Knowledge is Power

 Teams with strong development programs outperform others by 24% in productivity and profitability.

It’s not just a business metric — it’s a human one.

Whether someone shows up “average” or “excellent” can often come down to the time and effort you invest in developing them.

But here’s the thing: you can’t just offer one training session and expect greatness to stick — consistency is key.

Once a week, or even once every two weeks, development needs to become part of the rhythm.

After all, you wouldn’t hit one home run and call yourself a Major League player. Excellence comes from practice, coaching, and showing up — again and again.

That’s what education does: it turns potential into progress. And when you commit to developing others, you’re also growing yourself as a leader.

 As leaders, we get to decide: are we just filling roles, or are we developing people?

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela

Education is society's most effective lever for equality. It arms people with the ability to think critically, contribute meaningfully, and rise beyond limitation of their circumstances. From the classroom to the boardroom, education empowers individuals with the confidence and competence to participate fully in society.

Think back to the teacher, mentor, or boss who changed the trajectory of your life. That’s the power of education.

In every community, and across every industry, we see the same truth repeated: opportunity is not evenly distributed but education has the power to shift that. Education is a structured path out of generational cycles. It's the spark that ignites someone's potential. It is the training ground where quiet strength and untapped brilliance are brought to life.

Education doesn't stop with formal learning, it continues with how we manage our people. We must ask ourselves;

Are we developing our teams for the runway ahead?

Can they not only do this job they're in today but the next role after that?

Am I doing what's needed as a leader to prepare them for my role and beyond?

If your employee turned in their updated resume every six months, would it reflect growth? Would it show new skills, greater confidence, and deeper impact?

That's the True Test of Leadership!

We must want our people to succeed, whether they stay or go. That's how we build a culture of excellence, mentorship, and shared success. When we pour into people with intention, we create leaders who will carry that forward through our teams, our industry, and our community.

This week, invest in one person. Teach them one new skill. Ask them one deeper question. That’s how the ripple begins.

Movement Brings Clarity

 NEED PRECISION?

Take this journey

No headphones, no phones, just you and your shoes.

The world around you is quiet, but your mind is not.

You walk, not to get somewhere, but to get out of somewhere, out of the tangle of your thoughts, out of the meeting that did not go well, out of the inbox that becomes overwhelming. 

The pavement doesn’t ask anything of you. It just receives your steps. And somehow, that’s enough to loosen what’s tight inside.

With each step the noise begins to thin, the fog starts to lift gradually, by the time you loop back to the dealership you feel calmer, clearer, and more capable to make decisions.

Movement isn’t procrastination.

It’s not avoidance.

It is a Strategy.

When the answers won’t come, stop pressing and start pacing.

When clarity is hiding, go walk where it can find you.

 

Movement away from the shuffle will guide mental sharpness.

THE FACTS

Just 20 minutes of walking can significantly lower cortisol levels. This is the hormone responsible for stress, helping the brain shift from reactive to reflective.

Walking increases creative output by 60% compared to sitting. The boost is consistent whether indoors or outdoors, and the enhanced creativity persists even after returning to work. Stanford University

Regular physical exercise not only lifts mood by releasing endorphins but also builds resilience to stress and enhances long-term brain health through increased neuroplasticity. Amen Clinic

Just six months of moderate aerobic exercise can increase the volume of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning, by up to 2%, effectively reversing age-related decline. Health.harvard.edu

Muscle is the organ of longevity. It is our largest endocrine organ where muscle governs metabolism, immunity, stress, resilience and brain function. Gabrielle Lyon Forever Strong

Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and soul. Your Self-esteem and confidence will boost leaving you feeling strong and powerful. Healthful

Movement creates new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis, adding creativity and inspiration to your mental energy. Walden University

Exercise stimulates the release of feel-good neurotransmitters, increases blood flow to the brain, and helps retain connections that are crucial for memory and thinking, all of which support mental clarity and resilience. Mayo Clinic

Work Functions

 

This is us. The work crew hanging out on a Saturday night. Good Times, Great Food, and Excellent Company. Over half the team showed up along with their favorite other, speaking volumes to the culture we are building together.

The beautiful setting in the Okanagan was just the baseline to truly special evening where we continually create the opportunity to erase the invisible lines that often separate us at work. Departments can sometimes feel like islands. And with the busy flow of work and lifestyle sometimes connecting with each other is a task beyond the normal working hours.

Why It Matters?

Work functions are social events that build culture. They remind us that collaboration is smoother when we understand each other, not just our roles, but as human beings and makes another happy. Work functions allow teams to strengthen trust to get through the grind while also giving us a chance to lead with humanity - because leadership isn't only about strategy and results. It's also about connection.

Never underestimate the value of creating space for others to connect outside of routine. It's in these moments that loyalty deepens, silos fade, and the foundation for real teamwork is built.

The Courage for New

 I watched My Year at Oxford this week, and something in me stirred.

Not because I’ve ever dreamed of attending Oxford, but because I know what it feels like to walk into a room—into a season of life—where I’m unsure if I belong, yet determined to make my mark.

The main character in the film has a life  experience that is reshaped by a single year in a new place. She became surrounded by unfamiliar traditions, new expectations, and people who see the world differently. It’s not just about academics; it’s about identity, courage, and the willingness to be changed by the experience.

We all have our “Oxford” moments. They might not look like ancient stone halls or candlelit debates, but they’re those life chapters where everything feels foreign… and yet something inside us insists, This is where I’m meant to grow.

I thought about how often in leadership—and in life—we avoid stepping into new rooms. We stay in the spaces where we feel certain, where we know the language and the rules. But the growth happens when we sit with the discomfort long enough to learn something new and long enough to be shaped by it. This is the active part of being uncomfortable.

As leaders, our job is not just to enter those rooms ourselves, but to invite others into theirs—and to remind them that feeling uncertain is often a sign they’re exactly where they need to be.

Maybe for you, the “Oxford” moment is taking on a project you don’t feel ready for.
Maybe it’s starting the business you’ve always dreamed about.
Or maybe it’s learning something purely because it excites you—even if it scares you, too.

Growth rarely comes from standing still. Sometimes it starts with walking into a room you’re not sure you belong in… and discovering that you do.

The world doesn’t just need you where you’re comfortable—it needs you where you’re becoming.

Mattering

 CONTRIBUTION

Do I matter?

 Mattering – is the experience of feeling significant to those around us because we feel valued and know that we add value.

 It is not a grand gesture that creates this. Mattering happens in everyday moments, in the tone of a conversation, in a glance of recognition, and in the way we’re listened to and responded to.

 For Leaders, this means TRULY seeing and hearing the people you lead. Not just as employees, but as individuals whose contributions shape the culture and outcome of the organization

 SEEING – acknowledging them and paying attention to the details, ebbs, and flows of their life and work.

 HEARING – showing a genuine curiosity abouts someone’s thoughts, ideas, and challenges and responding in a way that creates trust and psychological safety.

 When people feel seen and heard, they feel that they matter. And when they matter, they give more of their best selves to the work, to the team, and to the mission.

People rise when they feel seen, believed in and backed.

The Unsung Engine

After years of caring for his aging father, Marco found himself searching for purpose—and a paycheck. He took a job as a detailer, not realizing just how vital he would become to the heartbeat of the store.

From the outside, it looked simple—washing, vacuuming, wiping down vehicles. But on the inside, Marco quickly learned something: everyone depended on him.

The service team needed clean, polished cars ready for pickup—customers didn’t consider the job “done” until they saw their vehicle sparkling.

The sales team needed cars prepped to perfection—deliveries couldn’t go out, photos couldn’t be taken, and deals couldn’t close without his final touch.

The pressure was real. The pace was fast. And yet, some days, Marco still found himself battling a quiet doubt: I wish I were doing something more important.

    Am I just the guy who cleans up after everyone else?

One afternoon, his manager caught him between vehicles and said:

“Marco, you’re not just detailing cars. You’re keeping the whole operation moving. When service finishes a repair, you’re the one who completes the experience. When sales makes a promise to a customer, you’re the one who brings it to life. We can’t deliver without you. You’re the closer.”

That was the moment it clicked.

Marco began to see himself not as support—but as essential. His hands helped finish stories: the relief of a repaired vehicle, the joy of a new delivery, the trust that a customer feels when everything looks just right.

He wasn’t in the background. He was in the flow. 

And the dealership? It didn’t run around him—it ran with him.

Lead Where Your Feet Are

 Stillness is what creates love. Movement is what creates life. To be still and still moving - that is everything. - Do Hyun Choe

Presence is rare and powerful these days. In a world that values hustle, being fully present is in one conversation, one decision, or one team huddle can mean the world to the other person, it's what earns you trust and builds culture.

As a leader, we often associate value with how fast we solve things or how many tasks we knock off before lunch. But what if your most powerful move today is to pause? 

To think before speaking. 

To ask one more question before deciding. 

To take five minutes and truly breathe before your next meeting.

These powerful pauses allow you to decompress, align your thoughts with the outcome, and consider the individuals involved along the way, not just the process. 

Your presence is your preparation.

The world doesn't always need a faster version of you. Sometimes it just needs a more present one. So today, let your presence do the heavy lifting. 

Be where your feet are.

Listen longer.

Breathe deeper.

As Prescence isn't passive, it's one of the most powerful tools you have so let's use it to transform relationships, decisions, and outcomes. Use it well, and you won't just lead better, you'll be remembered for how you made others feel, seen, heard, and valued.

Teaching that Sticks

LEARN

Creating a Learning Environment

Forget

Act

State

Teach

Enter

Review

 I have so much information to teach you. Quickly grab a pencil—I only have today to transfer all this knowledge. Take notes, follow along, ask questions… but not too many, I may get frustrated.

 This rushed, overwhelming approach is how many people teach new employees. But it hinders real learning.

 With the learning path in mind, we need to create the right environment for the student to study the craft. Adult learners need to understand why they’re doing the work and how it connects to something bigger.

 We’re here to serve—start to finish. Every customer matters. They keep the lights on, and we take care of them like family, supporting them through every part of their automotive journey.

 We tell our teams, “The customer is our family.” Let’s train our people the same way—patiently, clearly, and with purpose.

 The greatest skill you can teach is how to learn.

1 Forget

Have the trainee let go of what they think they know and stay open to the learning experience. A clear, curious mind creates space for real understanding.

Encourage presence and self-belief – positive self-talk lays the foundation of learning.

 2 Act

Replace passive consumption with active engagement.

Have trainees take notes, ask questions, and chunk learning into 25-minute bursts followed by brief reflection times to process information. The more involved they are, the faster they learn.

 3 State

All learning is STATE dependent.

Help learners enter the right emotional and physical mindset: joy, curiosity and fascination improve memory and engagement.

Remind them: your mind-state is a current snapshot of your emotions, thoughts and physical condition.

Learning improves when the state is intentional.

4 Teach

Once they’ve learned something, have them explain it back in their own words.

Teaching reinforces understanding, reveals gaps, and builds ownership. Remember: when you teach something, you learn it twice.

 5 Enter

Have the learner block dedicated time in their calendar labeled “Training and Development.” Meet with the individual regularly to support their progress on the learning journey.

Encourage intentional action – learning sticks when they actively work on their craft.

 6 Review

Encourage active recall.

Have the learner revisit what they’ve learned at spaced intervals over a few months – this strengthens retention and turns short-term efforts into long-term skill.