Keep clarity to maximize your team’s real estate success
In this most unique year, has the purpose of your real estate business changed at all? Said another way, while the how of your business has likely changed in many ways out of necessity, have you stayed consistent about the why of your business with yourself and your team? This is a pivotal question, and the answer is key to your success as a leader and to the success of your team.
I recently read a terrific piece on management excellence by McKinsey & Company that focused on two important traits of a leader: consistency and coherence. It noted how many leaders often become tempted by new business “fads” and incorporate them into their businesses without considering whether they are truly consistent with their existing “recipe” of purpose, values and culture.
Clarity, on the other hand, is better at keeping teams focused and producing at maximum performance. That is especially true in real estate, and while that does not mean that adjustments and new initiatives cannot be embraced within your business, it does mean that you need to consider whether they fit within your overall business persona.
Here are five reasons why consistency and coherence in your real estate business are essential:
They attract and keep team members who will thrive in your system. It is well known that you can’t take a manager from Company X and put him or her in Company Y; they likely follow different recipes and will struggle if transplanted into a different culture. The same is often true in real estate, so knowing and communicating how you do business is important for everyone’s success. The clearer you can be about this, the better you will be at helping agents and staff both develop and self-select in and out of your team.
They send a predictable message to others, including clients who usually prefer normalcy from leaders. Think about the experience of Starbucks’ regulars. Most prefer a typically dependable response to ordering java.
They avoid producing unease that unpredictable management behavior often causes. Inconsistency breeds disaffection and alienation—and it can damage trust that others have in your leadership.
They help establish organizational clarity and generate productivity among agents and employees who favor a well-defined management style. We often see a disconnect emerge when a team doesn’t have a mutual understanding of a leader’s management style, mood, behavior and decision-making.
They enable measurement of the effectiveness of your organizational strategies, initiatives and choices. In that regard, consistency also helps hold you accountable for delivering on those objectives.
In short, focus on developing a conscious, clear philosophy in your real estate business that can be applied across your team, then apply it as consistently as possible.
By the way, consistency in leadership does not mean that you have to be boring! You can be as fun, boisterous and motivational as you want to be—just be consistent about your overall purpose and approach.
We employ this approach in our agent coaching programs by teaching agents our Goldmine Pipeline© of leads for consistent, predictable income. Each agent uses methods customized to themselves, but the overall methodology of building a successful pipeline always stays consistent. This keeps our agents more productive, presents a more reliable experience for their clients, and leads to greater success for them and your team.
Click here to learn more about our coaching programs, and as you continue to navigate this market, drive sales and grow your business, stay consistent and clear about who you are and how you do business for greater success!
To view my free webinar “How to Create a GoldMine Pipeline,” and to learn how to create consistent, predictable income, click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. She is also an RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker as an industry Influencer. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.
