Whether you’re an experienced broker or taking on the role for the first time, the following six books offer up-to-the-minute management guidance. Here you’ll learn how to work with a variety of stakeholders, communicate effectively, and inspire the kind of dedication and high performance that only great leaders can produce.
1. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
From an academic background as a research professor at the University of Houston, Brené Brown has brought her studies in courage, shame, vulnerability and empathy to a larger stage, impacting the way people and organizations relate. In Dare to Lead, she examines the way courage and bravery can transform the culture of a company, inspiring employees to get out of their comfort zones in order to achieve more.
2: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Forget the old real estate leadership paradigm made famous in films like Glengarry Glen Ross. In order to build and sustain an effective, cohesive and invested brokerage community, leadership must inspire trust and make each team member feel valued. Drawing insights from leaders in the military, business and government communities, Sinek argues that only by fostering an environment of safety and cooperation can organizations truly flourish.
3: The Ten-Day MBAÂ by Steven A. Silbiger
Wish you had the time to go back to school and learn the nuts and bolts of business operations? The Ten-Day MBA offers you a survey of the best thinking from the country’s top business schools, distilled into an easy-to-read overview of finance, marketing, management, corporate ethics and more. Here you’ll gain confidence and foundational insights along with a resource that you’ll return to again and again.
4: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman and Kaley Klemp
If your team is sleepwalking through their professional commitments, this guide to conscious leadership with an emphasis on honesty and openness may be the antidote. Engage agents and support staff by helping them to find their strengths and giving them a space where their contributions are valued and acknowledged. Instead of chasing new talent, put time into cultivating and supporting your team for greater personal investment and staff retention.
5: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
So much of real estate is about storytelling, from the story of a new home to the story of your brokerage. The StoryBrand style is one of the most popular ways of setting the stage for communication and conveying your brand identity to clients and prospects. Whether you’re responsible for helping your team write their bios, revamping the brokerage website, or putting together marketing collateral for your latest listing, this framework will help you engage your reader and communicate your message.
6: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Real estate is known for its big personalities, but it’s just as important to connect with those who are not as in-your-face with their insights and talents. In Quiet, corporate consultant Susan Cain examines the way that extroversion is rewarded in our culture and the unique contributions of quieter thought leaders and innovators. Whether you are an introvert yourself or have some in your brokerage, you’ll find a new perspective on the way this personality type can contribute to your success.
McKissock Learning is the nation’s premier online real estate school, providing continuing education courses and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country. As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning, along with its sister schools Real Estate Express, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Gold Coast Schools, The Rockwell Institute and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career. Learn more at mckissock.com/real-estate.
