Do you read? Watch YouTube videos? Listen to podcasts and audiobooks?

Now, do you share the wisdom you’re taking in?

Recently, I started sharing notes that I had taken in the past on classic books such as “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, and on books that I’m currently reading such as “Mindset” by Carol Dweck and “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell with my team at Woodworth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ltd.

Understanding that not everyone has the development state of mind doesn’t mean that you can’t take the initiative to create one for them.  I’ve tried gifting books to the team in the past and gave my recommendations as to what other books to invest in but found that strategy wasn’t effective.  Since the majority of them aren’t active readers, this was more of a chore for them than it was a personal development exercise.  So, I changed my strategy and approached it from a different perspective.

Instead of approaching it as training, I started to look at it as development.  This means that I don’t follow up to see if they read the notes, I don’t force them to read anything, and I don’t make them feel guilty for not reading what I send them.  What I do is leave it up to them to take the proactive approach and make it their idea rather than forcing it on them.  They see what I’m currently learning about because I’m sharing it with them, and what I’ve learned in the past which has contributed to my success today.  Since most of them have been able to see how I’ve developed over the last few years, they get a first-hand look at someone who has benefited from the information I’m sending them. 

With the current Leadership Laws from John C. Maxwell, I recommended that they take the perspective from not only their professional position but from a parent perspective as well.  It’s fair to say that we all want to improve on parenting which has led to a higher engagement in their reading.  What I do is read one chapter / day and take effective notes, from there, I share them with the team.  I email them individually, not as a group, and usually put a quick note at the beginning of the email letting them know how the following notes can benefit them. 

Over the last few weeks, they have proudly shared back with me pictures of books they have taken the initiative to buy and start reading on their own.  They have replied back to some of my emails with messages of how their stress levels have reduced and how they feel more confident in their parenting (leadership) skills.  This, of course, all translates to productivity at work and their intrinsic motivation.  You may have heard me define success before as coming down to having an obsession with everlasting self-development and this is what we are currently experiencing with our team at Woodworth.  I send the email to fixed operations, sales, finance, and management.

It has been working for us and I hope a similar strategy will work for you.  Also, if you have any suggestions or ideas of your own that have proven to work at your dealership, please don’t hesitate to share!