Having been a farm equipment factory rep and the manager of a rural lifestyle dealership, it’s fun to now have the opportunity to write about the business. I get to interview dealers from all across the country and most of you are willing to share your secrets of success.

Deal with employee problems directly and privately to preserve morale and earn respect as a leader.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not good at firing someone. When I worked at a dealership, the employees all knew when someone was “getting the axe.” About a week before it happened, I went from being upbeat and outgoing to somber and reserved. It was very easy to tell something big was coming down. If you’re an empathetic type, you think about the impact your actions will have on the person and family.