People and Leadership A Focus At NADA 2022

I’ve said it once and I will say it again: The best tools won’t work unless we do. 

This year at NADA in Las Vegas, there was a lot of emphasis on the importance of finding and retaining great people. There is a collective and growing understanding that great people are made; crafted by their surroundings and the positive influences with whom they associate. 

I was excited to learn at the feet of tremendous leaders like Damian Mills, Erikka Tiffani, and many others who expressed the importance of creating work environments where greatness can thrive. 

Perhaps it’s that we just made it through a global pandemic, but maybe there is a shift of the tides. We’re realizing that we can’t put so much faith in new shiny tools. Rather, it’s best if we allocate that faith to the people whose jobs it is to utilize and leverage the tools. 

2022 is the year of the people. It’s the year that dealers are recognizing that people are the most valuable commodity and that we will not be able to survive in an increasingly fast-paced economy without a solid team of individuals who are all seeking greatness together. 

At the Automotive News Retail Forum, Damian Mills taught us that it’s not about what you get, it’s about what you give. He expressed gratitude for having such an amazing team, and you can tell that he approaches working with his people with tender care and concern. 

The retail automotive industry is a people business. Without them, it is nothing.