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Transcript

Tomorrow's Standard Equipment with Karen Byrd · Auto Collabs

• 0:00
  So we're gonna add one more person that we interview who happens to live and work [upbeat music] This is Auto Collabs In the best city in this country. Stop.
• 0:17
  Vernon, British Columbia. I said this country. Oh. You don't even live in this country. God break Nebraska. You live in Texas. Yeah. [laughs] No. Car- Boise, Idaho. [laughs] Yes. No. Yes.
• 0:28
  Karen Bird, uh, is in Philly, of course, the site- I always forget about Philly... of the first... He- [laughs] No, you don't. You went there this year. Let- I went. [laughs] You shut up.
• 0:38
  [laughs] He was like, "I'm planning on going to Philly with, uh, some friends. You have any recommendations?" And then after, you're like, "That is one of the best underrated..." I was. It was amazing. It was.
• 0:48
  It really was. I know. So there you go. That just proves my point. It's 'cause there's a bunch of Italians there, and they got cannolis- I promise I won't talk about the Eagles...
• 0:55
  and all that type of stuff, and- I promise I won't talk about the Eagles this time... the Italians, the cream. You won't talk about the Eagles? No, it's just- You must not-... 'cause they're losing.
• 1:01
  It's just 'cause they're- Not a chance... which is in, and strangely, when the Eagles are losing is when people talk about them a lot more- Right... when you're in Philly. Oh, they've been all over ESPN.
• 1:09
  Uh- It's unbelievable... it's, it really is just a big- Yeah... drama party that you can't- I feel like there's-... check out of... a book in there somewhere, like Losing Is The Best Publicity.
• 1:17
  Like, you know what I mean? Like... [laughs] I bet there's a whole list of people. [laughs] That's true. When someone's losing, right, everybody loves to pile on. Ah, yeah. True. Hey, podcast listeners.
• 1:27
  Here's your 2024 New Year's resolution. Aim lower. Aim- Lose big. [laughs] Aim, aim real low. [laughs] Lose real big, hit the news. Yeah. Oh, man. Uh, well, we're not...
• 1:37
  I'm sure that's not gonna be a part of our conversation [laughs] at all, since Karen's somebody who is, is just, uh, we had some time to spend with her on a webinar that we did not too long ago, one of our SotoEdge webinars, but she's very leadership-focused, very introspective when it comes to how to handle challenges, and so, uh, we hope you enjoy this conversation with Karen Bird.
• 1:56
  [upbeat music] Karen, it's so good to be with you again. Um, the first time we met was amazing, and we just drew so much from your energy, so thanks for joining us again here on Auto Collabs.
• 2:08
  And thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. You guys are fun. Thank you. [laughs] We, we try to be. If nothing else, Kyle. If nothing else in the world- People will say it was fun-... we get fun...
• 2:17
  when we were with them. I- No, but you're fun, too.
• 2:19
  I think, like, like, our kind of people recognize one another really quickly because it didn't take long for our first time together when we did the webinar for you to just, like, start, like, you know, like, giving us some jabs, you know?
• 2:30
  And, uh, so, you know, we feel like we're at home. All right. Why don't we talk about what the new year looks like for you. We just came out of New Year's.
• 2:39
  Everyone's got, like, their, their little procedure and their little traditions, and they come out of 2023. Here we are on just the other side of 2024, and you're looking down a road.
• 2:48
  You have things you want to accomplish, things you wanna do, problems you need to fix. How is your mindset focused on 2024? Share it with us. A very good question.
• 2:56
  So going into 2024, unlike going into 2023, where I had this really long list, right?
• 3:02
  And, you know, I had all these plans, and then someone said to me, "You know, if you wanna make God laugh, show him your plans," right?
• 3:08
  [laughs] It never works out, so I decided to take a different, you know, a different approach, um, going into 2024 and really focusing more on me the person, who I am.
• 3:20
  Um, you know, because I feel that, you know, in order for me to show up
• 3:26
  and deliver and execute and to really inspire the people that you're leading in your daily, uh, daily life, daily work life, personal life, whatever it is, um, that, that comes with
• 3:39
  not just work but, you know, work and self. So- Yeah... I am open. You know, I am open. Um, it's the first time that I can honestly say I'm not attached to any belief. [laughs] Like I said, it does- Wow...
• 3:51
  not always work out. [laughs] Well, I mean, leaders are just...
• 3:56
  A lot of times leaders, like, have an idea of where they're going, and a lot of times that comes with plans and lists and something, so that is a major reversal. Yes.
• 4:03
  Um, but I, I guess if you really think about it, like, if anything the last three years have taught us- Correct... is that even when you don't know what's coming down the pipe, like paying attention- Right...
• 4:13
  to the moment can, can get you really far down the road and very successful. Correct, and I think it's time to sort of, like, remove those silos in our minds because sometimes they can sabotage us, right?
• 4:24
  Sometimes we can become blind to really what's happening. Um, I have a very famous quote that I love that J.D. Powers once sa- once said.
• 4:33
  He said that, "Today's wow experience, today's wow factor becomes tomorrow's standard equipment" And that is something- Hey. Yes, yes. Yo. Yes. Put that on a shirt. Oh, yeah.
• 4:45
  [laughs] That's, that's gonna be the title of this episode. Yes. Tomorrow Standard Equipment. Standard Equipment.
• 4:50
  Today's wow factor is tomorrow's standard equipment, and, and if anything, I have learned what that meant in 2023 because just when you think you've got it figured out- [laughs]... you don't. [laughs] You really don't.
• 5:04
  Um, so, you know- Welcome to the world of a content creator. Right. [laughs] So yeah. So going into 2024 is to keep an open mindset, really keep an open mindset, learn to go with the flow, right?
• 5:17
  Not to try to push that boulder uphill because at the end of the day, it's controlling the controllables, what we can control. That's my take. I love it.
• 5:29
  I, I think that that's so key because if you, if your person is set, like, if you as a person are, are resolved and set and understand the things around you and understand how you interact with them, like, you can take on anything.
• 5:41
  Anything. It doesn't require, you know, this, this, this grand thesis. Like, the grand thesis is, "No, I'm resolved to take care of the next thing that comes at me," so I abs- I absolutely love that. Where, like...
• 5:55
  I guess, where did that come from? Where did, where did the change happen in you to go, "This is gonna be the move that I make"? Mm.
• 6:02
  Was it an event or, or something that you experienced over the last year or couple years that-You know, created that resolve for you I am so glad that you asked that question because just shy of four years ago, March of 2020, when we all experienced something shocking to the entire world, that no one knew what was happening.
• 6:24
  We all know the pandemic, right? The onset of the pan- the pandemic as we know it today. And I remember that that was a game changer. A lot of, a lot of not so good things came out of it, a lot of sadness.
• 6:37
  You know, a lot of us lost a lot of loved ones. But at the same time, I think it was a moment of rebirth. Mm. Rebirth in the sense that it allowed me specifically to really, um,
• 6:53
  search myself, you know, to really understand, you know, my purpose in, in the world, you know, first, um, and then in my space, you know, every day.
• 7:04
  And, and I think that's where it begun for me, that this is where it's, it's, it was a game changer for me. Um, and as a matter of fact, I labeled that, you know, KB, Karen Berg, KB 2.0, at the time.
• 7:17
  Um, so looking back- Mm-hmm... I can clearly, I can clearly sit here and
• 7:24
  not just journal, I can clearly see the impact and the improvement that this entire change made on me as a person and how I was able to, you know, affect, or I should say inspire, you know, people that I was surrounded by.
• 7:44
  So I am s- Is that- I am very grateful. I'm so grateful for it, really... is that what you've kind of, like, come to terms, you know, say- thinking, like, "What is my purpose?"
• 7:54
  Is it, is it have to do with that inspiration lane that you've just mentioned?
• 7:57
  Yes, it has, because, you know, for so long we have been, like, constantly going at it, you know, day in and day out, and never really spend time with self, right? It's, it's...
• 8:08
  And it was the first time that I really became silent, when everything was silent and, you know, and I, I sort of, like, I woke up. It's like, "What the heck is going on?"
• 8:19
  What do you mean when ev- what do you mean when everything became silent? Everything became silent when it seemed like the world just shut down. Oh, yeah. There was no work. Um, there was no interaction.
• 8:28
  And you're in the Philadelphia market, right? Correct. So yeah, Philly shut down hard. Oh, yes. Yeah. Oh, yes.
• 8:34
  Uh, and even prior to that, like, even leading up to that point when you were, like, hearing all the chatters and, you know, what's happening, I don't think the reality really set in, you know?
• 8:44
  It's like, okay, you know, this stuff is gonna happen. And again, we thought we had it all figured out, and we thought we had all these plans, and, you know, there was a whole different [laughs]
• 8:55
  you know, purpose for some of us, you know- Mm-hmm... throughout this experience. So I am very grateful for it. I'm, I'm truly grateful- Mm...
• 9:02
  for it because I believe that I have grown more in the last four years than I've grown in my entire life. [laughs] I second that. Amazing. Amen to that. Yeah. [laughs] Amen to that. Yes. That's abso-
• 9:17
  I'm like, I'm like, "I've done enough work today." [laughs] I'm like, "I'm, I'm now reconsidering this whole-" It's not fun. No. Well, like, like, I, this, you just said something. You said,
• 9:29
  like, leading up to the pandemic, we all, like, everybody started year 2020 with their plans and their goals and the things they were gonna do and their aspirations and all that stuff, and things thwarted that, right?
• 9:47
  It was the most recognizable point where we could say things were changed. Mm-hmm. But that's, that's still a reality in day-to-day life.
• 9:58
  It's just that, that that's a thing that, that s- can stick in our mind and say, "Oh, that was a massive... It, it majorly changed." But what you're pointing to is, like, that gave me the recognition to know
• 10:12
  that even the things that I'm perceivably planning or aspiring to or working on today, there are things that will come up against that, that will consistently shift that narrative- Mm-hmm...
• 10:27
  without me creating those things. And so my... Like, your goal is to go, "I know that's coming, and so I'm gonna approach things as if, like, that's always gonna change the narrative.
• 10:40
  I'm always gonna have to look left and look right and adjust my people and train and lead and, and adjust myself with what comes at me instead of, like, being sh..."
• 10:50
  H- honestly, instead of being shattered by it- Be prepared... like, being driven by it, right?
• 10:55
  And be, be prepared and, and, and, and be driven by it because there's, there are other people, you know, always relying on us or depending on us, or actually looking, looking to us for guidance, you know?
• 11:06
  Or, you know, to come up with the answers, you know, because they themselves are lost. They're, they themselves are scared. Mm-hmm. They themselves are confused.
• 11:15
  And, and how do, how do you show up, you know, to, to, to, to guide those people and to build trust, to build that trust that they can trust you to know everything is gonna work out. We got this.
• 11:27
  It's gonna work out, you know? How does... Okay, so let's, let's do this. This is obviously a substantial change in your life. You're heading into 2024. Mm-hmm.
• 11:36
  You have this open-handed mentality toward what is gonna happen and saying, like, "Hey," like, "I believe our team is ready. I believe I'm ready for whatever it is," right?
• 11:44
  "We'll pay attention to that, and we'll make our way." How does that practically... Like, what can you say to other managers, other executives in automotive as they're trying to orient their teams?
• 11:53
  How does that practically play out for you in the stores with your teams?
• 11:59
  Um, you know, I don't know if I mentioned this in this segment, but as I said before, you know, as leaders, we have to first learn how to lead ourselves. Mm-hmm. Um, and that's big.
• 12:08
  Um-One thing that I, I know for sure that I want to do more of this year is being the first to show up, and being the last to speak. And I feel that by doing so- Hmm... I am going to be able to,
• 12:25
  to connect more with, with, with, with the people that are around me, um, with my customers, with my friends, with my family, with my children. Um, because sometimes we're, we're there but we're not listening.
• 12:38
  We're just not listening. And- Explain what those two things communicate. So what is first to show up? Mm. What, what do you believe that communicates?
• 12:45
  So first to show up for me is as we are entering into this major shift, you know, in our industry, for example, for me
• 12:57
  I want to be able to educate myself in the sense that be open to learning. Mm-hmm. And what I mean by that is how can we lead without knowing, and without learning?
• 13:12
  Is it just the team's responsibility to know and to learn?
• 13:17
  It is our responsibility to do that as well, because when they're lost, we have to be able to, to guide them back, to nudge them back, you know, where they need to be.
• 13:26
  Um, so that's what I meant by being the first to show up. Mm. I wanna be open to edu- educating and learning, you know, everything that I need to learn about my industry. Means being ready, right?
• 13:37
  But- Showing up is, like, metaphorical. Yeah. Yeah. It's like I'm here, I'm prepared, I'm ready to go. Absolutely. How about being last to speak? What does that communicate?
• 13:43
  Being last to speak for me is, is being able to listen more, and when I say listen more is... And again, I'm gonna speak for myself. Um, I feel sometimes in our, in, in, in our, in our environment sometimes when people
• 14:02
  speak to us, we often either shut down or we're trying to assume where they're going with the conversation, right?
• 14:12
  So instead of hearing them, we have all these things that are coming up in the middle, and it's distorting what it is they're trying to communicate to us.
• 14:21
  So I really want to do more listening, I wanna be more open, and I really wanna be the last one to speak, and not interrupt them when they're speaking. I think that's huge. That, that's great.
• 14:34
  I mean, first to show up, last to speak. Yeah. I, I love it when things are boiled down to simple language. Yeah. Yeah, because I think that that makes them memorable, and unless you remember it, you can't execute it.
• 14:44
  So, like, even that first to show up, last to speak, in my mind, like, I'm like, "Put that on a wall somewhere," right? [laughs] So- [laughs] Well, I, I- No, I like to put things on T-shirts too...
• 14:54
  on, yeah, we put stuff- Right, right, right... everywhere on T-shirts. But last year- We're like put... We, we've got eight T-shirts that we're making from this podcast actually. Awesome.
• 14:59
  But wait, but so last year in 2023, I had three, three big ones, and the three big ones I had in 2023 w- was, the first one was always do the right thing when the situation calls for it.
• 15:12
  And the second one for me, and I'll tell you why that was important for me, the second one for me was, you know, treat each others the way I hope to be treated. Mm-hmm.
• 15:20
  And, and the third one, which was, I s- I think I'm gonna bring that into 2024, and I really truly mean this, is be the example of unconditional love and what that is, because that is hard. Hmm.
• 15:32
  That is really, really hard, but it's necessary. It is necessary in our role. You know? It, it is so, so, so, so necessary. It is so necessary to be forgiven.
• 15:45
  Um, I wanna bring that one and add it to those two that I shared with you, because- We'll, we'll allow it. Yeah. [laughs] We'll let that- We will let that- We'll let that-... plus this one...
• 15:53
  we'll let that come on in, okay? Yes, yes. [laughs] Look, look, I n- I need to point to, like,
• 16:01
  the pace, the humility, the, like, respect of the people around you that you're giving in these words and phrases that are driving you, and how they are quite a counter-narrative
• 16:20
  in my estimation- Mm-hmm... to the typical, like, sales or- It's opposite... month over month- It's like a counter-narrative... dri- Mm-hmm... driven mentality. It is.
• 16:31
  It's a counter-narrative to, like, the typical narrative that we see in sales environments- Mm-hmm... in dealerships, in the broad stereotypical idea of what it means to be driven. Mm-hmm.
• 16:44
  And it's not that you're not driven, it's that- No, your office right now is full of people closing deals, which is why you had to step in here. Yes. [laughs] Exactly, exactly. And they understand. Yep.
• 16:53
  And they allow me the, the, you know, the space to be able to do that so I can share what we do here every day with the rest of the team, and the world, you know? [laughs] But, um- And, and so- Mm-hmm...
• 17:03
  give us, give us a little bit of, like, how you moved into your role. I'd like to, I'd like to get- A backstory?... 'cause I, I want a little bit of backstory. Oh.
• 17:10
  Like, we don't have to go deep into it, but f- to get here, like, I'm sure your path wasn't exactly aligned with all of the pasts- Nope...
• 17:18
  because the way that you are, are pursuing your current role is a counter-narrative. [laughs] Right. [laughs] So very good question. So,
• 17:28
  you know, again, you know, like I said, you know, I've grown significantly more in the last four years, and, um, learning so much more about life, about life that I, that I've ever learned, because it's always been, um, the old narrative, as you said.
• 17:42
  You know, where p- we show up and everybody's sort of, like, you know, um, this, um, just, just, just so harsh and, and hard- Hmm...
• 17:51
  and, you know, a- and, and, and there's no, there's no compassion, there's no empathy or nothing.
• 17:56
  And I remembered, you know, we had faced some, some disruption, um, in our environment, and the question to me, the question came up...
• 18:06
  Actually, I do have a life coach, so I cannot take all the credit, um, because I do need, sometimes we need that extra layer of help-Um, to help to guide us.
• 18:15
  And I remember speaking with her, and I said to her, I said, "You know, how do I show up?
• 18:20
  How do I show up, you know, in the midst of all this disruption to help to create the change that we need to move forward in a healthy way?" And I remember
• 18:33
  probably about maybe the end of 2020, maybe it could've been 2021, I've decided to change my approach and how I lead. And I wanted to lead more from a compassionate perspective rather than a compliance perspective.
• 18:49
  And what I mean by that is we all know what we... We all know what to do, right? We all know what to do, and that's why, it's why we were hired within our role, right?
• 19:01
  It's why you hired those individuals within their roles, because they know how to do the job. They, they really do know how to do the job. However, I think with all the other,
• 19:15
  you know, uh, things in life that are taking place, in our personal life, you know, with family.
• 19:21
  You know, it could be the economy, it could be maybe the ebbs and flows in, in, in our, in our business, the changes that were taking place. Um, you know, what do you mean that, you know, we're gonna go digital?
• 19:32
  What do you mean that I have to walk around and use this iPad? Um, I think that, I think that how, how do you show up as a leader to really, to really, you know, um, like you said, help to...
• 19:46
  [smacks lips] I can't even think of the word. Drive, dri- To, to, to, to, to, to, to be driven, right? And to help- Yeah... others to be driven as well.
• 19:54
  Um, so coaching from a state of compassion to me, um, was a whole different approach. And it's one that I still continue to, to do with my team to help to develop, you know, talent here in the dealership.
• 20:07
  Um, and I think it, I think in the end it really shows in how they treat each other in the workplace, and how they end up, you know, how they treat the customers in the long run.
• 20:17
  So that, that to me, I would have to say that was the inspiration for me. Coaching for compassion versus coaching for compliance. Big difference. Big shift. Dang.
• 20:30
  I think, I don't know that we can end any better than that. [laughs] I don't know that we could end any better than that. [laughs] I, like, I've just been so encouraged by our conversation.
• 20:39
  Um, I, I'm, I'm sure, like, our, our whole community's gonna reach out and be like- [laughs] "How? How? What must I do- Yeah. [laughs]... to move from compassion, uh, to compassion, uh, lead at coaching?"
• 20:53
  It's, it's a really, really a treat to- Real quick... to be joined by you. Yeah. I, I have to say this real quick. I, you know- All right. Say it. Go...
• 20:58
  what I, what I forgot to add, coaching for compassion to me, it inspire, it's, it inspires sustained change, period the end. Mm. It inspires sustained changed. Change. Instead of just, like, one-off- Absolutely...
• 21:14
  quick hits. Absolutely. Compliance of- Right... compliance. You said... Yep. Yeah. Yeah. There are many- That's a great segue... there are many, there are many layers to it.
• 21:20
  So maybe the next time we talk, maybe we can dive a little bit more deeper into what that really is. We should, we should actually- Yeah... have you come to ASOTU CON as well. We should do that. I'm in. Absolutely.
• 21:31
  I'm ready. You're right, you're right down the road. It's gonna be in Baltimore. You're, like, right there. Really? Yeah. Yeah. I'm right next door. [laughs] Just circle it on your calendar, May 14th through 16.
• 21:39
  Just circle it- Awesome... right now, and then we'll make sure that we get to hang out and introduce you to some more- Awesome... people there. I would love to. You guys are so much fun.
• 21:45
  And listen, and I want to say thank you to all of you for what you're doing, because every time I see you guys, you're always doing something so positive and so inspiring.
• 21:57
  And I think that we really need this in our space today. So thank you so much for the work that you're doing, you know? As much as I tell- Our pleasure...
• 22:05
  other people, I tell them they gotta watch, you gotta watch these guys. They're just so awesome. [laughs] Thank you. And they're a little crazy. Uh, they're a little crazy and a lot of fun. But crazy's good.
• 22:13
  Crazy's good. Hey, crazy's good. Awesome. [laughs] Well, Karen, thank you so much, uh, for joining us today- You're very welcome... on Auto Collabs. Thank you so much. And thank you so much for having me, guys.
• 22:23
  It's been fun. [upbeat music] Told you. Didn't mention the Eagles once. Unbelievable. [laughs] I can't even, I can't even believe that happened. [laughs] You mentioned it in the pre-conversation. I know.
• 22:37
  I was trying to sneak it in. [laughs] Ha. You snuck it in. Um, you know, the, like, it
• 22:44
  always confounds me and excites me all at the same time when we get into these conversations with leaders all across the country in dealerships that literally buck the narrative of what dealership managers, dealership GMs are.
• 23:00
  Mm-hmm. Or should be, or have been. And she is literally rewriting what it looks like to be a leader in our industry, moving with empathy, and compassion, and care- Mm-hmm... for her employees. And, like, you...
• 23:17
  I tried to ask her about her, and she was like, "No, my people." Skrrt. Let's talk about this way. You know, just, like, redirected me immediately. It was unbelievable. Yeah. I always think, like, truth is truth, period.
• 23:29
  When there is truth, you hear it and you see it from all, all avenues. What, uh, what I think you're bringing up here is, like, true leadership is there's a measure of selflessness in it. Mm.
• 23:39
  But there's also a measure of, like, it, a- and I mean, this is kind of the exercise. Thinking about what one's emotional response to circumstances are. Mm. If they are, like,
• 23:52
  all over the place, probably not quite yet at the level of leadership that, that you think you are. Without a doubt.
• 23:59
  That, that's probably one of the biggest indicators that you can tell when, when the pressure is on, is that's the differentiator between, like, truly great leaders and leaders that still have some work to do. Yeah.
• 24:09
  It's like the circumstances are the circumstances. They're, that, they're, that's irrelevant. How I take action is actually what matters. Gosh, I wish I could remember that more often in the middle of it, right?
• 24:22
  Like, just that, like, "Hey, I can't change any of that. But my next step I'm completely in control of." Yep. Yeah. So that's the sense that I get. Karen Bird,
• 24:30
  we're so glad you could join us for this conversation on Auto Collabs. On behalf of Paul Jadali. Go Eagles. Oh, there it is. [laughs] Tom Mounteer, myself, Michael Cirillo, thanks so much for joining us on this episode.
• 24:41
  Boise, Idaho. [upbeat music] Sign up for our free and fun to read daily email for a free shot of relevant news in automotive, retail, media, and pop culture. You can get it now at asotu.com. That's A-S-O-T-U dot com.
• 24:56
  If you love this podcast, please leave us a review and share it with a friend. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.
• 25:03
  [upbeat music] Welcome to Auto Collabs. [laughs] Welcome to Auto Collabs. [laughs] Why are we recording? Are we rolling yet?
• 25:21
  Not yet.