Have you ever heard the phrase, “There are no stupid questions?” Of course you have. Yet a fly on the wall of any corporate business meeting will tell you that, certainly, it would seem the people in the room are afraid of proving that statement wrong. In a Harvard Business Review poll, readers estimated 70-80% of their children’s dialogue was comprised of questions. (Anyone with small children is likely not surprised.) Yet, by the time we grow up, those same readers estimate their inquisitiveness drops as low as 15%. So, what happened?
Does everyone at your dealership have all the answers? Do you fully understand the scope of implementing a brand new Dealer Management System into multiple dealership locations? Odds are, no. Yet, knowing which questions to ask can be difficult. Here are three reasons why you, and your entire team, should get together more often and start asking…”why?”
Having a Growth Mindset
About 40 years ago, a Stanford University Psychologist named Carol Dweck uncovered the science behind the growth mindset. Now, businesses like Microsoft are famously adopting the principles defined in this research to unlock hidden potential in their teams. By removing the fear behind failure, employees and organizations are driving higher innovation, reaching their goals, and pursuing bigger projects. Research shows that it’s worked for very large enterprises. Is your dealership ready to ask more questions, even if you don’t have all the answers?
Becoming a Better Leader
Making a technology switch is a big deal. Months of planning can suddenly grind to a halt when things go wrong. Although “resistance to change” is often cited as a major delay in a technology switch, people will always look toward leadership to guide a technology transition smoothly. In other words: It starts at the top. The CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt is quoted, “We run this company on questions, not answers.” Having an open forum where you and your team can freely discuss the unknowns can keep everyone in learning mode and help you become a better leader, according to professional development experts. Make sure your door is open and your dealership is a safe space for questions about any changes.
Discovering the Unknown
It’s tempting to ask safe questions and end each day with definitive answers. Yet, collaborating with your team leads and asking the right questions—more questions—is a start in the right direction. “How will this impact our work load?” “Will we lose our data?” “Who will own this project?” Sometimes, knowing what you don’t know can help you discover the important steps you’ll need to take before you make the next move. It can also help you identify roles and responsibilities your internal team will need to assign, as well as uncover the gaps your potential vendors should support. To get started, get your copy of the DMS Checklist here.
