Making the Leap – 4 Opportunities for New Managers, Part 3
Last week, just before kicking off the Auto Remarketing Alliance 2025 Summer Roundtable, I was privileged to meet with the incredible team at AutoNation Auto Auction Orlando. General Manager, Robbie Jaramillo, while entertaining multiple industry guests, also hosted his quarterly, all-company meeting to celebrate wins, connect about vision, and share some ice cream on a hot, Florida Monday.
Reflecting on the personal and genuine approach that Robbie and team employ with great success reinforces the importance of the third opportunity in our continuing series for new(er) managers: Building Strong Teams. Now that we’ve redefined what success looks like, and polished up core leadership skills, it’s time to examine the magic of a great team.
It’s Just “A FACT”
As we go deeper into this content, a common theme worth noting is the absence of training and support for new managers in these domains. It is now A FACT that building strong teams creates a distinct competitive advantage and no surprise: a more enjoyable workplace for all. Take a hard look at your organization on each of these dimensions, what does A. F.A.C.T. look like for you?
Aim
Nothing wastes effort and reduces focus like a lack of shared vision or purpose. It’s a wonder that leaders don’t lean more on this critical tool as I saw Robbie do so adeptly last week. When it shows up in coaching, I often hear:
“I don’t set the company’s vision, I just have to carry it out.”
“Who am I to tell these people how to think?”
“What if I get it wrong and we’re marching in the wrong direction?”
“I’m just not a visionary like that”
Taking a moment to dig deeper we often find multiple shared purposes already trying to surface around the team, and then uncover the leader’s confidence to help them distill a compelling, sharable version to which everyone can connect.
Flexibility
Great teams recognize that the learning never stops. Just as we evolve and adapt as individuals, so must we be clever with change as a team. When we reward vulnerability and treat mistakes as learning opportunities, our teams can more easily rise to or go beyond the task at hand. Leaders I coach often come to a new understanding and balance of flexibility and discipline that suits their unique group of employees and their business. This blending of art & science leads to higher performance, innovation, and creativity.
Accountability
As a young leader, I remember getting caught up in the trap of potential. I had hired a salesperson who brought all the skills and personality to the table. Only problem was, they didn’t have the work ethic. The rest of the team spotted this before I did (I was biased, I had made the hire). Our team wasn’t perfect, but we had enough shared purpose and mutual accountability, that it became apparent to the team this new employee wasn’t going to work out – and that was my queue to reevaluate the situation and then make a hard decision.
Luckily there are proven systems we can deploy now to ensure we have complementary skill sets, clearly defined roles and behavior expectations, and cascading goals. The team’s performance ultimately depends on the performance of individuals. The more every member of the team can support one another, the easier the job of the leader becomes.
Communication
Candid, respectful, free flow of information at all levels is a vastly undervalued element of strong teams, and another skill we take for granted despite a lack of training. Discourse has become too course, wokeism has been confused with over-sensitivity, and hierarchical power squeezes out the potential for brilliance from all corners of the organization.
What do we do about it? Start by spotting the tempation to think communication isn’t an issue. As I listened to the trials and tribulations of my peers at the conference last week, every single issue had communication as a core component to both the problem and solution. Ask yourself these questions:
Are you holding back truth that someone needs to hear?
Is there an emotionally-charged component to this conversation?
Is it a high-stakes situation like someone’s job on the line, or a big client project?
Is your opinion on the matter different than others’?
Just as important as your ability to communicate as a leader, is to test the waters of how able team members are in sharing their truth with one another and the powers that be. Good news: There are proven tools that make even hard conversations easier, and not only do they lead to better business performance, they lead to a longer, healthier life.
Trust
“You can’t build a high-trust organization without confronting reality. Trust is built when people know they can rely on you to face the facts.” – Andy Grove (former Intel CEO)
Trust is the common denominator for all the preceding elements. Higher innovation, productivity, profitability, employee engagement, and wellness; lower turnover, absenteeism are all proven outcomes to building trust and safety.
Take an honest check-up:
How safe do team members feel to share ideas, take risks, and admit mistakes without fear of ridicule or blame?
What examples of reliability, transparency, and genuine care for one another do you witness in your organization?
While it takes two to tango in a trusting relationship, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap that we don’t have influence over the level of mutual trust between us and others (remember those emotional cues?). As leaders, we can model ideal behaviors, and it starts with the degree of trust we have for ourselves, and the intentions we’re bringing to our teams. This is ongoing work for even the best teams and leaders as they differentiate healthy boundaries from the uncomfortable-but-needed capacity to grow.
Next month we’ll wrap up this four-part series with a deeper dive on “Leading with Purpose.”
Want to learn more about the opportunities to support new managers and shore up the next generation of leadership in your organization? Ask Joe about Making the Leap, a new coaching progression now available.
Joe Miller is the Founder of Awareness to Action Coaching where he empowers our industry and the community with coaching and content for current and future leaders. After 15 years in the heart of our industry as an executive at AutoIMS, Joe brings a unique understanding of the remarketing industry and a passion for helping leaders reach their potential. You can see more of Joe’s content on LinkedIn or schedule time with him directly or contact Joe with questions.