Leading People and Teams to Places They Have Never Been Before

Twenty years ago, I took over as the Parts Manager of a Mack truck dealership in a very large market in North Carolina. The only Parts Manager the dealership had since its inception twenty years prior, left suddenly. I had been employed with the company for a year and a half and could already see the department was badly in need of change. We had just taken on a new OEM franchise a year earlier with unlimited potential, but the prior Parts Manager was very unsupportive of the brand. It was felt by the employees and the customer base. The culture of the department was also highly toxic. I once stood and watched the parts manager and the warehouse manager stand toe to toe and call each other every name in the book at the top of their lungs. If that wasn't bad enough, it all happened 10 feet from the customer counter. The attitude and language used daily in the department caused some customers to avoid our dealership altogether. 

I knew all of this when I applied for the management position. I had a pretty good handle on the customer base and their feelings towards our dealership in general. I knew things needed to change and I was tasked with bringing about that change. However, what was shocking to me as a young manager was how long it actually takes to change a culture. Organizational cultures don't change overnight. Yet, I was able to change the culture of that department over the next 18 months for the better. Several years later, I stepped into a Director of Operations role and I have been tasked with developing healthy teams and cultures for many years now. Below are a few of the things I learned along the way on how to change a culture and lead people and teams to places they have never been before.

Paint a clear picture of where you are headed 

People need to know the status quo is changing. They need to have articulated for them a clear list of things that the team is going to stop doing, and a clear list of things they are going to start doing. For myself, starting out as a new manager, this initially involved simply treating people with dignity and respect. No longer would foul language be used by management or anyone else in the department. The team needed to understand that internal customers were as important as external customers and we would give a high level of service to both. I also reiterated that we would be expanding our stocking inventory and product offerings based on the new OEM franchise we took on previously. I made it clear the team's support of the brand was not negotiable. We would sell, support, and speak well of the brand because, in the eyes of the customer, we were the brand. The goal was to grow sales, increase customer service, enhance brand awareness, and ultimately drive more profit to the bottom line. 

Lead by Example

Most on my team in the early days had been there for years under the prior manager. They could not begin to fathom a culture different from the one they had been working in. I needed to model the behavior I wanted to see in my people. Whenever we were shorthanded or behind, I was quick to answer phones, wait on customers, put up parts, or do anything else in the department that would allow my team to continue taking care of our customers to the highest level. I never used foul language. I listened when they had a problem. I responded quickly to internal requests, and I didn't tear down other people on our team or any other team in our company. Changing the culture of a team so you can carry them to places they have never been before requires you to lead the change.

Hold People Accountable

When you work to change a team culture, it has been my experience that people respond in three different ways. You will have people who have been wanting to see change all along and are excited to see change happening. Some on your team are neither for nor against what you're doing. They are on the fence and will take a "wait and see" approach. And then you will have people who are resistant to everything you are attempting to do and create. They want to maintain the status quo and will fight you tooth and nail with every change you make. Everyone on the team, regardless of what category they might be in, needs to be held to the same standard.

My goal when trying to change a culture and lead a team to a new place is to keep the entire team intact if possible. If everyone on the team would catch the vision and come along with you on the journey, you could get there much quicker. Past experience tells me that this doesn't always happen. Some people are so resistant to any type of change that they either shut down completely or turn toxic. Even despite repeated coaching sessions, confrontations, and disciplinary discussions, some will choose to keep doing things the same way they always have. When toxic or unproductive people become a barrier to change, they may have to be replaced for the greater good of the team. This is all part of holding people accountable to the vision you laid out for the team in the beginning.

Repeat Repeat Repeat

It has been said that "leaders are repeaters." So true. One reason repetition is necessary is that most of us are overwhelmed with data and communication daily. Sometimes our message simply gets lost in the noise. Occasionally, the message also gets misunderstood. Repeating the message over and over adds clarity to the message. Especially, if the same message is communicated in a slightly different way. In marketing, the Rule of 7 states that potential customers need to encounter your brand's messages at least seven times before taking action on them. Your team is no different when it comes to taking action on your communication. 

Conclusion

Today, reflecting on those early days, I realize how pivotal those experiences were in shaping my own approach to leadership. It taught me the importance of leading by example, holding people accountable, and communicating relentlessly to ensure goals were understood and embraced. Not everyone welcomes change. In fact, many fear it. It’s human nature. We are creatures of habit. This is why it requires a lot of patience and persistence to move teams to new places. However, staying true to your vision and standards will ultimately unite your team in pursuit of excellence and reach levels of success they never thought possible. And when you can actualize your team's success, chances are they will follow you anywhere.