be a strong and healthy child.  One of the therapies she was subjected to in an effort to strengthen her lungs, was swimming underwater.  I am sure this started out as a…

Everyone has worked with Negative Nellie and Cantankerous Craig and seen how they can poison the waters of progress with their hater-aide.  Their less than inspiring attitude spread like a cancer through what was once an optimistic and forward moving team.  To managers and fellow peers, it is easy to identify the Nellies and Craigs and see the impact they have on team success.

There is…

The sport that so many predicted I would excel at due to my size was actually the sport where I floundered.  When it came to the hardwood, the only skill I had was shooting free throws.  My coaches could have just given up on me and focused their attention on the superstars on the team, but instead they invested time and energy into the one thing I could do well.  In place of teaching me to drive down…

The Manus Group is not exactly a highly recognized brand like Toyota or Chevrolet.  You might be in the same boat or your might just want to stand out from the other name brand dealer down the street.  Social Media Marketing is about standing out and being popular.  Yes, it takes us all back to those high school days where some of us excelled at…

In a previous blog, I told a story about my father being deaf and how this becomes a superpower for him in business.  (To read more on this back story, please visit “Seeing What People Say”)  I had no idea what a gift my father had given me during my childhood until I became a working adult in a hearing…

The subject of body language keeps popping up in my life of late.  As a result, I have spent some time dwelling on the connection between body language and the work place.  Personally and professionally, we often hear the words, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  This statement has more to do with quick judgments made on physical appearances than body language.  Reading someone’s body language goes…

Social Networking has transformed from a way that college kids could keep in touch to a main stream tool for capitalism.  Social Media is one of the newest tools available to the global economy as more and more businesses are adopting Social Media Marketing Plans.  With an audience of over 500 million users, Social Media has become the platform for engaging with clients and prospects on a real time and…

As a sales manager, I hosted a daily sales meeting like every good sales manager should.  Like all good salespeople do, the sales team would come to the meeting with their list of “should-haves” and “could-haves” if only “blah-blah” was true.  This would often take the wind right out of my sails and tarnish the…

“What is the number one challenge most dealers have with improving profits?”  1) Employee Turnover, 2) Capital, 3) Inventory, 4) Process, and 5) Recruiting Talent.  Of those polled, 30% answered “Recruiting Talent”.

It is not rocket surgery (it is easier to build a rocket than trouble shoot and repair one) as to how talent affects the dealership’s bottom line.  What puzzles me is why…

I remember as a child my mother sitting us kids down after a holiday or birthday to write handwritten thank you notes for any gifts we had been given.  It was a chore that as a child I found little value and a whole lot of grief in participating.  As an adult, I have learned that it is the little things in life that make an experience memorable. 

We all have mailboxes full of canned…

The first step to Social Networking suicide is to use this media as a place to make the sale.  Social Networking is a relationship building network and not the shopping network.  A network when used as a verb is defined as: to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, especially in finding employment or moving to a higher position.  With this in mind, a Social Network is a place for…

Marketers are experimenting with using the Social Networking sites for proactive marketing through building targeted niche networks and business development communities.  As a result, Social Networking has become as much a part of your corporate brand as your website.  Not sure Social Networking is right for your organization? …

During a sales meeting, the question of why the company no longer has a stock pile of tri-fold brochures to hand out to potential clients came up.  I scratched my head and looked puzzled, since we have not used a single tri-fold brochure in over a year.  As a company, we moved away from outdated marketing tools and adopted high tech and interactive tools to meet the requests of our clients.  It was then…