Table of Contents
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Introduction
The P.R.O.C.E.S.S. of CHAMPIONS isn’t just a clever title, it’s a leadership framework built on seven powerful principles:
Presence, Reframe, Ownership, Clarity, Empowerment, Structure, Support
Each element represents a shift in mindset and behavior, available to anyone seeking to help unlock the true potential in others.
The biggest challenge leaders face isn’t training or skills—it’s mindset.
Negative self-talk is a silent thief of success, and left unchecked, it can destroy motivation, confidence, and results.
But here’s the good news: negative self-talk can be changed. Belief can be rebuilt. Potential can be unleashed.
This book reveals the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. great leaders can use, to help people overcome internal barriers, transform their thinking, and become the champions they were meant to be.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present.
Let’s begin.
The Voice Within
The Voice Within
Every one of us has a voice in our head. Sometimes it pushes us forward. But more often than not, it holds us back.
These negative thoughts are the silent saboteur of potential. They convince good people to play small, to doubt their value, and to avoid taking risks. And here’s the truth: most underperformance in the workplace isn’t about skill or training—it’s about our thoughts.
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We Are Not Our Thought
For this process to truly work, we must first understand that we are not our thoughts— we are the observer of our thoughts.
As a leader, you have more influence than you think.
You're not just guiding strategy. You’re shaping belief by changing thoughts.
"People become who they believe they are. Great leaders help them believe in more."
— Unknown
Short Story: From Doubt to Drive
I once worked with a young service advisor named James. Smart guy. Great with people. But every time we talked about performance, he’d hang his head and tell me, “I’m not really a numbers guy. I don’t want to come off as pushy.”
He wasn’t lazy—he was limited by the story he believed about himself.
So I made it my mission to challenge that story. We started small. I gave him one goal a week—not to sell, but to serve better by recommending something valuable to every customer. And I praised him every time I witnessed him doing it.
Within 60 days, James was leading the team. Not because he learned a new sales tactic. Because he learned to trust himself.
That’s what this is about.
Reflection Questions
What negative stories or self-talk have you noticed in your team, or yourself?
How do you usually respond when someone doubts themselves?
What becomes possible when a limiting belief is no longer held to be true?
Take Action
Trying to silence or fight your inner voice is a waste of energy. Real power lies in your ability to observe the limiting belief with a “Isn’t that interesting?” mindset, then consciously choosing a more empowering thought.
The Champion's Mindset
The Champion's Mindset
There’s a belief that separates average leaders from great ones.
Great leaders see people not just as they are—but as they can be. And more importantly, they help their people see it too.
You’ve probably worked with someone who had more in them than they realized. Maybe they were timid. Maybe they made excuses. But underneath it all, they had potential. A champion's mindset sees that potential, calls it out, and draws it out—often before the person believes in it themselves.
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The Lens You Lead Through
The way you view your people shapes how you lead them. If you think someone is lazy, you’ll manage them like a problem. But if you believe they’re capable and just need the right spark, you’ll coach them like a project worth building.
One of the most important jobs of a leader is to look beyond the behavior and search for the belief driving it.
Hesitation? That’s fear.
Underperformance? That's a doubt.
Resistance? That’s protection from past failure.
The Champion’s Mindset doesn’t react to surface-level issues. It digs deeper and responds with intention.
Short Story: The Underestimated Tech
At a dealership I once ran, we had a lube tech named Rafael. He was quiet, reserved, and often overlooked. Other managers assumed he was content doing oil changes. But one day I watched him carefully fix a stripped drain plug—he was patient, precise, and resourceful.
I pulled him aside and said, “You’ve got a real eye for detail. Have you ever thought about becoming a line tech?”
His face lit up. “I always wanted to… but I didn’t think I was smart enough.”
We started him on a path—certifications, shadowing, small jobs. Six months later, he was flagging more hours than some of our senior techs. But more than that, he walked differently. There was belief in his step. Not just in his work—but in himself.
That’s the power of showing your team what’s possible.
Reflection Questions
How do you currently view your team members?
Can you identify someone with untapped potential?
What stories or beliefs might be holding your people back?
Take Action
Identify someone in your organization who isn’t yet performing at the level they’re capable of, or who may be in a role beneath their true potential, and share the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. of Champions with them. It might be the spark that helps them grow into the person and performer they were meant to be.
P=Presence
P=Presence
If you want to change someone’s life, you have to be in their life.
Being physically present is expected. But being mentally and emotionally present? That’s leadership.
In a world full of distraction, the leader who pays attention—genuinely—has a power most people underestimate.
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Why Presence Matters
Your team isn’t just listening to your words—they’re reading your attention. They know when you’re rushing. They know when you’re only half-engaged. And they definitely know when you’ve already made up your mind about them.
But when a leader shows up, leans in, and really listens—walls come down.
Being present builds trust, and trust is the foundation for any breakthrough.
Short Story: The 10-Minute Turnaround
There was a young salesperson named Patty at a store I supported. She was falling behind on her goals, barely hanging on. When I asked her manager what was going on, he just said, “She’s not cut out for this. She doesn’t have it.”
But I decided to check in with her directly. We sat down for just 10 minutes. I asked her how she was doing—really doing. Her eyes welled up. She told me her confidence was shot. She felt invisible. Like no one believed in her.
I told her I believed she had what it takes, but she had to start believing it too—and I wasn’t going to let her give up.
That 10-minute conversation changed her entire demeanor. She started showing up earlier, asking more questions, and sold five cars the next week. Same person. New energy. All because someone showed up for her.
Reflection Questions
When was the last time you gave someone your full, undivided attention?
How might increasing your presence impact your team’s confidence and performance?
What distractions or habits keep you from being fully present?
Take Action
You can practice by taking a deep breath, and bringing your full attention to what you can see, hear, and feel in this exact moment. And during the next conversation you have with someone, focus fully on listening to what they’re saying, both verbally and nonverbally.
R=Reframing
R=Reframing
Everyone has a story they tell themselves.
Some people carry stories of strength:
“I always find a way.”
“I’m the one people can count on.”
Others carry stories that shrink them:
“I always mess things up.”
“I’m just not good with people.”
“I’ve never been the top performer—I probably never will be.”
These internal scripts quietly run in the background, shaping behavior and limiting potential.
Great leaders help their people reframe those stories.
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What Is Reframing
Reframing doesn’t mean sugarcoating the truth. It means shifting perspective.
It’s about helping someone reinterpret failure as feedback.
Doubt as opportunity.
Challenge as growth.
Most people don’t need you to solve their problems. They need you to show them a different way to see themselves.
Short Story: “I’m Just a Technician”
Years ago, I worked with a technician named Shawn. He was sharp, fast, and reliable—but quiet. When I encouraged him to apply for a service adviser position, he shook his head and said, “I’m just a technician, I don’t do the people thing.”
That was his frame—his mental picture of who he was and what he could do.
So I asked him:
“Do you realize how many people rely on you every single day? You already lead—you just don’t call it that.”
I saw the gears turning. He wasn’t being humble—he was boxed in by a belief.
A few weeks later Shawn was promoted. Not because I gave him a title—but because someone helped him see himself through a new lens.
Reflection Questions
What limiting beliefs have you heard from a team member—or even in yourself?
How might reframing those beliefs change their performance?
What are some positive reframes you can practice with someone today?
Take Action
Help someone see, the challenge they’re facing is most likely rooted in a belief they’ve accepted as truth, but it’s really just a conversation they’re having with themselves. And explore the possibilities that exist when that belief no longer holds power over them.
O=Ownership
O=Ownership
Once someone starts to believe in themselves, the next step is ownership.
Not just for their results—but for their mindset, effort, and growth.
You can’t lead someone to greatness by carrying them.
You lead them there by helping them carry themselves.
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What Ownership Really Means
Ownership is more than taking the blame when things go wrong. It’s about taking full responsibility for your outcomes—without excuses, without ego, and without waiting for someone else to fix it.
As a leader, your role is to create an environment where ownership is expected, modeled, and rewarded.
You’ll know your culture is ownership-driven when you stop hearing:
“No one told me.”
“That’s not my job.”
“I thought someone else was handling it.”
And instead start hearing:
“I’ve got it.”
“Let me look into that.”
“I missed that—won’t happen again.”
Short Story: The Comeback of a Service Writer
I worked with a service writer named Joe who had a lot of talent but kept coming up short. Low HRs per RO, poor follow-up, customer complaints. Each time I brought it up, he had a reason.
“The phones were slammed.”
“Techs didn’t communicate.”
“That customer’s impossible.”
Finally, I pulled him aside and said:
“Joe, you’re not in trouble—but you are stuck. And the only way out is to stop pointing outward and start looking inward.”
We wrote down a few excuses he’d used and flipped each one into an ownership statement.
Instead of “They didn’t tell me,” it became “I didn’t ask.”
Instead of “It wasn’t my fault,” it became “I didn’t follow through.”
It was a turning point. Joe didn’t just change his behavior—he changed his identity. He became the guy who owned everything—the wins, the losses, the learning.
And his results exploded.
Reflection Questions
How do you currently respond when someone makes excuses?
What can you do to foster a culture of ownership in your team?
How do you model ownership yourself?
Take Action
Challenge a team member to explore why they haven’t excelled at a higher level. Guide the conversation away from blaming circumstances or others, and stay focused on what’s within their control, because growth begins when we stop outsourcing responsibility and start owning our path forward.
C=Clarity
C=Clarity
Once belief and ownership are in motion, you must point them in the right direction.
Because without clarity, effort is wasted.
People don’t rise to vague expectations. They rise to clear ones.
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Why Clarity Is a Leadership Superpower
People want to succeed. Most aren’t underperforming because they don’t care—it’s because they’re not sure what success actually looks like.
Your team needs clarity in three key areas:
What’s expected of me?
How is success measured?
Where am I going if I keep growing?
If you don’t define those things, they’ll make assumptions. And when people assume, they often aim too low.
Clarity isn’t micromanagement.
It’s alignment. It removes the guesswork and unlocks full engagement.
Short Story: The Two Advisors
At one store I supported, there were two service advisors with almost identical experience—Mia and Jeff. Both showed up, both worked hard, both wanted to grow.
But Mia was crushing her goals, while Jeff kept falling behind. He wasn’t lazy—he was frustrated.
When I sat down with him, I realized something quickly:
No one had ever actually explained how his performance was evaluated.
He thought it was all about total ROs. In reality, it was about hours per RO, upsells, and CSI scores.
No wonder he felt stuck. He was running hard in the wrong direction.
We built a clear scorecard and reviewed it weekly. Within 60 days, Jeff was outperforming Mia—not because he worked harder, but because he finally understood the target.
Reflection Questions
Are your team’s goals and expectations clearly communicated?
How often do you review success metrics with your team?
How can you make expectations more visible and understandable?
Take Action
Ask each team member to decide exactly what it is you want to achieve and clearly define the steps that’ll get you there.
E=Empowerment
E=Empowerment
Once your people believe in themselves, take ownership, and understand where they’re headed, there’s one more thing they need: permission to act.
That’s what empowerment is.
It’s not just giving someone a task—it’s giving them trust.
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What Empowerment Really Looks Like
Empowerment means giving people:
The tools they need to succeed
The freedom to make decisions
The support to recover when they stumble
It’s about saying:
“I believe in your judgment—and I’ve got your back.”
This is where real growth happens. When people feel empowered, they stop asking “Can I?” and start deciding “Here’s what I’m doing.”
But many leaders unintentionally kill empowerment by:
Micromanaging
Second-guessing decisions
Focusing only on mistakes
Empowered people make better decisions over time—because they’re allowed to make decisions.
Short Story: Letting Go of the Clipboard
Years ago, I had a manager named Paul who managed a team of techs. He was sharp, but overwhelmed—always chasing problems, double-checking every job, answering every question himself.
One day I pulled him aside and asked, “Why are you still doing all the thinking for everyone?”
He paused. “Because if I don’t, they’ll screw it up.”
I said, “They’re not growing because you’re not letting them.”
So we built a system. He started assigning lead roles on jobs, letting techs troubleshoot, make calls, and even make mistakes.
Within a few weeks, something clicked. Productivity went up. Techs took more pride. And Paul? He was less stressed and more effective—because he had finally empowered his team instead of just managing them.
Reflection Questions
Where might you be unintentionally micromanaging?
How can you give your team more freedom to make decisions?
How do you support your team when they make mistakes?
Take Action
When a desired result is achieved, ask “What did you do well, and WHY?”. When we focus on why, it’s more personal and increases the chances of happening again.
When a desired result is not achieved, ask “What could you do better and HOW?” When we focus on how, it stops the failure from becoming personal, enabling us to continually improve going forward..
Empower team members to regularly ask themselves these two questions.
S=Structure
S=Structure
Empowerment without structure is chaos.
Once your people believe, own, and act—you must give them a framework to keep winning.
Because energy is powerful, but systems sustain momentum.
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Why Structure Matters
Structure isn't about control. It’s about consistency.
Think of it like this:
Empowerment gives people wings.
Structure gives them direction.
You can have the best team in the world, but without clear processes, routines, and checkpoints, results will always be inconsistent.
Structure creates rhythm, removes guesswork, and builds confidence in daily execution.
Short Story: The Morning Huddle Shift
At one dealership, the collision center struggled with missed details—cars sitting too long, wrong parts ordered, customers left uninformed. The team was talented, but disorganized.
So we introduced one small structure: a 5-minute morning huddle.
Every day, the estimators reviewed:
Carry-over jobs
Key appointments
Hot issues and opportunities
At first, it felt like a chore. But within two weeks, everything changed. Communication improved. Bottlenecks were spotted early. CSI scores jumped. The team started walking into each day with a plan—not just hope.
Same people. Same tools. The only difference? Structure.
Reflection Questions
What small structures or routines could improve your team’s consistency?
How do you currently track progress and hold accountability?
How can you make your systems more visible and accessible?
Take Action
Now that each team member has the tools to manage their inner voice and perform at a high level, your role as a leader is to ensure that individual success aligns with team and company goals. Make sure you have a clear line of sight from personal wins to collective results.
S=Support
S=Support
Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint.
The final step in the PROCESS is support—the ongoing commitment to show up for your people, especially when the going gets tough.
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Why Support Matters
Even champions face setbacks, self-doubt, and hard days.
Without support, those moments become walls. With support, they become stepping stones.
Support means being there consistently—offering encouragement, guidance, and belief—not just when things are easy, but especially when they’re not.
It’s about saying,
“I’m with you. We’re in this together.”
Short Story: The Comeback Kid
I once worked with a sales manager named Kevin. He was sharp, driven, and full of potential. But after a costly mistake on a major order, he was devastated. His confidence shattered, and he seriously considered shrinking back into his previous role.
Rather than let him spiral, I owned the situation. I told my boss the truth—that I’d put Kevin in a position he wasn’t fully prepared for. It was my responsibility. I didn’t dwell on blame, and I made sure Kevin knew he was still trusted and supported.
That support changed everything. Kevin bounced back. He began leading his team with the same belief and empathy I had shown him—and within a year, his department’s sales were up 30%.
His turnaround wasn’t just about correcting a process. It was about knowing someone believed in him—even when he didn’t believe in himself.
Reflection Questions
How consistent is your support during tough times?
Do your people feel safe bringing you their struggles?
How can you better celebrate both wins and setbacks with your team?
Take Action
When a desired result is achieved, ask “What did you do well, and WHY?”. When we focus on why, it’s more personal and increases the chances of happening again.
When a desired result is not achieved, ask “What could you do better and HOW?” When we focus on how, it stops the failure from becoming personal, enabling us to continually improve going forward..
Remember to support one another—and yourself—by asking these key questions every time a result is achieved or missed. There’s no more powerful way to foster growth, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The P.R.O.C.E.S.S. of CHAMPIONS is more than a method—it’s a mindset and a commitment.
By being present, reframing doubts, encouraging ownership, providing clarity, empowering action, building structure, and showing relentless support, you transform your team from inside out.
Because champions aren’t born. They’re made—one belief, one choice, one moment at a time.
Great leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about the P.R.O.C.E.S.S.
About / Contact the Author
About / Contact the Author
David Roemer has dedicated his entire career to the automotive industry, rising through the ranks from technician to general manager before launching a technology company focused on developing digital solutions for dealerships. Throughout his journey, he discovered that true leadership—and lasting results—come from unlocking human potential.
He’s the creator of the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. of Champions framework, a leadership model designed to transform self-doubt into confidence and turn ordinary teams into high-performing ones.
Connect with David directly through the links below to book a speaking engagement or learn more.
Spread the Message
Spread the Message
If this book inspired you—share it.
Post a quote, send it to a colleague, use it in a meeting, or gift it to someone you’re mentoring.
We rise by lifting others—and sometimes all it takes is the right message at the right time to spark lasting change.
Thanks for being the kind of leader who invests in people. The world needs more of that.
Let’s keep building champions.
— David
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