As a business owner (and if you are an active real estate agent or team leader, you own a business) you must make hundreds of choices every day that potentially impact that business. Sometimes they are substantial, like making a new hire. Other times, not so much—like deciding which branded stationery to get, for example.
The amount and intensity of decisions a business owner needs to make can feel overwhelming. While some matters will always be trivial, it can start to be hard to determine which matters are truly important or consequential and which only appear urgent.
I make decisions like this every day with my own business, and it’s still something I struggle with from time to time. So let me share what I do to get clarity on the direction I need to take when I’m presented with a crossroads. I simply ask myself two questions: Why, and why now?
Why?
We often use questions as a tool to help our clients unpack tough decisions and gain perspective during the transaction process, but how often do we pose questions to ourselves? The right question can help a prospect or client better understand their situation and needs. The same is true for yourself. By asking yourself to probe introspective questions, you can better understand your motives and intentions behind a given decision.
When I ask myself why I should make a certain decision, I’m not trying to convince myself of a predetermined conclusion—though I often end up confirming something I was feeling uncertain about. I’m trying to get to the bottom of the issue and arrive at a place of stability so that I can move forward with confidence.
Say I was considering whether I needed to relocate my team to a larger office space. If I needed clarity about this decision, I would start by asking myself why:
Why do I feel this should be done?
Why would I consider postponing or canceling the move?
Why would moving make a positive impact on my business?
By asking myself these types of questions, I’m able to probe my inner motives. It could be a highly pragmatic decision: my team is growing and I’m running out of effective workspace for them. But it might involve other motives: a competitor has recently upgraded their office space, and since I consider myself the better agent, maybe I should move, too.
For me, understanding my own motive is one of the most important parts of making a significant decision. When I am satisfied with my motivations, I find I’m often able to determine whether I should pursue a certain course of action or not. If I realize that the main factor for wanting to move my office is to keep up with the agent Joneses, I’ll know it’s probably not the right choice for my business.
Why now?
Sometimes, though, determining motive isn’t enough to set me on the path to clarity. Maybe I determine that yes, I want to move my office because my team is on a growth track. The question then becomes one of exigency: Why now?
How long will my team be able to thrive in the current office space? Does my growth track indicate we’ll be stuffed to the gills within a couple of months, or can we get away with waiting a year? Will my needs today be any different than they would in six or 12 months?
Determining urgency is especially important if you have to prioritize several interrelated tasks. I need to move my office because my team is growing: is it more critical for me to relocate or hire a new buyer’s agent first? Asking “why now” can help you formulate timely action plans according to your exact needs.
By asking and honestly answering these two questions, you’ll be able to make more informed, thoughtful choices about your business. Taking the time to investigate your own reasoning and to pursue clarity is always worth it, and it’s a skill I hope you develop for your own business.
Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, a real estate consulting company that specializes in performance coaching and building highly effective teams. Contact wssm@workmansuccess.com for more information and free downloadable resources.
