What Goes Around: Leveraging Your 'Team'

Last month, I wrote about understanding the power of leveraging teamwork, an article in which I mentioned hiring, and the importance of hiring the right people. While getting the right people on the bus and into the best seat for them is critical, how do we find those people? How do we hire and create low turnover, as well as a happy, healthy and thriving team and environment?

For me, throughout the years I’ve spent running offices and my team, I’ve always found ways to leverage my strategic or allied partners—the people with whom I did business in the industry and those who called on me or did business with me. These are the people that know, love, trust and respect you—and there are more of them than you may realize. Sometimes, we’re so locked into what we’re doing, and working with blinders on, that we’re not paying attention to all of those who are rooting for us on the sidelines. Believe me, it’s not only the ones that you currently give your business to that are rooting for you to have a healthy, happy and successful business and life. In fact, those who hope to earn your business one day—in addition to those who know who you are, how you are and how you treat those around you—are rooting for you, as well.

About a year ago, I posted on my personal Facebook page that I was looking to hire another buyer’s agent for my team. I simply placed an ad that said: Looking for a new buyer’s agent on my team. Candidate must have an active real estate license, and they must be hungry, humble, smart and coachable. That’s all I put, but it caused my phone and private messaging to blow up. I had lenders, title, insurance, inspection and home warranty people sending me the names of individuals they thought might be looking. Not only was I excited, but I was also surprised at just how many people were looking at me from afar and willing to help after all these years.

I called each and every one of them and thanked them for their input. I also asked if I could use their name when I called on the person they recommended—and I respected their confidentiality as I went out into the world to hire that particular agent. That being said, it’s important to note that some of the best people I’ve ever hired have come from referrals from strategic partners already in my business.

Being in real estate is just like being in business in the community doing anything else. You must act like, and do the deeds, of a person interested in those you work with and those in your community—and become an advocate of your community, as well. Letting people know you care not only goes toward the very fiber of your business and your outcomes; it also sets the stage for them returning the favor.

One of my coaching clients, a husband and wife team from Minnesota, set out each year to call all of their strategic and allied partners. They sit down to prepare their real estate business plans with them because most don’t prepare their own. They show them their business plan and where—for example—it says that they’ll give their insurance agent at least three referrals that year, if not more. So, when their insurance agent prepares his business plan, it’s easy to ask him to include only one referral from him to them for that year. Make sense?

In the end, brainstorming, masterminding, helping others and being open is all it takes.

Rick Geha of The Rick Geha Real Estate Team began his real estate career at age 22. Over the past 15 years, he’s led more than 1,000 classes and workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada and has presented keynote addresses to thousands of professionals from all industries and walks of life. Rick is currently a coach with Workman Success Systems. Contact him at Rick@RickGeha.com. For more information, please visit www.workmansuccesssystems.com.