Six Motivational Quotes Dealers Can Use to Inspire Their Team

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Fifty-three percent of workers in the United States are disengaged at the workplace. The numbers have gotten better since 2017, but they are still dismal. The data also reveals that only 34 percent of workers are actively engaged.

Therefore, your team is likely struggling with staying motivated at your dealership.

While this is an issue, sometimes all it takes is a motivational quote or tip to push your team to reach their potential. Like a coach inspiring their players to take the lead in the last few moments, your job is to give your team the positivity and inspiration they need to move your dealership forward.

teamWords are powerful. Take a moment to think about the last time someone motivated you. You can take those same feelings and emotions and impart them to your team.

Below are some post-it-note worthy motivational quotes you can use to inspire your team and remind them of what they can do when they work together. 

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard, author

While your dealership is impacted by individual effort, its success will rest on how everyone works as a collective. Your marketing, accounting, service, sales, and operational teams need to work in tandem with one another. This quote reminds your team that they are better when they work together and that their talents benefit the group.

“Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” – Patrick Lencioni, writer, and author

A team that trusts one another stays together. Each member of your dealership staff must understand that they need to be a source of support for other team members. They also need to know that it is okay not to have all the answers. It is perfectly fine to be vulnerable and ask for help when needed.

“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.” – Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers

When it comes to success, there is no such thing as luck or random happenings. This quote inspires your team to understand that the work they do matters and that the effort they put in can—and eventually will— lead to success. However, before anyone can reach any milestones, hard work must take priority over anything else. 

“Hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke, high school basketball coach 

This quote speaks to those who are talented and may not feel the need to put in the work, while also reminding those who may not be highly-skilled that they have something to bring to the table. This statement helps your team to understand that they don’t have to be the best person on the team to make an impact. Ultimately, it’s all about the amount of work they put in. 

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company 

This gem by Henry Ford is an excellent barometer for your team. Each stage of the teamwork and collaboration process is covered here. It is a reminder that it takes more than working together in the same space to be a capable team that is working toward a shared goal. This quote also can encourage your team to understand that intentionally working together is the ultimate goal and that anything less is not going to get everyone where they need to be.

“If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it.” – Bear Bryant, former coach of the University of Alabama football team

Leaders take accountability for their teams, and this quote brings that idea to the forefront. The blame game never benefits anyone, especially a team that has made teamwork a priority. A good team is the sum of all of its parts, and when one person fails, everyone should examine their role in the matter. This concept doesn’t mean that personal accountability should not play a part (because it definitely should). However, it drives home the importance of everyone sharing in the good—and bad—situations that occur at your dealership. 

Collaboration is Key to Your Dealership’s Success

Robust collaboration and teamwork are going to be the driver of your dealership’s success. However, with the majority of U.S. workers disengaged, you are going to need to make motivation a priority. So, a great way to start is with the quotes above. Stick them around the office, mention them during staff meetings, and encourage staff to find their own motivational quotes. Sometimes, all it takes is a pointed discussion about engagement and motivation to drive your team to reach their potential.