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- Inside Jack Hollis’ shocking Toyota exit—why he left and what’s next
Inside Jack Hollis’ shocking Toyota exit—why he left and what’s next
Jack Hollis is the Former COO of Toyota Motor North America
Welcome to another edition of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast Recap newsletter.
After 33 years at Toyota, rising from an entry-level management trainee to c-suite executive, Jack Hollis recently announced his retirement. In this episode, he shares valuable insights on leadership, Toyota’s enduring reputation, and the dealership of the future.
1. Listening is the foundation of effective leadership.
Truly listening to dealers, customers, and team members is what sets great leaders apart.
"What's missing? It was the key piece: I'm not hearing enough attention on what the customer is asking for. There's too many companies telling the customer what they must have. And I don't know if they're listening enough to the exact consumer."
This commitment to listening extends to his personal leadership approach, where he constantly asks for feedback on how he can improve.
2. Servanthood should be at the core of any business.
When asked what values he would instill if starting an auto manufacturer today, Jack didn't hesitate.
"The word I would start with from a value is servanthood. If you're producing a product, it's going to be consumed by people. And in my opinion the core value has to start with something that touches the heart of people."
This servant-leadership approach guided his entire career at Toyota and shaped how he built relationships with dealers.
3. Building partnerships based on respect, not transactions.
Toyota's legendary reputation didn't happen by accident.
"It really truly comes way back from the Toyota family. And I think that the roots of the Toyota family were always about helping others... What's the dealer asking for? What's the dealer saying? You don't need a significant amount of research. You need a significant amount of listening to the dealer who listens to the consumer."
Jack believes this fundamental respect for dealers as partners, not just distribution points, has been critical to Toyota's success.
4. Faith and work can coexist in powerful ways.
Jack is open about how his faith shaped his leadership approach.
"My strength, which some people could see as weakness, is I believe in the relational. I have this whole idea of people before performance, people before profits, that you invest in people. And quite honestly, where I learned that was the Bible."
This people-first mindset aligned perfectly with Toyota's core values of Kaizen (continuous improvement) and respect for people.
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5. Success comes from balancing supply and demand.
Toyota's consistently low day supply of inventory has been central to their profitability strategy.
"The dealers win when the supply is low. Because economically, supply and demand, that's it. The goal was always to find the best balance, right? What is the best balance for the dealer and for the OEM?"
Jack explains that maintaining this balance maximizes profitability for both dealers and manufacturers while minimizing the need for incentives.
6. Great leaders cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit.
Throughout his career, Jack maintained an entrepreneurial mindset, even within a large corporation.
"I have an entrepreneurial spirit, which sometimes was supported, sometimes not so supported, but I like the idea of maybe helping somebody build something, maybe help me build something."
This approach helped him innovate within Toyota, including his time leading the Scion brand.
7. Transparency builds authentic relationships.
Jack credits much of his success to authenticity and transparency.
"I don't know that I'm high energy or low energy or whatever energy it's whatever you see is what you get. I am transparent. I can tell you that. I'm the same way at home. I'm the same way at work."
This consistency across all areas of life creates trust with employees, dealers, and customers alike.
8. Solving customer problems drives innovation.
When discussing Toyota's hybrid technology, Jack explains that the strategy was built on solving real customer problems.
"Nobody was talking about hybrids, but here, what was the consumer asking for? They were not asking for a hybrid. They were asking for gas mileage. There was a problem. So the problem was an edge, it was edgy. It was a problem that needed to be solved. And this was the solution."
This problem-solving mindset continues to guide Toyota's approach to new technologies.
9. Prioritizing family strengthens career performance.
Despite his demanding career, Jack maintained clear priorities.
"My priority was still gonna be number one, my wife. Well, first was God, two was my wife, three was my kids and fourth was my job. And that had to be in that order so that I could be good at my job. The only way to be good for me was to be the best at my home."
Jack says this foundation enabled his long-term success and sustainability in corporate leadership.
10. Leave when you're on top.
After record profits and significant achievements, Jack chose to retire at what he sees as a high point.
"When does an athlete leave? When you win a championship, when you're on top. We're at the top. And the people that I had been able to mentor and lead and the team were ready. It was just the right time."
This strategic exit reflects his sports background and commitment to setting up the next generation of leaders for success.
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