Brokers’ Must-Have Qualities

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Whether you’ve been the broker-in-charge for 30 years or three, there are some must-have qualities you can develop and refine to boost your career and become better at what you do. 

1. Stay on the front lines of the business.  The only way to know what’s truly happening in real estate is to continue being available to clients, in addition to your agents and staff. Answer your phone. Ask how you can be of service. Take on buyers and listings. This will keep you abreast of market trends and changes. Game knows game—many of your agents will gain trust in you if you model how to sell a lot of real estate. They’ll know by your actions that you have much to teach them. 
2. Don’t hide out in your office. Don’t wait for your agents or staff to find you if they need something. Be proactive and seek them out daily. Just as you should ask clients how you can help, ask your team members what they need. By modeling proactive behavior, you are creating an educational culture in your firm. Remember that inaction is an action—and often a negative one.
3. Communicate constantly. Be available. Clearly support your agents again and again and again. Make use of different mediums for communication. Invest in an office communication platform like Slack. Create a Facebook group for your team. Often, group chats help promote accountability.
4. Keep a transparent scoreboard that’s available for all to see.  This is one way to highlight and foster accountability. A scoreboard helps real estate sales leaders shine and helps stimulate other agents via accountability. Remember, there is nothing negative about competition. Embracing healthy competition rather than a fear-based competition keeps toxicity out of the office and creates a shared-objective as the norm.  
5. Look for actions, not words.  Great salespeople want to be held accountable and “earn their own keep” by doing tasks that will lead to sales, such as seeking out FSBOs, VRBOs, and property managers for connections to possible sellers. If too many salespeople become aloof or aren’t being held accountable, it creates a weakness in your office and turns off those great salespeople who are striving for more. 
6. Help your salespeople establish their specific goals. Make sure your agents know how many leads they need to generate one closed transaction, and how many transactions they need to meet their goals each month and year. Sit down and help your agents create a plan of action.
7. Exude confidence in everything you do. Lead calmly and with integrity. Take the time to know each person in your office and be completely tuned in to the people you are leading.

The best brokers know that everything is actionable. Adapt the above qualities and tips so they work for you and your brokerage.

If you’d like to listen to our recent podcast on this subject, check out the Real Estate Coaching Radio series.