Empowerment and Compassion with John Osborne | 2024 NADA Show

Paul J Daly: 0:06

Okay, we're here with our friend John Osborne. John, tell, tell us what you do on a regular basis. I'm not going to ask you for a title because that gets complicated. Apparently we've asked that several times to a number of people. So what do you do on the day to day.

‍John Osborne: 0:19

So they start out typically just looking at like activity levels and CRM, going into the auto seeing activity on VDP SRBs. Using like outsell looking at one of our vendors that does all of our search engine or SEM, seeing what our activity on our website is conversions on that all of that, and then just walking around and talking with the team. And I'm, it's a little bit unique right now, because I live in Maryland. And I'm driving to one of our stores in Williamsburg as a part of my CMA. Right in May. Yep. Working for Liza, it's been awesome. So anyway, so I'm not there every day, I'm there a couple days a week. And sometimes, you know, I'm doing a zoom call or a FaceTime call with the general manager there. And we're just kind of like going through different questions and some different things. And it's, it's actually pushing me really well right now. Because it's, it's out of what I've normally done in the past where I'm there, you know, every day of the week, pushing you in what way, just really empowerment. That's actually my one word for this year is everybody's got to learn. It's empowerment, and it's good.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:26

Can you really know, there are words in our industry and in business, they get thrown around a lot. Empowerment is one of those words, when you think about the team that's around you, and the practical steps it takes to empower them, what are some of the things that make the most sense for you to do on a day to day basis to, for them to feel empowered? To take the steps that they need to? Yeah, I

John Osborne: 1:46

think, um, you know, questions like, Well, what do you what do you think we need to do? What do you think we should do? I think people just need it. So

Kyle Mountsier: 1:53

you don't even have to answer pass that. Yeah, that's like, good. And like, in my opinion, it's like, what do you think we should do? And then, but I think it's actually probably I'm guessing what the next step is not what do you think we should do? And then run another way? It's what do you think we should do? It sounds like you're the authority on that. Let's move. Yeah, no, or let's talk through how we

John Osborne: 2:10

get I think, I think there is two steps because you do want to have your you talk about sometimes there's, there's like trust and then and to build that trust, if someone's new into a role, or they haven't been in that type of environment. So you got to kind of help just give some kind of, you've done it before you've made hold are just like, hey, here's how I've done it. But then when you get to a level of like, basic competency, you gotta let them I know, for myself, the best way to learn is to make a few mistakes. And yeah, all right. And so I do think there are, it's important to not just completely give like a what, what do you think we should do? Yeah, you know, but once once there's trust on both ways that you know, both people know that, like, you care deeply for each other, you know, and it's okay, if you make a mistake. Yeah, then it's okay. Like, and then maybe like this, what I'm thinking, what do you think I'm like, sounds awesome. Let's, let's go. So you know, and or, you can always adjust, you know, if it's not perfect, just move forward and make some adjustments. So

Paul J Daly: 3:14

you said your words, empowerment. Obviously, you have some goals for 2024. If you that focused and you have a word, what would you like to see? Where would you like to move the needle by the end of 2024? What's

John Osborne: 3:24

your focus this year? Well, I mean, selfishly, I want Lexington Park Honda open. I'd like us to break ground in the next week or two. Greg lines if you're paying attention. But you know,

Kyle Mountsier: 3:43

he's like, I just need

John Osborne: 3:47

that's exactly. There's not anything bigger. Yeah, that's fine. Long term. That's, that's a big thing. But that is it's out of my control that's out of all of our students waiting for permits and stuff. So it really is like the controllables. And the uncontrolled like it when

Paul J Daly: 4:00

something's waiting for a permit from the government. Everybody just assumes it's out of everyone's control. Everyone's control. But there's one person in an office somewhere, it's fully in their control. And they're proud.

John Osborne: 4:11

It's like going to the DMV. Yeah, I always like the Slavs in

Paul J Daly: 4:15

that. Yeah, my favorite scenes ever. How may I help? today? Yeah, yes.

John Osborne: 4:23

I think this year, Success for me is like a more of a short term goal is just the level of competency and what for everyone to know what success feels like and then build on the momentum of that success. And everyone feeling comfortable, like it's okay to make mistakes, and we're going to learn from them and not worry about like, tiptoeing around, just like we're confident when we're going out to talk to a customer that we're going to sell them a car. Yeah, you know, and we're confident we're not worried about things that we don't control, you know, so I think it's mindset. And so that's my like, Let's get them out. mindset.

Paul J Daly: 5:01

Well, I mean, that's one of the critical if you're really going to empower people, they can't be terrified. Yeah, right. That's how that's the fastest way to get an underperforming to the fastest way. So let's do things go together, it'll surprise really,

Kyle Mountsier: 5:13

you know, at the Carter martyrs organization. People are like the center of every conversation, whether that's employees or customers, do you have a big passion for people not just in the store. But more broadly, I'd love to just for you to share just a minute about your passion for the nation's and your passion for serving not just hyper locally with the store, but more broadly. Yeah,

John Osborne: 5:40

so I guess I'll do it real quickly. I was in the army, right out of high school. And one of my duty stations was Cuba, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in January of 95, until July of 95. And part of that assignment was to we're supposed to guard keep protect the all the Haitians in the Cubans that were coming up to the US at that time, they are coming on migrant boats is really unsafe, people dying and stuff. The Coast Guard was taking them back to Guantanamo Bay, and we had, there were a lot. I don't know how many 10s of 1000s, but a lot. And so we were down there for seven months. And there was they were the nicest people ever. We have some I have some so many great stories of like, all these things we did that were just fun and hilarious and stuff. But anyway, fast forward, I get married after I got out of the army. My wife and I have two biological children. We're like, it's perfect. We're good. picket fence, and we're done. We've got this parenting figured out, you know, we should adopt this parenting thing figured out. And so we adopted from Haiti, which are, you know, people that I had no idea 20 years prior, that we get the privilege of going to Haiti and adopted. So we have two children that are adopted from Haiti. They're 17 and 14 now and they're awesome. So with that, is this one a very humbling experience of like, maybe we don't have parenting figured out, it's much different to parents, kids that have trauma and stuff. And I think it's given me a lot more compassion for just a lot people, like just people and like, compassion. And there's always ability, my wife would say, and she's taught me like, there's always there's most of the time, there's a reason behind the behavior. You know, and so when someone, a customer, or an employee that is totally off the rails, like, what's, what's the thing that triggered what's at the heart of it? So just trying to figure out like, what is and I don't get that right all the time, but just be like, Okay, what's going on? Like, let's, we're on the same team, like, or if it's customer like, Hey, you something. Obviously, we're not delivering the experience that you're hoping for what how can I help? You know, and just softening it a little bit. So I think my kids have taught me, and my wife, at least has taught me a lot. But adoption and stuff is, is it so I've got it. We've got a huge heart for obviously, for Haiti, and for adoption. And we do some we've just started a small group, we just moved in August from Colorado, to Southern Maryland. So we're getting plugged in the church and the kids new school and we're starting up a small group for adoptive families that may not have support, we've always had it. And we know how important it is to have community around that. So we're starting that up. Sunday, that will be our second week. So anyway,

Kyle Mountsier: 8:26

I mean, that level of humanity, I love how you tied it in the way that you work with your employees and customers each day that it is like the through line of every interaction that we have. So and I love sharing a minute with you always I have since the time that I met you at that party at ASOTU CON John, I can't wait to see a store open and you break ground and do those things.

John Osborne: 8:49

Thank you very much. Thanks, guys.

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