As humans, our mind is always seeking an outlet for something that gives us purpose, something to believe in. If we feel passionate about the vision of the company that we are employed in, and if we have the ability to act on that passion, we find ourselves more motivated to fully commit to that vision.
On the flip side of that equation, we find that if employees are told they can’t, mustn’t, shouldn’t or they are given conflicting directions, their drive reduces considerably to the point that they do nothing.
Nowadays, you’ll find that there are more people feeling disengaged at work due to the lack of long-term stability and uncertainty that surrounds them. Many employers are unable to provide their employees with the guaranteed security that many seek for, while still expecting them to do more for less.
There are countless factors that come into play with what drives and motivates an individual to achieve. However, when the circumstances, people, and the environment becomes intolerable, it starts to take a toll. It’s natural for their motivation to wane and start to wonder whether they will ever reach their desired career destination.
As the automotive industry goes through changes to better itself, dealers should be on the lookout for certain behavioral cues that will help spot complacency. There are ten telltale signs that will help spot complacency so that you can deal with it as soon as possible. These include:
- Disengagement
- Don’t Invest In Themselves
- Losing Their Passion
- Stopped Thinking
- Stopped Taking Initiative
- Are Not Taking Any Risks
- Start Taking Shortcuts
- Disgruntled With Current Career Position
- Are Not Managing Their Personal Brand
- Losing Any Hope For Future
All of these will subsequently result in less loyalty, less trust, and less innovation. If your numbers are dropping, excitement is dwindling, and turnover is on the rise, complacency might also be present in your team.
When complacency is present within your dealership, you’ll find that market changes won’t be examined for new approaches, competition won’t be closely studies, and new initiatives don’t root easily. If you do not intervene, then resistance to any type of change will gradually keep increasing.
Dr. Kotter devised an eight-step process for fighting complacency in the workplace, regardless of the industry that you are in. The steps included:
- Create Urgency
- Building A Guiding Coalition
- Form Strategic Initiatives And Vision
- Enlist Volunteers
- Remove Barriers To Enable Action
- Generate Short-Term Wins
- Sustain Acceleration
- Institute Change
Instead of complacency in the workplace, employers should strive to promote patience with their employees. It is a heavenly virtue that supposedly leads to happiness. Patience is, in fact, one of the key elements to having success in your workplace. Patience is key at allowing us to handle all the curveballs, twists, and turns that we have to face due to the changes in the industry.
With that being said, there are eight main benefits of practicing patience instead of giving into complacency.
Seven Benefits Of Practicing Patience
Builds Reputation
Successful business owners are set apart from the rest because of their mastered skill sets. They have the patience to work steadily towards their goals and consistently build their reputation and reach their goals. When you achieve the desired results, despite the odds, any endeavor can potentially be a great success. In terms of your dealership, you need to be patient with your suppliers, distributors, advertisers, and consumers – so that you can build a great and valued reputation.
Positive Rewards
Impatience and patience is a bit. When we lack it, we are unable to delay our gratification for long. The longer we have to wait, the more frustrated we feel. This emotion is quite often the energy that drives ‘quitting’. You have to change your habits completely, which requires a strong sense of motivation from you. Patience is often seen to reward us with promotions that we seek, stronger profits, increased customer satisfaction, greater sales, and positive recognition.
Self-Possession
Having patience puts us in control of ourselves, which enables us to have the time to choose exactly how we respond to certain events. It also saves us from having our emotions hijack the situation. You can often boil down a lack of progress or success to a lack of patience. When we lack the ability to control ourselves, we also lack insight and understanding, therein lacking the ability to set realistic expectations, communicate, and the ability to plan.
Positive Team Culture
Your focus as a dealer should be on the emotional tone or attitude of the organization’s culture. If the organizational culture is in top condition, then all the other elements for success, such as great customer service, will follow suit. However, developing such a culture can only occur through patient devotion. Patience allows us to increase the chance of us obtaining the ideal results through being a better business leader, manager, and person.
Smart Decision Making
Patience is one of the best resources to have when making decisions. Many look for an edge from their competitors while also looking to improve their performance. You should not be disillusioned to believe that the best talent and sharp business plans are able to substitute the virtues that are necessary. When we are patient, we are able to block out the negative stories that would otherwise cloud our judgment. With a dealership, your entire business is based on your customers, so it’s essential that you make effective and smart decisions.
Tolerance
Patience increases our tolerance level, while also giving us foresight into possible obstacles and their diplomatic solutions. If challenges are expected, we are likelier to respond with more optimism, strength, and courage. It’s easier to roll up our sleeves and get to work. The easier we are able to roll with the punches, the less stress we are likely to experience and the more resilient we become.
It’s inevitable that things will go wrong at one point or another. So, instead of halting everything, patience allows us to be more prepared for any potential situations, whether they are good or bad for the dealership.
Excellence
All in all, patience develops excellence. No matter what industry your business is in, you’ll find patience at the core of every success story. Regardless of how difficult a situation gets, being persistent and patient will result in something worthwhile.
Building a dealership void of any complacency might take some extra time and effort, but it is well worth the effort at the end. Success always occurs when commitment and patience are put in due diligence.
