Would You Drop What You're Doing?

Can people count on you?

Are you a willing to do what it takes to help the team?

Would you do something outside the scope of your work knowing it might not get you any credit, attention or recognition?

How do you feel going outside of your comfort zone?

You know who will do this?

Kathy will do this.

I don't want to use Kathy's full name because I know she wouldn't want the publicity. That is not the reason she came to my aid today when I was 30 minutes from starting a continuing education class and I realized I was missing the VGA cable that connects my projector to my computer. 

For those of you who might not know, the VGA cable is the cord that allows the audience to see the presentation from the computer via the projector. Not to be overly dramatic but it is kind of an important thing when you're teaching a class so that the audience can see your presentation.

I needed to find a way to get a cable or I wouldn't have been able to teach this class as effectively as I would with a full visual presentation. When I called in to my office to find someone who might be able to help, no one really seemed to feel the "urgency" of my dilemma. My former training coordinator was out of the office and another staff member got disconnected when we were talking. I didn't have time to play telephone tag. I needed to find a way to get a cord or a new projector to this location in 30 minutes or less and sadly, Domino's doesn't deliver technology.

The office is about 17 minutes from the location where I was teaching so it wasn't possible for me to return to get a cable and get back in time. It had to be a team effort.

"Who else is there," I asked the receptionist?

After a slight pause, I just said "Is Kathy there?"

Dependable People Never Say "That Depends..."

"Hey what's up?" was all Kathy said upon being paged by the front desk.

In a panting voice with a hint of desperation, I explained my dilemma and urgency and just said "can you help me?"

There was no hesitation. There was no "well, I won't be able to do it right away." There wasn't any sound in her voice of "oh crap, why did he call me?" 

"Don't worry. I'll be there right away," was all Kathy said.

I hung up and exhaled deeply.

To the Rescue

The registrants were arriving and the empty seats were filling up. Attendees were scanning the handout in anticipation of an on-time start. I was pacing near the front door trying to look relaxed and ready to teach. With 4 minutes to spare before the beginning of my class, Kathy arrived with not just one projector but two...just in case.

We powered up in seconds and kicked off the class with some high fives. It was time to "Get in the Game."

How Do You Stand Out?

There are over 300 million people and a little over 1 million Realtors in the United States. When a random person wakes up tomorrow and needs real estate services, will they call you? Will their co-worker or neighbor think of you? Odds are that they know at least one other Realtor so what would you need to do for your name have that "top of mind" awareness? 

If one of your Buyers or Sellers called you tonight and needed something answered, provided or explained, would you reply?

Can your former clients expect a return call or follow up in a timely manner?

Are you comfortable reaching out to leads referred to you by clients, friends or fellow Realtors?

Will your family sit back and relax knowing that you will do what you said you would do?

Do you build relationships, solve problems and have fun in such a way that people know you care?

Can people count on you?

Welcome to the Wide World of Real Estate?

Monday Morning Match is a short post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

With many sports in full swing right now, there's a lot of emphasis on teamwork. You've got  the National Hockey League and the NBA starting their repsective playoffs while Major League Baseball just kicked off their 8-month season. MLS  Soccer is in full swing as are many of the high school and little league sports teams.

Yes, it's true. In most cases, real estate agents consider themselves to be "independent contractors." They don't really have a boss and they technically can't be told what to do. But this is much more of a team game than people realize.

How's your teamwork this year?

How supportive is your branch manager in your efforts to achieve success in real estate and remain balanced in other areas of your life?

Do you have a coach helping hold you accountable? Can you share your goals and dreams with this person as easily as you share your challenges and fears?

Do you have affiliates who help you with your additional services such as mortgage, title, home inspection services and home warranty coverage?

Does your office or company have staff members who help make you look good? Do your receptionsists and office administrators work tirelessly to make you look good?

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.”

~ Babe Ruth

Perhaps you have specific departments that help you leverage your talents to better serve your Buyers and Sellers such as a Marketing Department or a Relocation Department or Training Department.

How successful could you be if your IT Department and help desk wasn't available to help you navigate through viruses, email spam and other computer issues? 

Are you a "team leader" who enjoys all the credit and recognition but you have assistants and specialists who work behind the scenes to get the deals to the closing table?

Do you have a recognizable brand behind you that has great recognition and respect in the community? You don't have to work for a huge company or the biggest branch in town but you should be proud to wear the logo on your chest each day. Do you?

When you meet with your Buyers and Sellers, do you use words like "we" and "us" more than you say "I" and "you"? When you make it more of a "team" effort to find the right house or get a home sold, there's more people invested in the outcome.

You see, real estate is much more of a team sport than people think. Sure, the "buck" stops with you but you don't have to be the one to feel all of the pressure either. When transactions successfully make it to the closing table, there are a whole lot of people who get to bask in the "thrill of victory" while each time something occurs that causes a deal to fall through, people will feel "the agony of defeat."

Just make sure that every once in a while, you thank your teammates for keeping you on top of your game.

Until next time, keep building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

An Example of Using Teamwork to Reach Your Goal

As a former member of the marching band back in high school, I understand the importance for each member of the band to perform his or her moves correctly in order to make the "whole" band look good. If just one person makes a misstep or turns the wrong way at the wrong time, the entire presentation can be affected.

In real estate, we often work proudly as "independent contractors" but when you stop to think about it, we have many members of our team who can drastically impact how we look to the people watching.

Are you and your mortgage advisor in sync?

Can you count on your home inspector of choice to be "in tune" with your clients?

When you work in "rhythm" with the co-op agent on the other side of the deal, doesn't everyone enjoy a better transaction?

Can you depend on your title company or closing attorney to deliver that "big finish" that will leave the fans buzzing about your performance?

It's great to "walk to the beat of a different drummer" but when you're in a marching band, walking the same walk as your teammates will help you achieve your goals of looking and sounding like one.

The following video is a perfect example of a group following the systematic steps needed to reach their (field) goal. Click here if you don't see the video below