TREC appeal (Real Estate)

For about 8 months I was working on getting some content approved for continuing education credits in the field of Real Estate. We have worked with agents, brokers and investors successfully before but to my suprise even in this day in age we still have old guard habits that at least seem unwilling to test out true progress. Below were my comments of appeal to the board made about three months ago. I wanted to share with those interested as many may struggle with bodies or boards that are created to be the visionaries and promoters of progress yet do not want to change a thing.....

(comments made in Jackson, TN in front of TN Real Estate Commision)
Good afternoon,
If it pleases the board I would like to thank you for your attention and time this afternoon. I understand I only have about 15 minutes for my appeal and since healthy debate is a vehicle of progress I have made sure that time will allow for such discussion.

Now, I am not here today saying that the previous ruling was necessarily unfair or unfounded. In a room full of presumably intelligent people, any one of us could read the rule this board currently supports and justify the decision handed down based on the verbiage in and of itself. (Excluding the trust factor which should qualify under your ethics code)

My appeal is rather simple and is based on a fundamental belief that no matter the amount, technical training alone cannot achieve the mission that this organization has laid claim.
I am not a Real Estate professional, I stand here today as a professional in people, process and strategy. It’s drawing from those backgrounds and experiences that I respectfully submit we are missing the boat here.

Improving competence and responsibility of real estate professionals will not be a result of attending 16 hours every two years on courses teaching (to name a few) settlement procedures, time-shares, contracts and one course of ethics in real estate. If this commissions responsibility is to protect the public. Then I think we all agree that the goal is to have educated, trustworthy professionals who understand the factors that influence not just their industry but also their own decision-making.

Article on AP WIRE.,(two weeks before) FBI deputy director told congress they are now conducting more than 1,800 mortgage fraud investigations, more than double the number of such cases just two years ago. In fact, there are so many mortgage fraud cases, that the bureau is moving some of the 2,000 agents from counterterrorism efforts back to the white collar crimes division. Real Estate related fraud is such a problem that the bureau is not even focusing on individual purchasers anymore, but industry professionals generating fraud schemes totaling as much as hundreds of millions of dollars.

"It is a matter of lawyers, brokers or real estate professionals that are systematically trying to defraud the system," Pistole said.

The point is we don’t have to look very far before we are reminded of the menace to society we create by developing minds before mind-sets. The purpose of the courses that we recently submitted specifically addresses many of these factors and influences. The idea of “general education” is to focus not just on the accumulation of information itself but the integration of the gained knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences so that people can engage effectively in the process of learning not what decisions to make, but how to make better decisions.”

I don’t know what drove the ruling handed down two months ago but after reading the “rule” itself and understanding in part the depth of experience and success of the members that sit before in front of me today, I have got to believe that some of you share at least in part the notion to completely and absolutely reject the value of a course because its based in universal principle and not tactical industry relevance cannot possibly be the best solution to the challenges this industry faces. Bridges are so much more productive then walls. We have got to be better than that even if the rule isn’t.

Now, T&D is a 57 plus billion dollar industry so there is no shortage of content out there.
When I set out to decide on ours, I was very specific about what I thought would be the most important skill sets in the 21st century and focused solely on those. Out of the 22 courses and 115 modules we work with I specifically selected 5 for this proposal.

1. Competing to Win
2. Thriving in Chaos (leading in changing times / trust)
3. The Trust Factor (change / trust)
4. Power of Persuasion (gaining influence, trust and understanding how other make decisions)
5. Executive Agent Training.

These courses have all been used successfully with industry personnel, have been approved in a number of other states already. More importantly despite the general education tag, each one has a very specific purpose and proven track record. Due to time I can only touch on two…

Emotional Intelligence (Competing to win) Emotional Intelligence not some new age, touchy-feely concept. In fact we discuss exactly the opposite! The program is built around the belief that emotionally competent people have self-confidence, delay gratification and have ability to act on principle rather than on emotion. It lets participants see how principles determine perspective; how we judge success or failure; and how maintaining an optimistic outlook on life, helps manage stress, anger, envy and over come obstacles.

Good training in Emotional Intelligence will help the professionals in this industry. It will help them make the choices that are most productive without wasting time blaming, resenting or complaining. This training can also help brokers positively influence staff members and take responsibility for choices. All of which helps to build productive relationships and complete difficult tasks, making them more capable professionals.

Trust, one of the most used and abused triggers in the business world, today. And even though trust is a key aspect of relationships, it is often misunderstood or mismanaged in many companies, which leads to serious consequences over time. Psychological research suggests that trusting relationships have three characteristics:
• Predictability
• Caring
• Loyalty

A composite of dictionary definitions adds three others:
• Reliance: certainty based on past experience
• Belief: confidence in or about something;
• Faith: complete and unquestioning confidence in a person, plan, etc.

In any and every Real Estate business, these six characteristics of trust are present in greater or lesser degrees across five different dimensions which have enormous impact to the effectiveness of their communication and customer perceptions.

So my question here today is…How does developing skills sets like that for the people that I rely on as industry professionals not specifically promote responsibility and fairness? While you may still regard the fact that your previous ruling was justified….you cannot possibly disregard the fact that the courses do have real value to this organizations mission.

You know there is a specific reason why every time you get on a plane part of the protocol is to remind passengers of the importance of survival priorities in the most challenging of times. They remind us that in some situations to best protect those we are bonded too, we must first help ourselves. When the oxygen mask drops, your instructed to put yours on first because you are of no benefit to anyone if you can’t breath yourself.

In an Industry where the only thing that is certain is that it will get worse before it gets better; In an industry where integrity and flexibility will continue to be tested, there are still millions counting on people to handle the more complicated conflicts, evolving cultures and increasingly complex communications of our real estate process. I am willing to bet that those who will provide the most value to people like me in this industry, will be the ones who are breathing themselves first. They will be the ones who learned to collaborate, influence, develop and enhance their skills both socially and professionally.

Thank you

(please share your comments)

Tomorrow's Success Stories

There are plenty of them out there, everyday gaining insight, perspective, momentum and confidence in their ability to make something happen. Who am I talking about? Growth Companies, the Kauffman foundation report (http://www.kauffman.org/) concludes that almost half of the fortune 500 companies today were born during recessions or bear markets. So, the question is not whether wealth, prosperity and opportunity will come out of the biggest economic challenge of our lifetimes, the question is...what are we doing to put ourselves in a position to create or take advantage of it?

Try on these three ideas today that will better position you for tomorrow.

LOOK FOR SMART...(goals, people and research)
Smart Goals: Nothing new here, yet so few follow it?!? Smart goals are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time sensitive. Create a few that aim at identifying, what you want tomorrow to be? Do you want to own your own business? Become a partner in one? Work for a big company? Work for small company? There are pro's and con's to all and make no mistake not everyone is cut to run or start their own business. Having this honest conversation will ensure that before you climb the ladder of success, you have it leaned up against the right house in the first place.

Smart People: Who do you know that can best help put a plan together, offer advice and encourage you to continue? Answer that and reach out, offer them something in return (create a win-win). This is critical because it will provide you with something that is a MUST HAVE in trying anything worth doing...Accountability!

Lack of accountability is the number one reason we don’t accomplish the things we want. As you lay out your strategy be sure the core of your system revolves around Accountability. Skipping this step can prove to be detrimental!

Smart Research: Where can you research? (magazines, interviews, internet, newspapers and networking) find best practices, outline previous attempts, learn from others mistakes, ask tons of questions, identify a model that embodies something you want and get as much info as you can.

TAKE RISKS (calculated ones)
I use to date this girl who would always have a reason not to do something and the truth is if we look hard enough we can always find one (a reason, not a good girlfriend). However, in that same amount of focus it takes to find all the reasons NOT to take a risk, there, in the other direction (which in most cases happens to be straight ahead) we find the biggest reason to try…which is…It's why you’re here, so why not?

There is a reason we get ideas in the middle of the night, a purpose behind our dreams and desires and a path to follow, its just not a perfect one. The fact is there will be few people around telling you your opportunity is something you should be doing. Ask ten trusted friends and if two say yes, chances are you're on to something worthwhile! Remember, the masses by design are incapable of making good decisions! Why? Because less than 3% will do step one in this article and if that’s not done you can bank on the fact that your opportunity has been over-generalized, underestimated and flat out misunderstood!

Life is about risks, but calculated ones, we can and should always minimize what our exposure is. Look for opportunities that if you fall it wont kill you or someone else, short of that its been overcome before and probably overcome tens of thousands of times before, so go for it! Sometimes I wish she would of…Ha!

DO WORK
Success is probabilities, the more you do the more likely it is you will be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing with the right people around. Your big picture thinking is essential during strategy sessions but once laid out its about the everyday little ordinary events getting done consistently that creates extra ordinary results. Bill Bradley, a U.S. Senator and hall of fame basketball player once said "Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." Translation- do work and start today.

Hope this helps and for more information or tips and articles visit http://jmsstrategies.com/whatnext.asp
---------------------
Encourage. Inspire. Motivate. Lead. Empower. Educate.

JMS Strategies is an organizational effectiveness firm dedicated to developing the skill sets that will lead people to sustainable success in the 21st Century. Our Sales, Leadership, Supervisor/Manager and Personal Development content is facilitated in high energy, results driven seminars, private training events and keynotes speeches. Our mission is to improve revenue, morale, engagement and the profit of organizations by teaching them how to make better decisions, not what decisions to make.

The future of Business Opportunities...

Our world is not changing, its changed and if your under the age of 45 you should be grinning ear to ear because of it.

Why? Three reasons...
Because people are going to look to you for answers like never before
Because big problems always offer big opportunities
Because NEVER before has there been a chance like there is today to throw your hat in the ring and lead the charge in a different industry.

See, years past you pick an industry and that’s it, that was your career unless you wanted to start at the bottom all over again. Opportunities of the past were awarded based on ones experience of industry and product. Success in one industry didn't always translate as an asset to another. Make no mistake, that bus has left!

All gloves are off and now, opportunities, responsibilities and positions of leadership are being awarded to those who can problem solve, put things in perspective, gain influence and not lose sight of "The most important thing" in the opportunity itself.

Want an example? Check this article out then read below for how it could change your life! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/01deese.html

Article said: “It was a little scary.” But now, according to those who joined him he has emerged as one of the most influential voices in what may become President Obama’s biggest experiment yet in federal economic intervention.
Lesson to use: Its okay to be scared, a little fear will keep you honest, aware and focused on making progress. Think about walking across a dark room in your house to flip on a light. The first few steps are short and cautious but as you feel a wall or table you begin to get a visual picture of where you are. Once that happens you begin to walk more assured with every step, then the light comes on. In our opportunities, we may not have everything we need to start out but the light will come on if you keep making progress! You may just have to make those first few steps without being able to feel or see a damn thing yet.

Article said: "Mr. Deese’s role is unusual for someone who is neither a formally trained economist nor a business school graduate, and who never spent much time flipping through the endless studies about the future of the American and Japanese auto industries. In short, he had never set foot in an automotive assembly plant until he took on his nearly unseen role in remaking the American automotive industry."
Lesson to use: Regardless of age, scope of the problem or years of experience, opportunities, responsibilities and positions of leadership will go to those who can best solve problems, put things in perspective, gain influence and not lose sight of "the most important thing" in the opportunity itself.

Article said: "While far more prominent members of the administration are making the big decisions about Detroit, it is Mr. Deese who is often narrowing their options."
Lesson to use: There is perceived power, then there is the power of influence. Its about influence! Title, position or direct industry experience are only items of perceived power. If you have them it’s a great asset, but you don’t need them be influential and make a big difference!

Article said: “Every time Mr. Deese ran the numbers on G.M. and Chrysler, he came back with the now-obvious conclusion that neither was a viable business"
Lesson to use: With big decision check and recheck your numbers, give the data time to speak, listen to it- then act!

Article said: “he came back with the now-obvious conclusion that neither was a viable business, and that their plans to revive themselves did not address the erosion of their revenues."
Lesson to use: Be careful not to confuse eyesore problems with root causes. While to most a car can look great if you put new tires, paint, upgrade the sound system and condition the seats but it won't change the mileage you get out of it. For that, focus on what makes the thing go!

Article said: “The president’s instruction to us was that we had to come up with a solution that would work on a commercial basis and that didn’t involve indefinite federal financing,” Mr. Deese said. “But we didn’t want liquidation, which would have even worse effects. So the question was how do you design a very substantial restructuring, and do it fast.”

Lesson to use: Identify the boundaries, know where you can and can't go then ask yourself what is "the thing" in your opportunity? No matter the scope of your project, focus can be boiled down to fundamental questions. Figure that out and never lose sight of it. Nothing will serve you better as a framework for success!


A special thanks to Ian Marshall of http://ianmarshall.com/ for the heads up on the article, great read!

Hiring a winning sales team!

Good salespeople are hard to find, here are 5 tips to use when building your sales team. Remember Hiring the right people will make your job more enjoyable, less frustrating and will ultimately allow you to accomplish more with less, so choose wisely!

1. Clean your house before inviting them over- High performers thrive in healthy environments so take a close look and be sure your work place is one that the staff feels important to the organization, that you show a focus on personal growth and development, offer a fair and attractive compensation package and be sure you have a reputation of taking care of your people.


2. Recruit don't hire- When building teams you have to have a proactive mindset! Success is probabilities, the more people you meet and assess, the more likely it is you will find the right person for the job. Chances are the best people out there are already doing good things for other companies or for themselves. Don't be afraid to ask, offer and on board your next star from next door!


3. Law of two lists- Before you start your search take out a blank sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle of it. On the left side write the qualities you are looking for, remember while its okay to start by thinking of your "top performer" during this phase don't limit yourself and understand that dynamically speaking another "Jim" or "Sally" may not be the most effective addition to the whole team. On the other side of the line make a target list of people, businesses and organizations you want to visit, observe and engage. Ask current team for input here and keep this list with you at all times, making notes adding people and marking them off. Recruiting should never stop.


4. Contact candidates within twenty-four hours of observing and engaging them. You want to strike while the iron is hot. If he or she remembers the qualities they displayed that got your attention in the first place they will not forget them and chances are without the first day of training "assumed" expectations have already been made.


5. On boarding (handle with care)- Once they have been hired be sure expectations from both sides are transparent and communicated clearly. People typically don’t leave companies, they leave their bosses, embrace this trend because if you become one with the reputation of a team builder and leader, talent will always want to be around you!

If your or your organization is interested in learning more about building high performance teams click this link and let us know! http://jmsstrategies.com/contactus.asp