Realtor® Pat Terrill Cultivates Grassroots Support as NAR Federal Political Coordinator

A great strength of the REALTOR® organization is its ability to mobilize members from coast to coast to address national legislation that has an immediate or future impact on the real estate industry. That work is done by REALTORS® appointed to the Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) program, an initiative designed to build relationships on a grassroots level with members of Congress.

This year, I am proud to serve as the FPC for the district that includes the Eastern Shore of Maryland and part of the Western Shore up to Baltimore. The U.S. congressman for this district, the 1st District of Maryland, is Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. My responsibilities are to make sure that Congressman Kratovil is aware of issues that are important to REALTORS® and to learn where he stands on those issues.

A key objective of FPCs is to meet with our respective elected official three to four times a year. We just don’t want to communicate with telephone calls – we want to meet the representative in person and develop a rapport. We want the representatives to know that when they need help on some legislation, they can get REALTORS® behind them; and if they’re on the other side of an issue, we want them to know we’re going to call them and share our perspectives.

For example, we were behind Congressman Kratovil as he lobbied in Washington to get support for the extension of the National Flood Insurance Program – an important program here on the Eastern Shore because we’re surrounded by water. And, in the past he’s gone to bat to extend the First-Time Homebuyer Credit.

Serving as a FPC is an appointed position, and I’m so glad that I took on this responsibility. It broadens your horizons and takes you outside of your comfort zone. You also learn so much about national legislation that shapes real estate. To prepare for the job, NAR offered some training during the Mid-Year meetings in Washington, and I participated in a webinar that helped indoctrinate me and other FPCs. Like my fellow FPCs, I work very closely with Michael Lehrman and Jamie Gregory of NAR staff in Washington.

My participation in the 2008 NAR Leadership Academy absolutely was a determining factor in taking on the FPC position. I never would have even considered stepping into the role unless I had completed the Academy training. The Academy really helped us build our self confidence and step up to take leadership roles on local and state REALTOR® associations.

In my opinion, a good leader has to be willing to listen. Once you listen, you know how to effectively address the person who brought up the conversation. Once you go through the Leadership Academy, you learn your way around NAR, and you gain a better understanding of the workings of the state and local associations. I gained a wealth of knowledge, and met a lot of people who were willing to help me grow as a REALTOR®.

Congratulations 2010 Leadership Academy Graduates

Pat Pipkin, GRI, PNM, SRES, TRC
Drives Home Value Behind “Return on Involvement” for Academy Participants – Congratulations to the 2010 class

Twenty seven REALTORS® from 19 states just finished a very rewarding journey that will result in tremendous benefits for themselves and their businesses, for their communities and for the REALTOR® organization. I’m referring to the 2010 graduates of the NAR Leadership Academy. On behalf of the Academy Advisory Board, I offer heartfelt congratulations to members of the 2010 Academy class.

The Academy was established in part to help nurture future REALTOR leaders at the national, state and local levels. What motivated these professionals to be part of this team? To me, the primary motive for any volunteer initiative should be to do what’s good for the organization and what’s good for its members. But an added benefit is what I call the “return on involvement.”

Academy participants go through the program to become integral components of a team and become better leaders; as a result they learn more about NAR and its membership. Their return on involvement is the growth in leadership skills– which can always be enhanced, no matter how seasoned you are as a leader. Participants also benefit through enhanced relationships with colleagues and by building a more robust network.

In today’s challenging real estate market, REALTORS® are still very busy. Everyone has to ratchet up their business plan and work even harder. One big contribution of the Academy program centers on enhanced communications. Participants bring back to their communities first-hand knowledge of all that NAR offers to advance the real estate profession. They can elaborate on the grants and educational opportunities, and the phenomenal Right Tools Right Now initiative. NAR and its leadership have embraced the Academy and what it stands for, and I think every Academy participant feels the same way. They’ve taken ownership of the program to make it stronger.

The Academy enters its fourth year with the class of 2011. Each of the previous classes has been different, and each has had its own set of skills and own personality. It’s been wonderful to watch each class take on their unique identity as a team. This is especially holds true for the Advisory Board and staff at NAR; we’ve gained a lot of knowledge and insight. What we see and observe within each class gives us the ability to make subtle changes to keep the training and development relevant to the participants.

Take a closer look at the 2010 class and you’ll find the roster is made up of sole practitioners, REALTORS® who hold leadership positions with large real estate companies and others who have their own companies; many are in leadership roles with their state and local REALTOR® associations. We do encourage – and we do receive – applications from all across the nation.

I’ve observed these dedicated professionals complete the five-part regimen and came away with this observation: The singular most important leadership skill gained is how to be an effective team player. Through teamwork, the class of 2010 accomplished a great deal for themselves and for the REALTOR® organization. Read more

Timely Advice for Leaders: Engage Volunteers Early to Maximize Effectiveness

A leader can only advance an agenda and realize goals and objectives if there’s sufficient time to get things done. This is especially true when research, study and work are tasked to volunteers spread out across various time zones.

During the NAR Leadership Academy meetings held in April, the group addressed these issues: How can volunteer NAR leaders leverage and maximize the impact of their respective committees, even though the committees meet twice annually? How can we advance agenda items well before we sit down for those three-hour committee meetings?

Getting agendas out to committee members is one way to get more productivity when the meeting is called to order, but there are other, more proactive solutions to consider. The most effective solution is to engage members of the committee early — months before the actual meeting — and “test the waters,” so to speak. Here are some tactics I employed during my term as chairman of the REALTOR® Political Involvement Committee (RPIC) that made a significant difference.

The key role for RPIC is to work on a grassroots level to make the 1.2 million REALTOR® members aware of legislation that will impact the real estate industry and to get them involved. Months before the May Mid-Year NAR meetings, I worked with staff to use a newsletter directed to the Federal Political Coordinators, the REALTOR® volunteers whose job centers on delivering important messages to their U.S. Senator or Representative. The purpose was to get them to start thinking about items that would be on the meeting agenda, and to enlist their input on other topics that should be discussed.

This communication got REALTORS® involved and let them be heard. From the position as chairman, I got a perspective on what issues were controversial, and what issues were not controversial.

There also was a need to update the strategic plan for the RPIC. To get the insight we needed, NAR staff conducted a survey of all RPIC members and Federal Political Coordinators. The survey focused on the value behind the news, information and insight regarding political issues affecting real estate. The results supported what we already suspected: The Federal Political Coordinators did a great job of informing members about the status of pending legislation, whether it was good, bad or indifferent. But during the political process, we all needed to be more vigilant about keeping REALTORS informed about the outcome of our actions taken thereby encouraging their future grassroots involvement.

By taking these proactive steps, members of the RIPC were better informed and better prepared to move our agenda items along and maximize the relatively short time we had together. In retrospect, there was one other task I should have undertaken. While I did learn from NAR staff about the RPIC members before the meeting I should have also taken the time to introduce myself via a telephone call to our new members prior to our first scheduled meeting.

One final thought on leadership: A good volunteer leader is someone who puts what’s best for the membership as the driving force behind leadership decisions. Otherwise, it’s just an ego running amok.

We’re All Leaders and Must Challenge the Status Quo

As told by Mark Palace
The unprecedented times we now live in – times marked by economic uncertainty, global unrest and breakthrough technology advancements – have ushered in major changes to the way we live and work. To thrive in the future, smart leaders will take a step back, explore ways to empower others and open doors to new ideas and perspectives.

In essence, that’s the thrust of an unusual, ground-breaking book called Tribes by author Seth Godin. The book, first published in 2008, proclaims that all of us are leaders in some way, shape or form. We are leaders in our personal life, within our immediate community, and at the place we work. Today, more than ever, we need to recognize the fact we are leaders of our various “tribes;” we need to step far outside the box and mount challenges to the way things get done. Become “heretics,” Godin states, raise questions and drive the competitive thought needed to change history for the better.

The messages and insights elaborated within Tribes were discussed by my work group at the April session held in Chicago for the 2010 members of the NAR Leadership Academy. The April session is the fourth in the five-part Academy program, and exercises and discussion focused on “Leading to Face Industry Challenges.” Some in our group were not totally convinced by Godin’s message or the book itself, which is pretty unconventional for a non-fiction work because it lacks a table of contents and established chapters. The text is structured in a free-flowing style, more like a blog.
Prior to reading Tribes, I must admit I supported the status quo. I was reluctant to deviate from what was considered “normal.” In fact, I was turned off by the title of the book, and I could not comprehend how the word “tribe” could relate to leadership and positive change.

I set my agenda aside, read the book and embraced the message delivered from Tribes. Three specific elements stood out:

1. To be a true leader, you need the moral courage and intestinal fortitude to stand up for what you believe in. Leaders go against the grain, rather than respond and react.
2. In today’s society, we’ve become like sheep. We accept things the way they are, follow the same schedule and are reluctant to initiate change. True leaders are curious; they do not accept the norm.
3. True leaders put technology to use. They employ social networking sites like Facebook and others to communicate with their tribes and spearhead change.

In my own brokerage firm, I encourage my colleagues to speak openly and freely regarding ways to build our business. Suggestions that are viable and can be developed will be embraced and implemented with full force. Godin certainly inspired me to re-evaluate my perspectives on leadership and change; but he may have been inspired by an unconventional guy who was responsible for some pretty significant changes to our world. This quote sums it up:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi.

Advancing Awareness for Veteran’s Housing Through Heroes Welcome Home Initiative

As told by John Kretchmar, NAR Leadership Academy class of ‘10

This year I’m proud to announce the start of a program that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of U.S. soldiers returning from conflicts overseas. It’s called Heroes Welcome Home, and its objective is straightforward: Educate REALTORS® in metropolitan Chicago and, eventually nationwide, about the need to increase the availability of specialized housing for veterans who have sustained life-changing injuries through military service.

Heroes Welcome Home is needed now for a couple of reasons. First, soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan return with injuries that are far more serious than in previous wars. And the injuries – physical and mental — are much more severe and debilitating. Second, all of us feel the brunt of foreclosures and high unemployment in today’s sluggish economy. Many veterans return home to find their homes in danger of foreclosure, their jobs gone. And, it’s simply the right thing to do; it’s one way we can give back to those who sacrificed so much for this nation.

Here’s what Heroes Welcome Home is designed to do. Through education and outreach programs, we want to make REALTORS® aware that wounded vets require housing in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, and that some may require help securing a mortgage and getting relocation assistance. One goal is to establish a database of veterans in need within the Chicago area as a way to encourage REALTORS® to get involved. Anyone interested in learning more can attend a workshop May 25 and 26 at the Chicago Marriott Suites Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. Visit heroeswelcomehome.com to register.

The program is being funded through the NAR Game Changer Challenge initiative, and it will be administered through the Chicago Association of REALTORS®. Credit goes to the staff at CAR, especially Bill Wald, Senior Director of Business and Professional Development, for drafting the Game Changer grant proposal. So far, we’ve received additional support from the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Roland Burris. We anticipate Heroes Welcome Home will gain much momentum by early 2011.

My passion for this program is fueled by personal experience. I served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. After I was discharged, I helped returning veterans in the early 1970s take advantage of education and other provisions within the GI Bill. Today, I’m developing 110-units of transitional and permanent housing for veterans on the grounds of the Hines VA Hospital just west of Chicago.

Heroes Welcome Home is an opportunity for all area REALTORS® to use their skills and market knowledge to help returning veterans secure a place to live in peace in the land they so bravely defended.

Century of REALTOR® Leadership Sets Global Standards

The 120 men who laid the groundwork for the foundation of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® in 1908 more than likely did not envision their work eventually would have a global impact. But more than a century later, nations around the world have come to embrace the standards, practices and policies established and refined by the REALTOR® organization.

Select members of the NAR Leadership Academy can attest to this development. As NAR international liaisons, some have witnessed the growth and evolution of real estate as an industry and profession beyond the United States. And, others have helped form relationships that will create opportunities in the future. Here are two perspectives.

Establishing NAR-India

Through close cooperation with NAR, India formed a national real estate organization that will play a major role in shaping the future of the world’s largest democracy. Baryalai (Baro) K. Shalizi, a REALTOR® from Santa Fe, New Mexico, said his appointment as liaison offered tremendous insight into the evolution of NAR-India.

“There are so many questions and issues that surface when setting up a new association,” Shalizi said. “Those of us who have worked under a system that’s been around for 100 years sometimes take things for granted.”

Shalizi noted that real estate professionals in India now cooperate more on property listing information and plan to establish a national multiple listing service. He said the Indian parliament is debating a bill that would require all real estate agents to be licensed.

“Being the liaison has given me a ground view of what’s happening in India from a legal, legislative and practical point of view,” he noted.

Getting to Know New Zealand

Jan Ellingson is a REALTOR® from Mount Vernon, Washington, a community located up the coast from Seattle. While rising through the ranks of her state and local REALTOR® organizations, she was part of a delegation that would network with foreign real estate professionals during the fall NAR conferences.

That’s one factor that helped Ellingson earn her recent appointment as liaison to New Zealand. Working with a domestic client who was born and raised there helped Ellingson gain some insight into the real estate market and practices. “Buying real estate is a much different process in New Zealand than it is here,” she said. “It’s almost all done by auction, and they don’t have the MLS system that we have here.”

Ellingson said New Zealand real estate professionals are “intrigued” by practices we take for granted, like the multiple listing services, sharing of market information and our commission structure.

Now fully engaged in the international arena, Ellingson offers this advice: “The international market is bigger than ourselves, so get involved. Take the CIPS and At Home with Diversity courses. There’s no other way to say it but get involved.”

Make the Commitment: Advance as a REALTOR®

Class of 2011 NAR Leadership Academy Application Deadline is March 31

They are CEOs and presidents, general managers and managing brokers, sales associates and agents. They hail from across the continental U.S., and from as far away as Puerto Rico and Alaska. They are men and women, with varied years of real estate industry experience.

What do they have in common? Two things: They successfully completed the NAR Leadership Academy program, and they are committed to personal growth and to the REALTOR® organization.

What did they gain? Quite a lot: An intimate understanding of how NAR operates as the foremost authority for real estate; leadership skills to advance professionally, within their communities and in their business; an opportunity to take stock in one’s career and redefine personal goals; interaction with national NAR leadership and senior NAR staff; and, close, lasting friendships with REALTOR® colleagues from across the nation.

And, there are other benefits. Some participants find networking events lead to future business opportunities, and others have maintained that the exposure to high-level NAR leadership is inspirational and helpful for future committee appointments.

The Leadership Academy was established in 2008 to identify future leaders and provide formal training for REALTORS® who want to play an active role in the immediate and long-term future of NAR. In the past two years, 53 REALTORS® have completed the Academy program, which lasts nine months and is held in conjunction with many national NAR meetings. The 2010 class, the current class, will graduate during the Midyear Meetings in May.

March 31 is the deadline to submit applications for the 2011 class; the Academy is open to any REALTOR® in good standing and is designed for those who already have volunteer experience at the state or local level, or have demonstrated leadership skills with other organizations. Learn more about the benefits of becoming part of this elite team of REALTOR® leaders.

The program is structured around five sessions, and attendance is mandatory for participants. Sessions address personal growth, best practices, governance and the committee structures, the role of NAR leadership and ethics and integrity. The debut session for the 2011 class, “Explore the First Rule of Leadership – Know Yourself,” will be held in Chicago in conjunction with the Leadership Summit August 4-7.

Participation in the NAR Leadership Academy is limited and, remember: The deadline to apply is less than two weeks away. Make the commitment to yourself and to the REALTOR® organization. Apply today and take a big step toward advancing your career.

Beyond Our Borders: International Perspectives from the Leadership Academy

For nine months, participants in the NAR Leadership Academy learn new skills, refine talents and enhance their knowledge of how the national REALTOR organization operates and its impact on the American real estate industry. Academy participants who also serve as international liaisons bring a perspective that transcends the way real estate is bought and sold in the U.S. They offer global views.

Here are thoughts from current Academy participants on their roles as liaison and when asked: “What role has your participation played in building better relationships and building business opportunities between REALTORS here and outside the U.S.”

Hanne Sagalowsky, Liaison to Denmark

For Hanne Sagalowsky, the international real estate environment was a natural fit. “I grew up in Denmark, but I’ve lived here for more of my life,” she said. “I was partly educated in a different culture.

“I think that we’re still waiting for more business opportunities to open up with Denmark,” she said. “My involvement with the Academy gives everyone involved a better understanding of how NAR works. That’s really the main thing: You get all the connections together and figure out how the wheels work together.”

Sagalowsky’s previous volunteer leadership positions provided the ideal experience to maximize her role as liaison. “The work I’ve done on the state and local levels made me better informed,” she said. “And that, obviously, makes me a better REALTOR.”

Baryalai (Baro) K. Shalizi, Liaison to India

Baro Shalizi is liaison to a nation with a rapidly growing economy, and one that adopted the REALTOR name as part of its emerging national real estate organization. He found Academy training helped sharpen skills he had in place.

“The key benefit of the Academy is the leadership skills it provides added to the knowledge of the workings of a national association,” he said. “I always was aware of what it meant to be a leader, but the training really helped polish those skills.

“To me, one of the key elements of being a REALTOR is helping people. I’ve learned to look beyond myself and work within the team. I learned how to mediate and help act as that magnet that pulls individuals together. That’s one way the Academy training and experience will help me develop business opportunities for REALTORS in India.”

Francisco Angulo, Liaison to Venezuela

A native of Venezuela, Francisco Angulo literally made his presence known on the international stage as part of a REALTOR delegation that was visiting Argentina.

“I was asked to be the translator for (2009 REALTOR President) Charles McMillan,” Angulo recalled. “After lunch, I found myself onstage translating before a group of 700 people.”

Angulo praised the Academy program for the “bonding and friendship” built among participants the examples set within the real estate community here and outside the U.S. “One great benefit of the Academy, at least for me, is that it has enhanced the reputation of U.S. Realtors everywhere,” he said. “We’re leading by example, and we’re becoming more engaged and knowledgeable to compete in the international arena.”

Volunteer for a More Fulfilling Career

Pat Pipkin, GRI, PNM, SRES, TRC Read more

No Matter the Industry – Leadership is Sharing a Vision

Perspectives on Leadership from Otto Catrina, REALTOR

Catrina’s professional career includes successful management positions at both ends of the restaurant business – regional manager for a group of fast-food restaurants and operating a white-tablecloth eatery in the Bay Area. Today he manages his own real estate practice in Castro Valley, California. He was most recently honored with the John Diedrich award for outstanding leadership by the Bay East Association and serves on the NAR Leadership Academy advisory board.

Throughout his career, Catrina learned that leadership is an evolving process, one that requires leaders to be consistently open to new challenges and ideas. Here he shares some thoughts on the subject.

“For me, a key aspect of being a leader centered on creating teams. When I was in the foodservice industry, I worked as a regional manager for Taco Bell. I had many restaurants in my region, and I learned that I had to enhance the trust factor with the line workers as well as the managers. So I made a commitment to working with the line works as much as possible to set a positive example.

“A good leader creates a model and inspires a shared vision for the organization. You have to put your personal agendas aside and do what’s right for the membership to move the organization forward. And, you have to advance initiatives while respecting the opinions of others, almost to the point of mediation.

“Leaders also have to challenge the existing processes in place. I’m not saying just go against a new idea, but rather explore new ways of doing things. A good leader has the ability to enable others and not shut them down, not stifle their creativity. Let people offer their opinion, but don’t let them dominate the meeting. Leaders have to get out there and get to know people; they should always be visible and willing to meet with people.

“Being a leader is more than just holding a title. It is something that is earned. When an organization elevates a person with potential to be a leader, there may not always be someone there to guide or mentor that person. My commitment as a leader is to mentor those who are working with me and let them reach their potential. My commitment is to draw out people’s potential.

“Some final thoughts on leadership: Stay away from gossip. Make decisions and don’t worry about making a mistake. Have total transparency, and surround yourself with those who want to be on a winning team.”

Next Page »