Most Dealership Managers Fail the Team Leadership Test
- DealersEdge
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Walk into most auto dealerships and you’ll find managers who are great at executing a process.
They’ve climbed the ranks by hitting personal sales goals, nailing their CSI scores, or keeping
costs in check. But here’s the catch: success as a manager isn’t about how well you perform... It's about how well your team performs. And that’s a skillset almost all dealership managers were never taught. In fact, most business schools don’t teach it!
This is where the real gap lies in today’s dealership management training... and why we need to
shine a light on a fundamental truth: a manager’s job is to achieve results through the efforts
of others. That’s it. That’s the whole game.
From Performer to People Leader
Many dealership managers are elevated into leadership roles because they were exceptional at
their previous jobs... often individual contributor roles like top salesperson, expert service
advisor, or ace technician. But managing people is a whole different ballgame. It’s not about
doing more of what you did well... It's about empowering others to perform for you.
And let’s be honest... very few get formal training in how to actually lead a team. Sure, they
might be taught how to run reports or use the CRM, but where’s the guidance on coaching
underperformers, building morale, or handling interpersonal conflicts? Those soft skills are the
hard stuff... and they’re what set great managers apart.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Today’s dealership is a fast-moving, complex ecosystem… and in the digital age, it changes
faster and faster every day. Sales, service, finance, parts, and the BDC all have their own
targets... and they all need to work in sync. Turnover is high, customer expectations are sky-high, and digital tools are reshaping and confusing everything and everybody.
To lead in this environment, dealership managers need more than technical knowledge or process expertise. They need to become orchestrators of people and culture. They need to inspire performance, create accountability, and cultivate trust. And they need to do it while juggling short-term pressures and long-term goals.
The Business Case for Better Management
Good people management isn’t just feel-good fluff... it has a measurable impact on your
dealership’s performance.
Consider the benefits:
Higher productivity: Motivated employees work smarter and deliver better results.
Lower turnover: Engaged team members stick around longer, reducing hiring and
training costs.
Stronger customer satisfaction: Happy, well-supported employees deliver better
customer experiences.
Greater operational alignment: Departments that work collaboratively avoid friction
and wasted effort.
Creation of great leaders for future growth: New stores need more and more seasoned
and skilled people managers.
And that’s not even counting the manager’s own job satisfaction, which improves when their
team is functioning smoothly and hitting its targets.
A Roadmap for Dealership Managers
This is why the newly released guide... “Managing People in the Auto Dealership”... is such a
valuable resource. Whether you’re a General Manager, Fixed Ops Director, Sales Manager, or
Service Leader, this guide lays out a clear framework for managing people in a dealership
setting. It covers:
What effective team leadership really looks like
The unique dynamics and interdependencies of dealership departments
Core competencies every manager needs (like conflict resolution, delegation, and time
management)
Practical, real-world case studies tailored to dealership life
And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t matter whether your dealership trains in-house or
works with an outside training organization. The principles in this guide can be used either to
build your own system or to hold your outsourced partner accountable. It gives you the tools to
set expectations, measure outcomes, and lead your team with clarity and purpose.
One Final Thought: Management Isn’t a Title. It’s a Responsibility.
If you’re in a leadership role at a dealership, your real job isn’t to sell more cars or fix more
vehicles. Your real job is to lead people to do those things... and do them well.
That’s the gap this guide was created to close.
Because when managers manage better, everything else gets better, too.
Mastering Team Leadership in Auto Dealerships How Great Process Managers Can Become Exceptional People Leaders
Guiding Your Team to Exceptional Results
A comprehensive guide packed with proven strategies for team development, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Master the art of employee management, conflict resolution, and industry adaptation to create a high-performing team that delivers exceptional results!
Click Below to view full table of contents
Comments