A professional juggler once told me that the only way to learn to juggle six balls at the same time is to try to juggle seven. In today’s retail environment, the position of general manager requires specialized expertise and diversity of knowledge. It is not uncommon for a qualified GM to command an annual income north of $500,000 and into the seven digits; they can virtually write their own pay plan.
I know what you’re thinking right now: “What in the hell is Ziegler smoking?” You know plenty of general managers who make good money, but not that kind of money. The truth is that most GMs are not executives. They are glorified general sales managers. Are you among them?
There is a reason some of the large public companies struggle with acquisitions of new dealerships and expansion of their brands: There is a huge shortage of executive general managers who can successfully run a large-volume dealership or dealership group.
Executive GMs understand how to run a complex organization. Sales ability is a minor qualification. They possess finely tuned organizational and productivity skills. They have advertising and marketing acumen. They have learned how to focus and multitask while dealing with unexpected and disruptive issues. It’s an intense position for an intense person who performs well under stress.
After 42 years in the car business as a top-performing salesman, executive manager, consultant and trainer, I have earned my reputation for helping dealers and GMs graduate to the big numbers. I know what it takes because I’ve seen it and done it. I know there are at least 20 things every GM must do every week to earn their title and perform at a high level.
So, for the next minutes, let’s pretend I’m the new GM at your store. Here’s what I would do.
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