There’s an ancient saying: ‘may you live in interesting times.’ No two ways about it, the last two years have been very ‘interesting’ for the real estate industry.
On the one hand, we’ve enjoyed an extraordinary boom, the likes of which most people have never experienced. On the other, the pandemic has had a massive impact on how we do business. Overnight, everything changed, as face-to-face was replaced with virtual and kitchen tables were converted into offices.
Change may be inevitable. But it can also provoke anxiety – especially when a large amount happens in a short space of time. And while it’s easy to be a good leader when things are going well, it’s been a different challenge during covid.
So what can principals do to support their agents through both the changing market and the strange world in which we’re now living?
Be nurturing
Everyone’s different. So while some agents have thrived in the new normal of virtual tours and Zoom meetings, others have struggled. In my conversations with One Agency principals around Australia, many have told me that covid has had a big impact on agents’ personal lives, which in turn has affected their job performance.
That’s probably not a surprise. For any agent used to working in a busy office, it may have felt isolating when they found themselves working alone for months on end.
Then there are the additional personal challenges of dealing with vaccinations, home-schooling and, maybe, a diminishing income.
My advice? Remember as a leader that your interpersonal skills are just as important as your sales skills. So nurture your agents by:
Leading sales coach Charles Baynie also recommends that principals and sales managers spend more one-on-one time with their agents. He says these sessions are key to understanding that the face your agents present at work may be completely different to what’s going on behind the scenes.
Survival tips for a changing landscape
Everyone’s had a lot to deal with over the past two years – from the continued rise of technology to the personal challenges brought about by the pandemic. And more changes are on the way, in the form of the upcoming federal election, a slowing market and potential rate rises which, when combined, is a formula for change.
While no one can predict what’s ahead of us, here are my three survival tips for the year ahead:
Paul Davies is the founder and CEO of One Agency, which has more than 150 businesses throughout Australasia. During his 40-plus years in the industry, Paul’s biggest single insight is: it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep that counts.
If you love what you do but want to make a change – either to keep more of what you earn, shift to a more lifestyle focused operation and reduce running costs; I invite you to contact me at One Agency and discuss confidentially how our model, (less than $1000 + GST per month regardless of your GCI) may be just the answer to breathe new life into your career and future proof yourself.
“It’s not what you make, it’s what you keep that counts.”
‒ Paul Davies, Founder and CEO
Revised edition: Written by our Founder and CEO Paul Davies with a foreword by leading real estate coach and trainer Tom Panos, ‘How To Profit In Real Estate Business Ownership’ is compulsive reading for established and aspiring agents looking for a way to achieve success and maximise fee retention.
As founder and CEO of the fastest growing real estate network across Australasia, I offer real estate professionals an opportunity to reap the financial rewards of going it alone with the security and clout of an established brand. Talk to me and my team about your options.
Back to top
Back to top
One Agency is a revolution in real estate, empowering both individual real estate professionals and established agencies to take control of their future and bring an entirely new level of service to clients.
