Monthly Archives: May 2018

Memorial Day Reflections

As we pause to remember and celebrate and honor those who have served and sacrificed so much for our freedom, land and country…I realize that a simple thank you just is not enough. The realization as a business owner that the opportunity I enjoy each day comes at the cost of those who have given so much is overwhelming.

For today, as a female real estate professional, I also pause to honor many women who have stepped up, overcome the odds and served our industry so well!  Amidst a somewhat male-dominated leadership model/trend, there are many professionals who have defied the odds and achieved huge success. All who have served in the past and still serve today share the objective of striving to create the best business environment for ALL. I’m proud to know so many, and sincerely thank you for the sacrifice you make and dedication you show each day to make the real estate industry better.  I sincerely appreciate the undeniable change you have made and how you continue to influence the industry.

A specific thank you and show of appreciation and gratitude to Sherry Chris, Pam O’Connor, Pamela Alexander and most of all Margaret Kelly.  Ladies, you have served an ever-evolving, ever-changing industry with grace, intelligence and dignity.  Your impact is long-lasting and the lives you’ve shaped and mentored are forever indebted to your service.

Personally, I can’t wait to see what’s next!   Commit to serve our industry as a resource and not a sales pitch.

Practice Giving Leadership

The fifth and final key in our 5 Keys to Legendary Leadership is to “Practice Giving Leadership.”  Simply stated, great leadership is never about the leader.

WOW!  Think about this. How contrary is this statement to our current social environment and existence? We exist in a population obsessed with “selfies” (I have to admit I have never, no never, published a selfie. Honest to goodness, I have taken a few, yet immediately deleted. I look like a hostage. Enough said.) and portraying themselves through social media as perfect. So, if we exist in a world that is “all about me”, as a leader, how can great leadership NOT be about the leader?

Great leadership is truly about holding people up. It’s about allowing others to recognize and embrace their gifts with boldness and relentless pursuit to share and achieve greatness. Rather than looking in the mirror, great leaders hold the mirror up for others to see the best in themselves.

To reflect on this series, we’ve discussed legendary leadership from the following perspectives:

• Hold the Vision
• Build Your People
• Stand for Something
• Practice Giving Leadership

By far, to practice giving leadership is the difference in leadership and legendry leadership. Legendry leaders are not only influencers, they are the navigators, guides and mentors. Legendry leaders make a difference in the lives of those they touch by giving influence, power, knowledge and wisdom away and serve at the highest level possible.

Listen, learn, leverage, and practice giving leadership.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Stand for Something

The fourth key in our 5 Keys to Legendary Leadership is to “Stand for Something.” To stand for something means to lead with your soul.

Okay, I know about soul-searching. I sing and dance to soul sounds. I cook soul-food. Yet leading with your soul? What the heck does that mean?

Leading with your soul is about growth. Legendary leaders understand and embrace that they can only lead as far as they grow. Wow. Sit with that for a moment. Seriously. Sit with it.

Legendary leaders know you can lead only as far as you grow. I love this. Especially in the real estate industry. In an environment and business model that is constantly changing, yet remaining the same … we only lead as far as we grow? In other words, we must constantly challenge the status quo … and grow? Yes!

Now, here is the key: You will grow only as far as you let yourself.

Hmmm … In other words, legendary leaders are NOT legends in their own minds. They are learning from others. They are listening. This is NOT the reliving and replaying “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” This is NOT surrounding yourself with only those who agree with you. Legendary leaders assemble a tribe of challengers. Legendary leaders fill the room with professionals who “respectfully” agree to disagree. Legendary leaders embrace wisdom. They couple candor with care and grow.

Legendary leaders are never satisfied with where they are. As we have discovered in this series, it’s about vision, heart, gut, and now, wisdom (which is my interpretation of growth). Wisdom is not knowledge … it is combining knowledge with experience and listening to and being open to extraordinary results…

Legendary leaders do not limit their growth by limiting their exposure to opinions, practices, procedures and opportunity. They listen to more than the voices in their own heads; they listen to others. They give credit away … they acknowledge others. They step back, allow and encourage others to live, work and serve beyond expectation! Legendary leaders come from contribution. They think service, not recognition. Legendary leaders build their people and stand for something. They listen with heart and lead with soul.

Listen, learn, leverage, and lead from your soul.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Do the Work

The third key in our 5 Keys to Legendary Leadership is to “Do the Work.” This key may be the most challenging in unlocking the success of others. To do the work means to lead from your gut.

The older I get and more experience I put under my belt, the more I understand (and question) human behaviors. Some are complicated, many are not. For instance, common sense is not so common. My faith teaches me there are gifts of the spirit. We all know individuals who are gifted and share those gifts endlessly. Sadly, we also know individuals who ignore, withhold their gifts and choose not to share. (These are generally miserable people.)

Legendary leaders share their gifts and lead from their gut. They stay extremely humble; they remain grounded; and serve. Service is work. Work is a four-letter word that leaders embrace! Leading with your gut means getting a bit of mud on your boots and under your nails all while listening to your intuition. Intuition is a gift.

The gift of intuitiveness is common among leaders. Listening to their intuition is what makes leaders legendary.

Legendary leaders understand that in order to lead, you must first serve. They understand that the video and audio must match. Always. They understand they are being watched. Their work ethic is mirrored among those they serve. What an awesome responsibility to know that others will mirror what you do … this provides the opportunity for leaders to be “response-able” by allowing their work ethic to become an example of how all should serve. This is not exclusive to the real estate industry, yet essential. Our industry is simple; yet never easy. Successful real estate professionals understand that delivering extraordinary experiences requires hard work, dedication and commitment.

Finally, leading from your gut requires extreme trust. Trust in yourself. Often, that is the most difficult challenge. It is human nature to question your value and your worth, and that erodes trust. Often, one of the vital roles a Coach plays on a leader’s journey to success is to facilitate the pause. To focus on each milestone achieved, while seizing each opportunity to build trust. To stop, acknowledge and celebrate each victory, while remaining humble and servant-oriented.

Listen, learn, leverage, and lead from your gut.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Build Your People

The second key in our 5 Keys to Legendary Leadership is to “Build Your People.”  To build your people is to lead with your heart.

Building up your people may be as simple as setting expectations.  One of the greatest opportunities I experience when working with real estate professionals is clarifying the vision, setting expectations, next steps and benchmarks of success towards each goal established.

Too often, there have been few or no expectations set. Wow…now that makes it really hard to define, determine and better yet, celebrate success!  If the expectation of “what” it is, “who” it impacts and “how” lives will be changed upon achieving it have not been established, leadership is next to impossible.  Legendary leaders understand that leading with your heart starts with understanding what lives in the hearts of those they lead.

It starts with engagement, involvement and wholehearted concern.  Our belief is that nothing builds up an individual like listening and leading others to success.  Celebration is critical.  To have celebration, you must identify benchmarks along that way. You must set expectations and coach to each.

Legendary leaders understand that leading with your heart may require tough love.  It’s about holding others accountable their goals.  It’s not always easy, yet when led by the heart, words are softened, understanding is communicated, and strength is transferred to lead others to their greatest potential.

Legendary leaders give people something to live up to—something great.  When trust is established, and expectations clarified, success follows. Legendary leaders embrace the power of influence…they embrace that influence will pull others, not push them.

Listen, learn, leverage, and lead with your heart.

Be a resource, not a sales pitch.