How dealers can boost team morale during tough quarters

This article originally appeared in the October edition of Powersports Business.

Businesses and consumers alike are going through troubling times. Between economic uncertainty and rising prices across the board, morale is taking a hit. 

For dealerships going through one or two difficult quarters, it can leave teams feeling the weight of missed targets, increased pressure, or unexpected setbacks. While the instinct might be to immediately strategize for recovery, it’s crucial to first address the human element: team morale. 

A dip in morale is a critical factor that directly impacts productivity, creativity, and retention. Ignoring it can lead to a downward spiral, making future success even more elusive. 

Alex Gabbert, a seasoned sales leader and mentor with over a decade of experience in helping businesses, offers practical, actionable strategies for companies to implement in this article. Let this be your guide to reignite passion and drive to help transform a challenging period into an opportunity for growth and stronger team cohesion.

Acknowledge the difficulties

Gabbert’s first tip for boosting team morale? Acknowledge the difficult times. 

“People know when a quarter was tough — don’t pretend otherwise,” he says. “What I’ve learned in over a decade of sales is that morale doesn’t bounce back with a pizza party. It starts with transparent leadership, then is built through small wins.”

Accomplish this by resetting the scoreboard, defining what progress looks like, and then celebrating progress early and often. 

“Bring everyone into the vision,” . “Get people excited again about why we do what we do — not just what we provide.” — Gabbert

It’s also important to host daily, short tactical meetings for performance clarity. Keep meetings tight, focused, and topic-driven by KPIs, according to Gabbert. Your monthly or quarterly deep dives should allow your employees to reflect, share, and even vent. 

“You’ve got to balance structured topics with current issues to save everyone some of the ‘Hey, real quick’ meetings,” Gabbert says. “Too long of meetings? People tune out. Too short? People drift. Find that rhythm where your team knows you’re consistently checking in without micromanaging.”

Hire strong leadership

The reality is that a loss of motivation is preventable. It’s crucial to hire strong leadership to help keep team morale high. 

“Have genuine, thorough onboarding interviews,” Gabbert advises. “As far as habits as a leader, it starts with you. Recognize the pattern that led to this loss, and your actions dictate what happens next. If they need self-belief, stack small wins by a simple double-down on skill growth and volume.”

It’s also important to have leadership follow up with employees, especially if they voice concerns during meetings. 

“The follow-up is where the real leadership happens,” notes Gabbert. “After the check-in, say something like, ‘Hey, you mentioned that Q2 felt overwhelming because of X. If I can remove friction and help you move quicker by providing X, Y, Z, would that be helpful?’”

That kind of follow-up shows that you actually heard them, and that you care enough to take action. Inspire through action, not just words.”

Always be sure to close the loop if someone shares an idea or concern, either during a meeting or a one-on-one follow-up. Circle back with the employee and let them know it’s either done or being worked on, and that you appreciate the feedback. 

“It shows that their voice matters, and that alone inspires ownership,” Gabbert says. 

Preventing a morale slump

Your team’s morale reflects your culture. It’s not always easy to protect it, but make the hard decisions and do what must be done. 

Gabbert suggests avoiding the following mistakes to keep team morale from dipping:

• Don’t lead with blame. Start with accountability — your own first. Then lead your team to solutions.
• Don’t ghost your team when things go bad. Radio silence from leadership breeds fear and frustration. 
• Don’t forget to give credit where it’s due. If you send reporting up a ladder, when someone on your team innovates or performs, don’t act like it was you. It harms everyone. A real manager raises others during the wins and owns failures. 
• And never weaponize motivation. Don’t say things like “You’ve got to want it more.” That’s lazy coaching. 

“Get your employees excited again about why you do what you do,” advises Gabbert. “And honestly? Get back to the fundamentals. Training, practice, roleplay — those aren’t just for new reps. Often, re-visiting a lesson allows you to see it through a different lens. When people feel like they’re now capable of something they weren’t yesterday, even if the numbers aren’t there yet, morale climbs.”