Everything we discuss in any NCMi^® retail automotive training program falls under the canopy of The 6 Primary Elements of Effective Accountability Management.

Because accountability management is a critically-needed, but rarely well-practiced, discipline within the retail automotive industry, the NCM Institute Center for Automotive Retail Excellence has adopted it as the umbrella under which all training programs will be developed and presented.  Everything attendees learn in any NCMi education program will fit somewhere under one or more of the six elements of effective accountability management.  You have probably heard or seen some of these individual elements before; however, all six elements must be combined to most effectively practice accountability management.  Those elements, in no particular order of importance or priority, are:

1. Plan your work, and work your plan!

2. Clearly define and communicate your expectations.

3. Measure what you need to manage!

4. Inspect what you expect!

5. Reward positive results, and respond appropriately to negative results!  (Positive behavior that is rewarded will be repeated; and negative behavior that is not effectively addressed will, likewise, be repeated.)

6. Develop and implement a systemic structure! (“Dissimilar” people operating within the same systemic structure will produce similar results.)

Described another way, the practice of accountability management mandates:

You cannot manage results, just activities.  Manage the activities, and the results will follow.  You MUST measure what you intend to manage, inspect what you expect, and let everyone know the score. 

Therefore, our most successful client-dealers measure ALL their key performance indicators (KPIs)…they regularly inspect these KPIs…they very visibly post these KPIs for all to see…and then they let the egos take over.  These dealers know that if they are disciplined to do even just elements 3 and 4, the performance of their store(s) will improve, although perhaps not as smoothly as when they practice accountability management elements 1, 2, 5, and 6, as well!

The 6 Primary Elements of Effective Accountability Management is a discipline taught in all Level I courses at the NCM Institute Center for Automotive Retail Excellence. To learn more about NCMi, click here.

Want more insightful guidance from me and our NCM Institute faculty?  Continue to come back to dE for more!