As a broker, one of your biggest challenges is creating a successful, well-functioning team that gets behind the goals you’ve set and culture you’ve created for your business. Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The people you spend the most time with influence your attitude, habits and level of success.
- Establish values and goals. The values you establish for your brokerage influence the goals you set. If you’ve created a mission statement and core values, share them with your team and review them together often. Although you have the final say on the goals you set for the brokerage, asking for your team’s input during the process will help your agents feel like they have a stake in the business.
- Set expectations. Buffini & Company speaker and trainer Joe Niego says “The root cause of all personal conflict is the violation of expectation.” If you want your team to perform well and efficiently, clearly communicate your expectations. What outcomes are you looking for? What are your expectations in regard to communicating with clients and one another, generating leads and establishing personal goals? By outlining what you expect from them, you’ll set the bar for their performance.
- Ensure commitment. Agents who feel like they’re a valued part of the team will be much more committed than those who feel like their input doesn’t matter. Do your agents feel respected, by you and their peers? Are they recognized for what they do? Do they have opportunities to grow and improve their skills? Agents who feel they’re able to grow are more likely to stay committed for the long haul.
- Set the standard for communication. Miscommunication leads to misunderstandings, and misunderstands can bring rise to conflict. Encourage transparency, teach active listening skills and urge team members to communicate respectfully with one another, especially when solving problems. Remember to model the behavior you wish to see in your agents.
- Foster collaboration. If you want your team to work well together, create a safe environment for cooperation and teamwork. Does everyone understand their roles and responsibilities within the team? Are they on-board with setting goals, improving efficiency and solving challenges? When you encourage your agents to work together, it’s easier to tackle important issues.
- Hire the right people. When you recruit people to your brokerage or interview new agents, get to know them outside of their resume. While experience and knowledge matter, it’s only half the story. To see if they fit within your team, get the full picture of who they are. Think of where they’ll fit within the team, especially if your team is small. If possible, include some of the members of your team in the interview so you can gauge chemistry between them and see how they’ll do in the work environment you’ve created.
And on the occasion one of your agents lacks the team spirit…don’t be complacent. Meet with them to discuss it, and then offer to help. If they don’t improve or seem resistant to adopting a team-oriented attitude, it may be time to say, “Bye-bye now.”
Building a successful team takes time; however, by setting standards, coaching your agents and hiring people who fit within your team, you’ll be able off to a great start. Now, keep your agents in top form by offering continual training and mentorship.
For more information, please visit www.buffiniandcompany.com.
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