Page 188 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

The Power of “We” to Magnify Engagement C175

cessfully to place all the staff either in our own dealerships or in
neighboring stores.
On a broader plane, Asbury Automotive Group saw the need to
reorganize by consolidating and centralizing much of the manage-
ment of the corporation. A valuable result is that fixed operations,
service, parts, and collision centers now have one executive respon-
sible for the operations of the entire country. This has allowed us
to break down the regional barriers and work as a single, large
unit. Fixed operations senior, mid-level, and even local depart-
ment managers travel, consult, observe, and generally communi-
cate with all dealerships in different parts of the country. Associates
at all levels see and feel the positive effects, and the possibilities they
have by being part of a fluid environment.
It is difficult to assess success in our current market and economy.
The last quarter of ’08 was our worst, historically. However, we
had begun to make strategic changes long before the main plunge
in the economy took hold in the fall. As a result, our first quarter of
’09 was much better, despite the economic conditions of the country.
The painful cuts, and the much-needed consolidation, had pro-
duced the results that were required.

Practices That Maintain and Build Effective Teamwork in
Turbulent Times

The following practices build on the ones presented in our
last chapter, which also apply to the ongoing work of build-
ing strong teams in challenging times:

: Maintain open and honest communication, because trust and
teamwork go hand in hand. Trust can be the first victim
during uncertain times as employees become suspicious