Hey- if you can’t make it through this lengthy issue, you won’t make it through the book, BUT

If you’ve been in the business quite a while or worked at more than one dealership, you have probably witnessed some of these points being made and causing some degree of frustration. Well, now is a great time to make a change and DO something about it. Cut the clutter. Spring cleaning. Out with the “we’ve always done it that way” and in with the “there’s got to be a better way” mindset.

This is a fairly cerebral book. It’s not something to knock out over the weekend. A good amount of simmering in between sessions will allow you to come back, over and over, to notice something new and worthy of consideration. I read this at least 20+ years ago and it still holds today as I re-read it. It truly is required reading for aspiring business minds. Like any knowledge, though, it is worthless if you don’t act on it. BUY IT HERE:

From Good to Great: How Great Dealerships Build Enduring Momentum
Inspired by Jim Collins' classic business book

1. The Big Idea: Good is the enemy of great

Jim Collins spent five years researching why some companies make the leap from good to great—and stay there—while others plateau. His team found consistent principles across industries, many of which apply shockingly well to the auto business.

In dealerships, where momentum can stall quickly and good months can make us lazy, this book forces a vital question: Are we building greatness, or coasting on good?

2. Core Concepts (Dealership Edition)

Let’s break Collins' findings into dealership-friendly territory:

Level 5 Leadership

Great dealerships are led by humble yet fiercely determined leaders.

Questions for Dealer Principals / GMs:

• Do I credit the team for wins and take personal responsibility for setbacks?

• Have I developed a strong second line of leadership that doesn’t rely on my daily involvement?

• Am I still growing, or just managing?

First Who, Then What

Get the right people on the bus—before you decide where to drive it.

Questions for Sales Managers / GMs:

• Who on our team consistently exceeds expectations, regardless of conditions?

• Are we keeping people who we wouldn’t rehire today?

• If I had to build a new store tomorrow, who are the first five people I’d call?

Confront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)

Face your dealership’s hard truths without losing belief in your ultimate success.

Questions for Sales Managers:

• What truths do I avoid discussing with my team because they’re uncomfortable?

• What metrics have I stopped looking at because they haven’t changed in months?

• Am I giving my team clarity or just cheerleading?

The Hedgehog Concept

Great companies know what they can be the best at, what drives their economic engine, and what they’re deeply passionate about.

Dealership Translation:

• What can we be the best dealership in the region at?

• What part of our sales or service operation makes the most profit per effort?

• What does our team truly love doing?

Questions for GMs / Dealer Principals:

• What do we do better than any competitor in our market? Do customers agree?

• What activity, if eliminated, would actually improve morale and focus?

• Have I shared our Hedgehog concept with the entire team? Could they repeat it?

A Culture of Discipline

Freedom and creativity thrive with the right constraints.

Questions for Sales Managers:

• Have I created a process that’s followed consistently—or just a suggestion sheet?

• How do I respond when someone cuts a corner but still closes a deal?

• Is our CRM usage disciplined or decorative?

Technology Accelerators

Technology should amplify momentum, not create it.

Questions for Managers:

• Are we chasing every new tool or maximizing the ones we have?

• What tech do we pay for that nobody actually uses?

• What’s one low-tech habit (like handwritten thank-yous) that we’ve abandoned but should bring back?

3. Bonus: The Flywheel Effect

Great dealerships build momentum slowly, with consistency. There’s no single breakthrough—just the compound effect of small, disciplined wins.

Questions for all managers:

• What’s one system or habit we could commit to every day for the next 6 months?

• Are we changing direction too often to build momentum?

• Where are we asking for big swings when we should be pushing the flywheel?

4. Action Steps for the Week

For Sales Managers:

• Identify one “brutal fact” about your sales process and discuss it openly with your team.

• Rank your current team: who are your bus drivers, and who’s riding the wrong route?

For General Managers:

• Hold a meeting with managers to define your “Hedgehog Concept.”

• Walk the store asking: “If we could only keep three processes, what would they be?”

For Dealer Principals:

• Schedule 30 minutes to reflect on your Level 5 leadership traits—ask a peer for honest feedback.

• Begin a “stop doing” list. What are 2–3 things your store does just because it always has?

5. Final Thought

Greatness in dealerships isn’t about flash—it’s about quiet consistency, clear priorities, and leadership that asks more of itself than it does of others.

As Collins reminds us:
"Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice."

The Weekly Car Stoic

April 10–16
Theme: Discipline Over Time Builds Dealership Greatness

Cleanthes wasn’t flashy. He was a boxer and a water-carrier. In fact, he carried water at night so he could study philosophy by day. He didn’t become a great Stoic through quick wins—he simply showed up every day and did the work.

Sound familiar? Jim Collins’ Flywheel Effect echoes this ancient insight: greatness isn’t built overnight, it’s earned through thousands of small, steady revolutions of the wheel.

Reflections from the showroom: For the Sales Consultant

• Do I show up and do the work—even when I don’t see results that day?

• Am I trying to win customers with charm, or with character and consistency?

• What one “boring” habit could I commit to daily that would transform my results in six months?

In the Tower: For the Sales Manager

• Do I expect my team to be disciplined while I move from fire to fire?

• Have I taught the “why” behind our processes—or just enforced rules?

• Where am I trying to motivate when I should be coaching consistency?

From the Helm: For the GM or Dealer Principal

• Are we making the hard choices that long-term greatness requires—or sticking with what’s comfortable?

• Am I modeling discipline and humility in how I lead?

• Have I created space for long-term thinking, or are we stuck in a monthly panic cycle?

Takeaway Thought

Good dealerships chase the leaderboard. Great ones build the flywheel.
The Stoics would remind us: discipline is not a punishment—it’s a path.

Every quiet, consistent action you take today turns that wheel.

Turn it once more tomorrow and be great!

-Dealers Leaders