Wow! I just walked into my office after taking a few days off and one of my team members said, “Check this out, look what I’ve done!” As she toggled through all our new QR codes that linked us to all our social environments, including our full website, I was so impressed with her customization and innovation. “And here is how we do this and this is what we do here and here is how we can make this better…” Then my other team member said “I have just added this to our new website, and this is how it looks.” As I looked over her shoulder I watched as she toggled through all the features she had just build and published.

 

Wow! Wow! Wow! What a dream team! As I looked at both my team members I realized the power and strength of a great team. I knew from our past meetings that the three of us come together and brainstorm fantastically, but now more than ever I could see how each one of our strengths was a perfect complement to the others’.

 

When I listen to them tell me what to do or where to go for this and that, I sometimes feel like I am in a vortex of blur. But I am confident that as long as they know the end result is within our vision, we are all together on the same track.

 

What does your team look like? Do you balance the needed strengths of your business? Can you walk away for a few days and come back to an operating system that was better than you left it? Does the contribution of each partner move you one step forward to achieving your goals?

 

If not, how come?

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending our office’s wonderful morning of a yummy free breakfast, a fun silent auction and awards recognizing the great accomplishments of our associates.

 

I loved the breakfast, didn’t buy anything and witnessed something really interesting.

 

I watched curiously as our office manager called each recipient up to receive acknowledgment and an award for a job well done. Our office not only recognized the sales production of each REALTOR® for the year, but the amount of growth that some had achieved. Cool! One of our associates had achieved a 500% increase in production over one year…that is very cool!

 

So what did all these people have in common? What was the golden thread that I could see connecting them all?

 

I found it, in their team.

 

I thought back to my peak days when my only passion was selling real estate. First it started off as just me. Well, there were only 24 hours in the day and only one of me. I made the bottom end of the top 10% of our real estate board, but could do no more. So I brought on a great assistant, Jess. Together we exceeded my past numbers. We rocked! We could make things happen and a whole new set of awards were accomplished. But there were still only 24 hours in every day and we could only give so much.  And so we brought on another great Licensed REALTOR®, Scott. He was awesome! Now with our team of 3 our productivity soared, as did my time off and peace of mind. With a solid team, we could do more, rest more and be ready for more. A new level of achievement was reached.

 

As I watched these great REALTORS® each stand up and receive their well-earned awards, I recognized the stages they were at in their business, and I felt excitement for them.

 

But the interesting part came at the very end. Our office manager recognized 3 very lovely ladies for their contribution - our support staff. And to that, we all stood up and gave them a standing ovation. Mr. 500% increase did not receive that.

 

And so, to my own wonderful team, and to all the support personnel out there, here is a standing ovation from PRA recognizing each one of you for a job so well done, and for the contribution and value you give to the growth of our businesses.

I received a call the other day from an old friend of mine and a great REALTOR®. He was looking to hire one of our grads.

“Do you need full time or part time?” I asked. “I don’t know”, he replied. “Alright, what do you need them to do?” “I’m not really sure”, he said, with a tone that sounded like I had really stumped him.

He isn’t alone; I get this type of call more often than not.

 

Before you begin to build a team or hire people for support, you need to know the needs of your business and the goals you want to accomplish.

How many of us work hard to build our business, and then reach a point of exhaustion or a realization that our time is better spent doing more income producing tasks and building client relationships? Because in most cases we are busy at this point, we hire the first person that has a pulse, regular breathing and says all the things we need to hear. Sometimes we luck out, and sometimes that hire becomes an expensive mistake.

 

So what do we do?

 

We start with ourselves first!

1. Look at your business and be clear on your business and personal goals/growth.
2. Create a detailed and very clear vision of what your new hire should have as skills, attributes and knowledge to support your goals/growth.
3. Interview, interview, interview, until you find the person that fits your requirements. Don’t compromise yourself and your business. With the wrong fit, we can become complacent because it can be harder to let someone go then go through the hiring and training process all over again. Then the business you were trying to build can actually deteriorate.

If you’re thinking of building your team, stop, create a clear vision of where you are going, a clearer picture of the Who you want and What they need to accomplish, and then take the time and patience to hire that person.

The right team member will make all the difference to you and your business.

How many questions can you answer ‘True’?

 

All Answers True: You’ve got a star assistant!

1-3 Answers False: Consider refining their skills.

4 or More Answers False: View our Foundations Program.

The dictionary definition of a “team” is “a number of persons associated together in work or activity”.

You are the proud owner of a team-oriented environment. Do you have a team that functions efficiently in this environment?

It is important from the very beginning that you lay out your expectations. Your team will then be able to set their goals and achieve them, prioritize the most important tasks, and above all, be able to keep your business functioning at the level and speed you need it to run at.

Does your team understand why they need to work cohesively? Do they understand their individual roles and how they come together with each other’s? Clarity in the communication between you and your team is crucial; and even more so within the team itself. They need to understand how their role, together or individually, affects the functionality and success of your business. Communication is key in keeping your team operating like a well-oiled machine.

Do your team members know their responsibilities? Are they comfortable with the tasks that they must take on to assist you and your business? While your team is a support system for you, it’s important that you are the same for them. Their goal may be to keep efficiency and success for your business, but you may need to make it your goal to aid and guide them when necessary.

Commitment to their role and to you is the mark of a good team member. Are they constantly looking for ways to better help you?  Encourage them to take part in workshops that will enhance their skills and knowledge of systems and programs that are used on a daily basis. You both may even find a more effective way to run the office with newfound knowledge and tactics.

What does your team bring to the table? Participation in meetings, work projects, and team building exercises is important. It draws on their commitment, they’re willingness to exceed your expectations, and keeps the lines of communications open. Team co-operation and collaboration is necessary, and is a great way to stimulate new ideas.

Innovation and creativity keeps your business fresh and active. If you and each member of your team are making the effort to come up with new ideas to keep your business successful, you create the opportunity to carve a niche in the market. Dare to be bold, creative, unique, and exceptional and you may capture a whole new audience’s attention. Start with what you know, and build on it. Your team should be dynamic enough to keep the creative juices flowing without straying so far from what you know, that you lose the basis of your business.

At the end of the day, despite any ups or downs, what you need and want to see are results. In the greater scheme of things, all you can ask of your team is that they put their best foot forward and work with you to keep your business at its best. Keep the communication happening, encourage new ideas, push for team participation and collaboration, and make sure, above all, that everyone within your team wants to make this business a success.