Your leadership style might define how you lead, but certain qualities define how those you lead respond to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of the traits defining great leadership\u2014like empathy, charisma and vision\u2014are universal, no matter what kind of industry you lead in. Much of the time, these qualities are innate, but it\u2019s also true that with time and effort, they can be cultivated. Here\u2019s a look at what defines the best leaders and why it\u2019s so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA pillar of good leadership is healthy emotional intelligence,\u201d says Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, author of A Leader\u2019s Destiny: Why Psychology, Personality and Character Make All the Difference. \u201cThis refers to qualities, such as empathy, self-awareness, social awareness and the ability to take one\u2019s psychological temperature and that of others.\u201d Robert Morris, a Tennessee-based selling broker who leads real estate seminars, agrees. \u201cBrokers wear a lot of hats,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019re everything from psychologist to confidant and friend. There\u2019s more going on than just real estate. We\u2019re managing people and their emotions and the things in their lives. If you\u2019re a good manager, you\u2019re plugged in to all those pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMost leaders get paralyzed feeling they need to be clairvoyant and see 10 years ahead,\u201d says William Vanderbloemen, who authored Be the Unicorn; 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest. But that kind of foresight is unrealistic, he reassures. Instead, try to predict six months out, then act to be \u201ca half-step ahead of your competition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An attractive personality is a must to earn trust, says Cindi Bulla, GRI, broker-owner of Realty Central Services in Amarillo, Texas. That\u2019s because charisma helps \u201cinspire followers to translate a leader\u2019s vision into reality,\u201d adds Aboujaoude. Although you can\u2019t completely change your personality, you can tweak behaviors to improve how you come across. For instance, when speaking with someone, remove all distractions like your phone to show them you\u2019re engaged, suggests Ruth Gotian, author of The Success Factor and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring. Try to make more eye contact, use accessible language everyone can understand and vary the pitch and tone of your voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe most successful people chase a North Star or a high goal,\u201d says Vanderbloemen. \u201cThe higher your North Star, the farther you\u2019ll go.\u201d To motivate agents, elevate their inspiration beyond exceeding last year\u2019s sales, he suggests. Instead, center them around a purpose, like \u201cwe\u2019re a people company that sells homes to let families lead great lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good leaders feel \u201ca genuine desire to lift others, rather than enshrine oneself or fulfill a God-given \u2018right\u2019 to lead,\u201d says Aboujaoude. To bring out the best in agents, provide clear directions and expectations and offer resources and assistance, counsels Morris. Then, tell them they can do it and let them do it\u2014don\u2019t micromanage, he urges. By encouraging agents, you\u2019ll help build their confidence, which will lead to better work performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeadership starts with respect,\u201d says Bulla. She doesn\u2019t refer to herself as a boss or CEO, but rather as a leader or business owner. \u201cMy agents are fully capable of being brokers but have decided to focus on the consumer side and let me focus on the brokerage side,\u201d she says. \u201cBy doing that, we are no less equal. I see it as them hiring me versus me hiring them. There\u2019s no other explanation for our business model except they hired me for a service. They pay me what I convince them I\u2019m worth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naturally, you need to be able to clearly and effectively share information. But listening is just as important. In fact, every great leader Vanderbloemen has encountered centers their conversations on others rather than talking about themselves. \u201cSmart people ask more questions,\u201d he says. To show agents you\u2019ve heard them, try summarizing what they said and asking if you understood them correctly, suggests Gotian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he managed a large team of agents, Morris kept regular office hours and was always available by phone or text. \u201cIt\u2019s important to be in the office where agents can reach you,\u201d he emphasizes. \u201cOtherwise, why are you managing if you\u2019re not there?\u201d On a related note, always keep your commitments, Vanderbloemen adds. \u201cMost people are horrible at following up on promises. So, if you do what you say you\u2019re going to do when you say you\u2019re going to do it and at the cost you promised, you\u2019ll be in the top 1% of your industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of Morris\u2019 favorite quotes is \u201cthe speed of the leader determines the speed of the pack.\u201d That\u2019s because leaders are role models, he explains. So, make sure your agents see you following the rules and continuing to further your professional education. \u201cI live by the golden rule,\u201d he reveals. \u201cI treat people the way I want to be treated and never ask them to do something I\u2019m not willing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with her years in the field, Bulla has held multiple leadership roles at the local, state and National Association of REALTORS\u00ae. As a result, she\u2019s aware of industry trends and potential threats and opportunities\u2014knowledge she passes on to agents. Such skill and competence are especially imperative in challenging markets, when agents need leaders who can quickly diagnose and solve problems, she says. Have situations under control and then make sure you project that you do. That way, agents will know you\u2019re the great leader you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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National Association of REALTORS\u00ae
Reprinted with permission<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your leadership style might define how you lead, but certain qualities define how those you lead respond to you. Some of the traits defining great leadership\u2014like empathy, charisma and vision\u2014are universal, no matter what kind of industry you lead in. Much of the time, these qualities are innate, but it\u2019s also true that with time … <\/p>\n