• Use specific examples. Instead of "Delivering bikes to customers' homes is a problem." Try saying, "When a customer wants us to deliver their motorcycle to them on a Saturday afternoon it's presents some staffing issues." Now we know what, when and the specific issue we are facing.
  
  
•  Try comparisons to bring into play both similarities and differences. More than or less than statements are good examples. It has more torque than a Kawasaki Eliminator and less than a V-Max.  
  
  
• Metaphors always work: language that involves figures of speech or symbolism. For example, "Trying to implement dealership process improvements during the riding season is a lot like trying to rewire your house with the lights turned on."
  
  
• Use parables to make your point: These are stories with a moral lesson.
  
  Once during my dealership days, on a rainy, cold morning I was standing outside the Quonset hut, where we kept the service vehicles. The elder Tommy Hannum came to me and asked why a customer's four-wheeler had been left outside overnight.
  
  I started giving all sorts of rationalizations, when in fact it was simply my mistake.
  
  He stopped me, gave me a half playful, half serious tap on the shoulder and said, "No excuses." And turned and walked away.
  
  That's the day I learned to take responsibility for my own actions in the dealership. I've tried to do that in all aspects of my life ever since.
  
  When I use this story with clients or workshop participants, it seems to help them internalize the point better than just saying, "Take responsibility for your mistakes."
  
  

  What doesn't qualify as clear communication?
  
  Valley Girl- Gangsta Speak.  
  
  "Like you know, I was like representin', you know but they was dissin' me and I was like, man you know, like I was so bummed, when like, they said that, like I was, like you know, I was trippin'! You know what I'm saying?"
  
  No. I really don't.

3. Seek out honest feedback.
   
   Have a core group of people in a variety of positions at the dealership who will give you a true picture. Don't surround yourself with sycophants. (This is especially important for dealer owners).
   
   Often if we are asked to give someone a consulting or training proposal we do it under one condition. That if they don't choose us for the project, they will tell us openly, honestly and specifically why we weren't selected.
   
   With this sort of feedback we then can dramatically improve our business. If we're too expensive? We don't change a thing. We will never be the cheapest (and you shouldn't either). If we got out foxed? We go back to the drawing board. This dramatically improves our business.
   
   You can use the same principle. If you are vying for a different spot or if you are asked to take on a new project. Do it with one condition. That you will be given open and honest feedback about your performance.
   
   Don't get me wrong. It's never easy to hear criticism, we are all sensitive. The person who tells you he doesn't care what anyone thinks is unequivocally not being honest with either you or themselves.
   
   But if you are able enough to ask for honest feedback and mature enough to take it, process it and learn from it. You will really become a powerful professional.
   
   
4. Understand the grass isn't greener.
   
   We spend a lot of time with dealership people. We will often hear people saying "I wish I worked at another dealership." 
   
   Here's what you need to understand, in most situations, it doesn't matter. Why?
   
   There's always going to be another self-serving jerk working in the other store. There will always be some micro-managing control freak. There will always be some policy which for the life of you, you won't be able to understand. It's kind of the nature of organizations.
   
   My wife Amy has a great rule of thumb. She always says there should be 25% of your job that you love, 50 percent you like pretty well. And there will always be 25% that isn't your favorite. If this isn't the case you should reconsider what you are doing.
   
   
5. Be assertive not aggressive.
   
   People who get ahead get things done. You can't get things done if you are shy and retiring. You won't get ahead if you are waiting for a promotion to come to you or if you are waiting for sales to just happen.
   
   But how do you do this and not come across as a pompous jerk?
   
   As one of my mentors always says, practice being assertive but not aggressive.
   
   Compare some contemporary sales training. If you read or listen to some sales training curriculum you'll hear mindless advice like, "Practice your ABC's as in Always Be Closing." Typically recited by some equally mindless presenter who punctuates it with an evil scientist "Heh, heh, heh." Or "Don't take no for an answer!" Or "You should try and close every sale at least six times."
   
   I don't know about you but that's sounds like a great way to get punched. And who wants to feel like a door to door vacuum salesperson? Want great guide for being assertive but stopping before becoming aggressive?
   
   Take two shots and salute. You try to close. Your customer says no. You try to close one more time and they still resist, you salute and defer to whatever your customer wants to do.
   
   Same thing for a promotion or getting an idea across. You should be assertive but not aggressive. Take two shots and salute.
   
   

Cove Hoover was one of my undergraduate college professors and certainly a person worthy of saluting. In one of my final sessions with him, we were having a general conversation about making the transition from school to professional life (which by the way I'm still attempting to avoid by working in the motorcycle industry). I asked the question, "What about job security?"

I could immediately feel the chill. He stopped, turned and in his deep baritone James Earl Jones voice he said, "Mr. Rodgers, you are your own job security."

He was right.

Of course nothing can guarantee your employment. But doesn't it feel good knowing you can make serious headway towards constant employability and have some control over your own destiny?

So much like the athlete in my favorite commercial, strap on your metaphorical running shoes (or perhaps your actual running shoes) and get to work. Because great careers aren't given ... they're earned.