REM Editorial Team

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The post Letter to the Editor: When it comes to ORWP, embracing change is for the greater good appeared first on REM.

The market goes up and down, government starts out great then crumbles, children develop their own minds and take over the ownership of themselves…. and when things change, we are challenged.

What worked before stops working. Then we have a choice – keep beating a dead horse, or adapt.

This spring we noticed a tree in our front yard that had no buds. All the other trees in the neighbourhood were blooming, but ours was dead. We had a choice. Leave it there, standing as if it was fine, or cut it down and plant a new tree.

When you look around at others in your industry, are there things that they are doing to bring forth fruit that maybe you neglected?

It is an honest question, just between me and you – no one else will know.

If I decide to lose five pounds and everyday I eat well and go for a walk, but every night succumb to comfort and the pleasure of a glass of wine and charcuterie tray, I will have pleasure for a moment and zero results for the long term.

This is where a secret ingredient can be tucked in your back pocket. Accountability to rise up to the challenge of change.

When you need to see better results, you need to take better actions! You need to change, and with that, you need a strategy to overcome your challenge.

Here are three simple steps that will have you overcoming your challenges today and seeing better results tomorrow:

1. Isolate the obstacle

Single out exactly what is in your way. Is it time management? Lack of a network? Inability to close deals? Being too reactive and out of control? Are you resisting getting on and using Facebook? If you had to isolate one challenge – what would it be?

2. Clarify the needed action

Take your obstacle and now clarify what a possible solution would be. I highly suggest getting in a great frame of mind first. Think about how much love you have for your family or go on a brisk walk somewhere beautiful. Visit a bird sanctuary or zoo. If you are spiritual, go to a local labyrinth and enlarge the capacity of your mind. Then when your mind is in a positive state, ask it, “What action do I need to take to overcome this challenge?” When we are in a high state of mind, we have an amazing ability to access the “executive centre” of our brain (rather than being stuck in the animal nature), and in that place there are many answers waiting to come to light.

What is an action you can take? Get super clear.

Perhaps you will realize that you need to pick up your phone and call through your entire database and let your network know that you are thinking about them and are here to help. Maybe you need to stop procrastinating and start doing a certain thing. Maybe you could read a great book on getting more organized like Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

You may be surprised that your brain already knows what you can do to solve your challenge!

3. Reach out for accountability

As I often say, “Leaders are not afraid of immediate discomfort, they are motivated by future triumphs.”

It might hurt your pocket-book or your schedule, but reach out to others for accountability. Start a business group at your brokerage, maybe join a mastermind group. There are even support groups online where you may find help.

Once you have an idea on a course of action, you must find the motivation to take action. If you can’t make yourself do what must be done, then include someone in that process with you.

The best way not to snack at night is to share your intention with your partner – they will call you out if you reach for the treats!

And by the end of the week, you might find that you have the results you wanted.

What separates us is the ability for transformation, to pick ourselves back up off the ground, to try again. Yes, things are always changing, but you, my friend, can overcome your challenges using these three simple steps.

Sue Styles

Sue Styles is the VP of Real Estate and Mortgages at Relo.ca. She has nearly two decades of experience coaching real estate agents and is the CEO of Maximized Results Consulting. She guides real estate agents to maximize their potential and reach unwavering results by revealing their possibilities, challenging the status quo, and setting up their systems for success. She is the author of three books and a professional speaker; reach out for business coaching and resources!

Send her an email

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It’s easier for a single agent to maintain their success. It’s much more difficult for a salesperson to transition from a successful single agent to a team leader who’s responsible for communicating their vision and managing every aspect of the team.

Every member of your team wants to perform their role their way. More often than not your team members are driven by personal success rather than team success.

So how do you develop a culture that’s driven by team success from the group of agents you already have? Better yet, how do you get these individuals to do what you need and want them to do in order for your business or team to be successful?

There are three basic elements that need to be in place for any change to happen within your organization:

The desire to change

The individual must be motivated to create new behaviour, or have a compelling reason to do so. If they think that what they are doing is fine, they won’t feel a need to make any changes. To create the desire for change, a good leader must provide an awareness of the need to change. They should have a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished. This means showing the individual the benefits of leaving their comfort zone, discussing why the change is required and making them aware of what the consequences are if they don’t make the appropriate changes. You can do this through training, open dialogue sessions and by providing examples of what their competitors are doing.

The ability to change 

Knowing your team, you should be able to determine whether or not your team member has the ability to make the required changes. If the motivation is there, but the skill level is not, the skill can then be taught. But if there isn’t any motivation, it’s highly doubtful the skill will be adapted. A team member should have a clear understanding of their own role within the company and know that their ideas and thoughts make a valuable contribution to the success of the company. Never underestimate the help or assistance an employee may require. Although you may know a lot about the business, someone fresh in the industry will need a mentor to show them the ropes.

The permission to change 

The change must then come from within. The individual must allow himself the permission to make the changes and they have to agree to those changes. If there’s no desire, then time is truly being wasted.

A team is a group of people that all function together as one, while each individual contributes their own talent towards a common goal. They recognize they are independent, but understand that the goals of the team are accomplished with mutual support. There’s no time wasted struggling over turf, or attempting personal gain at the expense of others. A group, on the other hand, consists of individuals who work with an administrative purpose. There is a huge difference in what can be considered a team, vs. merely a “group”.

In a group, individuals focus on themselves and are not involved in the unit’s objective because they are not a part of any planning. They are told what to do and trust only themselves. They receive good training, but are limited to applying those new found skills in their jobs because of the restrictions put on them by their manager or group members.

Individuals in groups are unable to resolve conflict situations and the manager typically puts it off until serious damage has been done; creating a “fend for your own life” environment. They may or may not participate in the decisions that affect the group. Conformity becomes more important than results due to control issues. They work in an unstructured environment with undetermined standards of performance. Their leaders don’t walk the walk, but simply lead by the seat of their pants.

Groups are uncommitted towards excellence and personal pride because their personal expectations are not fulfilled and they are not learning or growing. This creates mediocre performance, or worse yet, high staff turnover.

In a team environment individuals claim ownership of the job and unit and are committed to the values of the common goal they help to establish. They are brought in on the planning process. They contribute to the organization’s success by applying their unique talents. There is a climate of trust because they are encouraged to use their ideas. They have open and honest communication and are encouraged to continue developing their skills and to apply those new skills in their jobs, which are supported by management.

Teams understand that conflict is a normal aspect of human interaction and see it as an opportunity to explore new ideas and creativity. They work to resolve conflicts quickly and constructively, and they participate in decisions that affect the team and understand that the leader must make the final decision whenever the team can’t decide. Positive, win-win results are the goal at all times.

Teams have a structured environment and know the boundaries and who has the final authority. Their leader sets the agreed high performance standards and is respected by the team that is willing to participate. They are determined to work together towards their goals and the goals of the team, since they were involved in the planning process. They also believe that their team leader is committed to their success.

So if you want a team, rather than a group of people working for you, it’s important to create structure, accountability, standards, commitment and an involvement of ideas.

To sell the team concept you have to involve the team.

Ken Goodfellow

Ken Goodfellow is a real estate coach to top agents, brokers and teams across North America. He is well known for taking high-producing agents and real estate companies to the next level. Visit www.goodfellowcoaching.com or email Ken at ken@goodfellowcoaching.com.

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