The role of general manager has become exponentially more complex. Modern GMs often manage 100+ employees across multiple departments while juggling manufacturer programs that change weekly, inventory challenges, and owner expectations.
To find out what it really takes to be an elite operator in today's world, Daily Dealer Live host Sam D'Arc invited Jason Graciano, managing partner/GM of White Plains Honda, Kevin Wruck, GM of Dahl Hyundai Mazda Subaru, and former GM Uli de' Martino, on the show to discuss their biggest lessons learned.
1. Managing dozens of relationships requires solid organizational structures.
Jason Graciano runs White Plains Honda's 110-person operation through exactly four people. Sales manager, service manager, parts manager, and the F&I director.
"It's unrealistic for me to expect to have a connection with all 110 or all 115," Graciano explained. "I want minimal effort with maximum result. If I can have a conversation with four people, and those four people oversee 10 or 15, I can impact the message."
And the results speak for themselves. Graciano forecasts monthly performance within 5% accuracy consistently while maintaining team morale across a complex operation.
Kevin Wruck at Dahl Hyundai Mazda Subaru handles his 115 employees by maintaining personal knowledge about every individual (who races cars on weekends, whose parents face health challenges, who's saving for a house).
"You can sit down, take a look at your whole employee list and ask yourself if you know something unique about each one of those individuals," Wruck said.
This personal database enables meaningful 30-second interactions during daily walks without attempting intensive management relationships with everyone.
"I've always maintained an open door policy. It is very difficult to have a deep connection with everyone, but it's so important that at least put that intent out there," de' Martino added.
2. Leveraging public accountability to improve performance.
Where traditional managers conduct private performance discussions, top operators have discovered that public accountability can often be more effective.
Graciano posts every salesperson's monthly car count on a team WhatsApp chat. Sales managers see department rankings against other district stores in real time. And service advisors share efficiency ratings against self-set targets.
"It's not a one-on-one conversation. It's literally posted up on an all-team chat where everybody gets an opportunity to see that," Graciano explained. "Do you want to be the one that's embarrassed because of that? Or you want to be the one that's proud?"
The system works because teammates care more about peer respect than boss approval. Nobody wants to look weak in front of colleagues, and they celebrate wins together. The transparency kills excuses and creates natural competition without any management intervention.
3. Diagnosing the problem. Is it people or process?
Process problems affect multiple people performing similar tasks and improve with better documentation, training, and system adjustments. People problems show up in individuals despite process improvements and additional coaching.
"When the processes are in place and everybody else has had success in the past, and you have one person that keeps stumbling and having the same error over and over again, at some point you got to say, I'm doing a disservice to you and I'm doing a disservice for us," Graciano said.
He explained that he spent months "over-investing and over-pouring into people" who lacked fundamental capabilities for their roles. The experience taught him how to tell the difference between skills gaps training can address and capability mismatches requiring personnel changes.
And here's the thing—when GMs get good at this stuff, their whole relationship with ownership changes. Wruck barely talks numbers with the Dahl brothers anymore. Their monthly conversations are about community involvement and where the business is heading.
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