Let’s talk about quality, not quantity. It is the only true way to measure greatness.
No matter what position you were in, how good you were during it is more important than how long it lasted. It’s not the length, but how you use it. to flesh this out, before there are any misconceptions, I must say that how long you have been in your current role at your dealership is not important. It is what you have been able to achieve.
As I travel around the nation meeting Internet professionals, I’m am starting to see more and more people who are puffing out their chest and walking with a bit of a strut because they are the top dog at their dealership. They must be great because they’ve been there for so long. One individual recently told me “I’ve been doing Internet since 1995 so I must be doing something right if I’m still here.” No. No, you are wrong. If you have been exploring (and commanding) this space for 16 years and you are still in the same position, maybe there is still some room to move and improve. Stagnant water never thinks it’s a tidal wave.
A good friend of mine in the industry always said “Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment. Just because someone has done the job doesn’t guarantee that they are any good at it.” In other words, if you want to walk around with that air of authority and confidence, you better have achieved some impressive results. You better have some statistical, documented data backing up the fact that you are as great as you think you are before you walk around high and mighty.
The longevity in a position does not prove that you have been successful at it. It just means that you are serviceable. Just because you have had your Internet title for 10 years doesn’t mean you are an industry leader and captain. It means you’ve been a dedicated soldier. Don’t go giving yourself medals because you have battle scars. You need to have been given them for all of your battle victories.
So, I urge you to be open-minded when you attend these upcoming automotive conferences. Listen and learn at these events the same way even the true industry experts do. The time of servitude at your dealership doesn’t play a role in how well you’ve performed during it. Your success cannot be quantified in years, but with accomplishments. Your 20 years spent in this industry at your desk might have awarded you the ability to come to a conference, but it doesn’t prove that you know all. For a few days in October, I ask you to become a student. There is always room to grow.