How Fleet Leaders Build Unstoppable Momentum
This article is based on a recent episode of The Fleet Success Show podcast. Watch the episode below:
Some fleets plateau. Others make the leap to greatness.
Why? According to RTA CEO Josh Turley, it comes down to leadership. Inspired by Jim Collins’ research in Good to Great, Josh shares what it takes to build a fleet organization that’s aligned, resilient, and relentlessly improving.
This article breaks down the three pillars of disciplined leadership and how you can apply them inside your own fleet.
Q: What separates good fleets from great ones?
A: Disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. Great fleets hire for values, get clear on mission, and then execute relentlessly over time. It’s not flashy. It’s consistent.
Q: What does “first who, then what” mean in fleet?
A: Build the team before you build the strategy. Get the right people on the bus (i.e., people who align with your values and culture), and then figure out where to go together.
Example: One RTA Fleet customer restructured their fleet leadership team around shared values and saw a 12% improvement in technician retention and a 9% drop in downtime in just 9 months.
Q: How do you lead in hard times?
A: Follow the Stockdale Paradox: maintain hope while confronting brutal facts. You might not have enough budget or staff, but ignoring reality is worse. Be honest, be hopeful, and move forward.
Q: What is the flywheel in fleet leadership?
A: The flywheel is consistent execution over time. One push won’t move it, but you'll build unstoppable momentum if you push in the same direction again and again. That’s what separates elite fleets.
(Insert visual: Flywheel Diagram — Push → Momentum → Results → Confidence → More Push)
Q: Why is clarity so important for fleet leaders?
A: Clarity aligns your team. Without it:
- People guess
- People resist
- Results suffer
With clarity:
- Everyone rows in the same direction
- Teams know what matters most
- Accountability becomes easier
Great leaders communicate their purpose, values, and mission over and over again. They become the “Chief Reminding Officer.”
Q: What’s one action fleet leaders should take today?
A: Get clear.
- Define your fleet’s purpose, values, and mission
- Share it daily in meetings, huddles, and 1:1s
- Use internal tools like RTA’s Fleet Wiki to reinforce it
Fleet leadership isn’t about being charismatic. It’s about being clear, consistent, and committed to long-term excellence. If you want to make the leap from good to great, start by building your flywheel—one disciplined push at a time.