One of my most memorable (and oft used) phrases from Judge Judy is that you can’t eat the steak and then send it back after you ate it.

Many people make decisions that they don’t like or regret after the fact.

You can’t be a Monday morning quarterback. You made the choices. It didn’t work out.

Move on.

All too often, management has ideas/processes/solutions ingrained in their heads. That probably contributes to the high turnover rate at dealerships.

Perhaps by listening to the perspective of people that they manage, they might discover their challenges and solutions to that problem rather than be stuck in the “my way or the highway” mind set.

If you’re not already thinking about what I just said then you are in the “my way or the highway” group.

Open your mind and listen. You may find that whatever the problem(s) your business improve.

Too many people in careers feel entitled. Entitled to raises, promotions, better offices or whatever. The fact is that nobody is entitled. They may feel like their boss is being unfair or chose the wrong person for the job over you. Nobody can change how you feel and how you feel is never wrong. Those are YOUR feelings, however.

Just as in the title, if you work your ass off and are so successful at your job that you are killing it, people will notice. And those people will go to bat for you. If it is your boss that’s holding you back on purpose. The person that might notice your hard work might be your bosses boss.

In the end, you never know who is watching or paying attention to your work. Rather than let your feelings hold you back or interrupt your productivity, just plow ahead and you will get there…

At the exact right moment.

noun: a reasonable sum of money to be paid for services rendered or work done when the amount due is not stipulated in a legally enforceable contract.

There are a lot of times when businesses, management, employees and customers feel like they have been on the wrong side of agreements.

Quantum Merit is a legal term in which judges apply to case rulings.

Don’t be on the wrong side.

There are times in our lives that the sun blocks our vision. This happens to major league baseball and football players. They can’t control the sun but they adapt to it with those sunglasses and visor shields.

If you can’t see what’s ahead of you because something is blinding your vision, find your own way to block the sun so you will see the challenges coming your way.

If you don’t figure out how to do that, you will drop the ball.

How many times has a dealership adopted a new technology that involves salespeople (or even management) to use it properly in order to maximize its value? Quite often is what I’ve heard in my career.

Inevitably, the techonology gets cut because nobody is using it as it designed to be. Is that the technology’s fault? or the dealership’s?

Putting processes in place are only as effective as buy-in and adoption throughout the dealership.

“This doesn’t work” is an excuse.

Don’t accept excuses. Rather, ensure that processes are being followed and, eventually, once staff sees that process is effective and that both they and the dealership benefit…

They will believe and follow it.

In a perfect world, leaders would encourage other leaders in an organization to perform. We don’t live in a perfect world, however.

I remember working for someone for a company I loved to work for. At one point, I made a comment that I would eventually be the VP of the company. That comment got back to the owner and I was promptly let go (I don’t know if being a contractor whose contract was terminated is considered being “fired” but it felt like it.)

I couldn’t understand why being ambitious, loyal and wanting to grow within an organization was a “bad” thing. Now I do.

Some leaders are threatened by other leaders taking their jobs or making them obsolete.

Don’t stop. Keep moving forward. If this is the situation that you find yourself in, then you’re working for either the wrong leader or company.

That’s what only you can decide.

Have you ever had a stapler thrown at your head by a boss? I have.

If that happens, you have three choices. One, duck, cover and leave. Two, duck, cover and don’t leave. Three, duck and go UFC on the boss.

Choose the first if you don’t really like where you’re working and/or who you are working for. Choose the second, if you love your job, love your team and, most of the time, love your boss (except that stapler throwing business.) Choose the third, you’re out of a job and probably go to jail.

Choose your own adventure.

Let’s talk promotion in a career. You can kick @ss at every level, Your bosses are thrilled. You keep making more money, There is no ceiling. You’re on the way to top and nothing can stop you! The memes on Facebook encourage you. The books you read inspire you. But then, there is reality…

People get promoted to the point of their incompetence.

What does that mean? It means that you can kick @ass in every position BUT, at some point, you get to a position that you are… meh, mediocre at or even suck at.

All of a sudden, managers aren’t as excited with you. And you get stuck.

Sure, you can Google “How do I do X.” Just like, seeing as it took place in a galaxy far far away, Stormtroopers could have Googled (notice how Google has become so ingrained in us that their company name has become a verb,) “Where are the droids we are looking for.) I mean, they could go into hyperspace and all so they must have had some form of internet.

A long time ago in this galaxy, someone (talking about a friend) was asked to do a task that they had no knowledge about. Rather than say OK. That person (who I have no idea who it is…oh, wait… a friend) were honest and said that they could certainly learn how to do it but (seeing it involved ad spend) they, the friend (wait, did I say friend?) wouldn’t feel that it was right learning how to do it on their dime.

An example of NOT letting yourself be promoted because of incompetence.

If you’re not ready, stay the rockstar that you already.

Work your way up the right way. Learn what you need to in order to ascend to your next level of competence. And so on. And so on.

You’ll have a more successful career and not get stuck because of incompetence.

Have you ever been so stressed or frustrated that you want to beat your head against a wall? It could be anything… finances, arguments, work-related.

Don’t stop trying. I don’t know who, but someone wiser than me said that you have to fail in order to succeed.

So, go on, keep doing your thing. If you feel like you can succeed at it, there is no reason not to try. Worst case, you grow.

All that matters is that you are passionate and you tried with all of your heart.