Archive for mentor
Is that Person Really Coach Able? Two Important Considerations.
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Is that person who you want to coach–or wants to be coached–really coach able? In my earlier post, I discussed attributes that a potential client must have to be ‘coach able’. Here are two more attributes. Why are these important? So you don’t get into a coaching relationship that is doomed to fail.
At the end of this blog, grab my Coach Ability Evaluator. Use it with potential coaching ‘clients’.
Consideration and Attribute of Potential Client: A�Do You Recognize Mentors or Coaches Who Partnered in your Success?
It is amazing to me how many real estate professionals say they a�?work alonea��. They say they have nothing to do with anyone in their office, and impact no one. (Really? Our actions impact no one? That must mean wea��re pretty insignificanta��) While real estate success is certainly due to onea��s efforts, to think that we are virtual a�?islandsa�� of knowledge and action is not only ludicrousa��ita��s dangerous. Before you fall for that a�?I alone am responsible for my successa��, I have a question:
Who in your life mentored you, coached you, parented you, advised you, encouraged youa��and set you straight when you needed it? How many people can you name? This can be positive or negative, too. We learn as much or more from a bad experience as a good one!
If you truly cana��t name anyone, you dona��t believe that others can help you a�?break through your ceiling of achievementa��. Could that mean YOU dona��t believe you can break througha��..or that you have great fear of a�?being flexiblea��?
Consideration and Attribute of Potential Client: How Accountable Are You Willing to Be?
This is actually the a�?biggiea��. If youa��re not willing to be accountable to your own actionsa��and to your coacha��DONa�?T start a coaching relationship! I know many of you think accountability is a dirty word. Ita��s true that some coaches (sports, music, etc.) have accentuated the down side of accountabilitya��being punitive, negative, criticala��(There are a lot of inept coaches out there.) No wonder people dona��t want to be accountable if they think they will be punished for any wrong action (or inaction). But, thata��s not what Ia��m talking about.A� Ia��m talking about a situation where you make a promise and keep it. In doing the promised action, you are guaranteed to get praisea��and results.
The Natural Reticence to Answer to Anyone
I launched an online training/coaching/accountability results-based program called Up and Running in Real Estate. I essentially put the principles and processes from my best-selling book Up and Running in 30 Days online. But, ita��s now 8 weeks of planned actionsa��my business start- up plan step by step. I built in the parameters I have learned assure the greatest success:
- A coaching component
- Lots of encouragement
- Processes and systems that are a�?self-teachinga��
- Guess what many participants do with the program? They do some of the work (they love the multiple choice tests) but dona��t do the business-producing work. By their actions, they are not accountable to themselves or to their coaches. So, of course, they arena��t getting the resultsa��and they cana��t get appreciation and recognitiona��two big drivers to continue the motivation. How unfortunate!
My question to you: What times in your life have you been accountable to actions and to someone elsea��and enjoyed the experience? Are you running away from accountability because you havena��t experienced the a�?upa�� side?
A�So, are you coach able? Is your potential client coach able?
Armed with the answers to the questions in this blog, you can assess whether you will benefit from a coach. And, managers and coaches, you can help your potential client figure out whether she is a good candidate for coaching.
The Coach Ability Evaluator
I have been coached by the a�?best in the business, first as a musician and then as a real estate professional. Ia��ve learned what works. Because of my performance background, the coaching methods we use at Carla Cross Coaching are much different than most. From all these experiences, Ia��ve discovered who is coach able and who is not. Find out more here.
Click here to grab my Coach Ability Evaluator.
Why not see if Leadership coaching is for you? You’ll get practical strategies to be more profitable and Carla will help you translate everything you do in the Leadership coaching program to working with your agents. Click here to arrange a Complimentary Consultation.
More on What The Beatles’ Architect Can Teach Us about Real Estate Success
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What in the world do the Beatles have to do with real estate pros success? A lot, I think. Wea��ve all heard of Paul, George, Ringo, and Johna��but, does the name a�?George Martina�? ring a bell? Maybe. Martin was the record producer who discovered and molded the Beatles, adding his classical musical background to the Beatlesa�� creativity to produce the Beatlesa�� unique and ever evolving sounds.
As a musician myself, Ia��ve always marveled at how the Beatles put classical musical aspects into their rock a�?n roll. Well, guess what? They didna��t do it by themselvesa��they melded their talents with Martin. George Martin just died at age 90, and many articles are being written about his collaboration with the Beatles. As I read these articles, I was thinking, a�?These life and performance lessons are absolutely applicable to us real estate professionals.a�? So, I culled five life and performance lessons we can learn from their association.A�I’ve put the firstA�two lessons in my previous blog, and here are the last three.
Take your presentation apart and rebuild it with new elements.
You know the great ballad Yesterday (see, youa��re humming it in your head!). But, did you know McCartney originally sang it with just acoustic guitar accompaniment? Martin added a string quartet, and thata��s how that mellow, full, ethereal sound was created.
Have you gone outside your comfort zone with your presentations? Have you gotten some coaching to polish and improve? Have you polished your recruiting presentation recently?
Think outside the boxa��for a change.
Martin took his classical music background and added Souza marches and a calliope to Sgt. Peppera��s. But, he didna��t just add thema��he cut the tapes in pieces, turned them upside down, and switched the phrases to provide a somewhat chaotic, yet captivating mosaic.
Are you thinking outside the box? What have you done for the first time this year? What have you done differently? How are you keeping your business fresh and exciting?
No one succeeds alone.
As you can see from these examples, Martina��s genius and the Beatlesa�� creativity resulted in something that had never been heard beforea��and will never be replicated again. But, what would they have been without each other? The Beatles would have been just another English rock a�?n roll group, and Martin would have been just another successful record producer. They melded their talents and were both flexible and adventuresome in trying new approaches.
Whoa��s your partner in success? Real estate agents like to think they do it all on their own. But, studies show that virtually no one succeeds alone. Yes, someone may be the a�?front mana�� (or woman), but therea��s a partner behind the scenes, making everything better.
Remember to thank that partner now and then. It could be your manager, the owner, a trainer, a coacha��or your family.
Now, take these five life lessons to make your real estate career even more spectacular!
Are You Achieving What You Know You Can?
You encourage your agents to get coaching. Or, perhaps you coach them. You know how important having someone ‘see you from the outside’ is. But, how about you? Are you going it alone? I know, from managing so many years, it’s a lot lonelier world than being an agent. Who do you bounce ideas off? Who do you trust as your mentor? Check out Leadership Mastery coaching today.
Sign up for a Complimentary Consultation to see if Leadership Mastery would benefit you. What do you have to lose?
Bonus for new coaching clients this month: $1000+ of Carla Crossa��s recruiting, training, and coaching resources FREE ! Includes:
The Complete Recruiter, at $129.95 valuea��the strategies, planner, and dialogues you need to recruit winners
Your Blueprint for Selecting Winners, a complete interviewing guide, a $79.95 valuea��free.
Recruiting Objection Busters, scripts and dialogues to counter the toughest recruiting objections, a $40 value
Business Planning for the Owner, Manager, and Team Builder,a $100 value
Operations/Orientation Manuals and Checklists, a $30 value
Coaching Companions to coach new or experienced agents, a $200 value
Advantage 2.0 facilitator guide, a complete training program (a $500 value)
Click here to learn more about Leadership Mastery Coaching.
Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation to find out more about the program, ask questions, and see if ita��s a a�?matcha��. After your consultation, youa��ll receive a a�?thank youa�� of a 2-pack management audio CD series.
Which Should You Use: Coaching, Mentoring, or Consulting?
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I’ve designated July as my ‘Coach Appreciation Month’. Thanks to all you awesome coaches who help raise the standards of the industry.
Which should you use: Coaching, mentoring, or consulting? Browse any real estate industry publication and youa��ll likely find articles about sales coaching, consulting or mentoring. These terms, often used synonymously, denote different methodologies for the professional development of sales associates. But which method is appropriate for each of your agents?
Choosing the Right Program for the Person
A mentoring program is ideal for agents who have mastered the basics of working with buyers and sellersa��not agents who are performing below minimum production standards (i.e., new agents). In contrast, a coaching program with tight structure is appropriate for newer agentsa��or agents who are performing under your standards. Finally, a consultant serves as a a�?sounding boarda�? for more experienced agents and leads them through the process of self-discovery.
New Agents Need More Than Mentors
The use of mentors with brand-new sales associates erroneously results from their urgent need to have someone available to answer all of their questions, all the time. Mentoring, when used with new agents, often means they learn about knowledge as opposed to skills. New agents get smart intellectually and attend many classes. But the problem is, the mentees may not go out and actually sell real estate. Their natural tendency is to want more and more information, without putting that knowledge into action. New agents think that information will make them confident, when, in fact, ita��s the practicing of skills that will make them confident. So, mentoring is most appropriate when coupled with a strong, structured coaching program.
Coaching to a Specific Game Plan
Coaching assists new, inexperienced agents get into action by following a specific game plan. If youa��re going to be a coach, the No. 1 priority is to have a specific and accurate game plan. Selling real estate requires a series of skill sets and a series of activities that are linear. The game plan has to include what to do and why to do it. (See Up and Running in Real Estate for an example). A�Avoid turning your coaching sessions into a�?how to do ita�� (thata��s training, and exposes that you dona��t have adequate training to support your coaching programa��..)
What Should Happen in your Coaching Session
During a coaching session, for example, broker/owners need to ask agents, a�?Did you do the actions we agreed on you last week?a�? A direct approach is needed because youa��re teaching agents job priorities. If they did complete their assignments, then listen to their accounting of them. If they didna��t, immediately stop the session.
Why Are You Trying to Motivate a�?In-Actiona��?
But brokers or managers usually dona��t quit here. Instead, they try to motivate agents by asking why they didna��t complete their assignments. Thata��s not appropriate in coaching; therea��s no coaching without agent action and accountability. Dona��t try to motivate. Repeat the assignment: Call 50 people in your area and ask them about buying or selling properties. Tell new agents the a�?whya�� behind this activity.a�? Another mistake coaches make when the agent doesna��t do the work is that they fill the time by answering the agenta��s a�?Ia��ve always wondereda�� or a�?if it ever happensa�� questions, like, a�?If I ever sold a home, which purchase and sale agreement form would I use?a�? Make a a�?deala�� with new agents. When theya��ve completed their assignments as promised, youa��ll answer these types of questions.
Are You Coaching to Get the Agent Past your Standards? (Minimum sales expectations)
Critical to coaching new sales associates are mutually acceptable standards. These are minimum expectations (not goals) with attached consequences. Use a coaching accountability contract that includes standards and goals. In such a contract, broker/owners need to define what they want sales associates to accomplish, what the minimum requirements are, and what will happen when sales associates are under/at/over those minimum requirements. Then you are in agreement.
Your Coaching Checklist
For your new agents: Do you have
- An accountability contract you have signed during the interview process?
- A� A coaching discussion with a would-be client that includes standards and goals and consequences?
- A� A game plan that precisely sets out priorities, actions, and accountability?
- A� A training program that trains a�?howa�� to do each of the actions in the coaching program?
What do you need to a�?shore upa�� to create that effective coaching program?
Thank You, Coaches–FREE Resource for You
To thank all you coaches out there, I’m GIVING AWAY my $99 resource, Managers’ Coaching Companion to Up and Running in 30 Days. Why? It was created to partner with the 3rd edition of Up and Running in 30 Days. Now, the 4th edition is published (and a new ‘delivery’ of my coaching help is available at Up and Running in Real Estate). The coaching companion I’m giving away this month still has lots of value. With 109 pages, 2 audio CDs, and 1 ‘document’ CD I’ve packed this resource with dozens of coaching strategies, tips, and questions for coaches to use in ANY coaching situation. Just pay shipping and handling and I’ll get one out to you–while they last. And, thanks, coaches, for your dedication to raising the standards of our industry. Click here for a description and to order.
Agents: Forward this blog to your managers and tell them to take advantage of my offer. They’ll get lots of practical, proven information on productivity coaching (I know, I’ve done these strategies for over 2 decades!).
Want to know more about my one-on-one coaching programs? See our managers’ program, Leadership Mastery.