Daryl L Braham, GRI, CRB
Daryl L Braham, GRI, CRB Maps Out Long Range Course for North Dakota Association of Realtors®
Throughout my career, I have maintained that to be a good leader, you have to understand yourself first. After that, you can then understand just what motivates the staff and executives you are supposed to be leading. The two parties have to have an understanding on how to make it better for the members you serve.
On September 16, I had the honor of being installed as the 2011 President of the North Dakota Association of Realtors®. One of my first official duties will be to host a retreat for our leadership team and staff at the end of October. We are honored to have Richard A. Mendenhall, the 2001 President of the National Association of Realtors® and a true visionary in our industry, as the facilitator for the retreat.
Securing Richard is a tremendous opportunity for our Association because we have never had a leader of his caliber facilitate an event such as this. Through the years in getting to know Richard, two things stand out: He is one hell of a communicator, and he very much understands that leadership of a Realtor® association is about serving the members on the street.
One of the challenges our state, as I know others face as well is we have a tendency to focus on one or two years out, rather than on the future of our Association and of the members we serve. Our team this year is looking to develop a long-range strategic plan that will guide us five, 10 or even 20 years in the future. A common trap for smaller state Associations is in many cases they do not have a strategic plan or a financial plan. Having Richard lead our retreat will give us a broader perspective and provide the organizational framework for many years to come.
We are also expanding our leadership team to include the entire Board of Directors. As a smaller board, we can do this, and have the activities of our Association directed by the entire Board, not just the executive leadership team. Too often, a board becomes a rubber stamp for what a small few on the executive team wants to do. We are a small state and we need everyone’s support to move forward.
As for my leadership style, I am a passionate person about advancing ways to improve our communities. It is not about me; rather it is about what the team of leaders can do to help every member in our state. It is not about another plaque on the wall, or the limelight of being the leader, it is more about what we get done for the future of our members, and how the Association can position itself to continue to be a strong force for all issues real estate related in North Dakota.
My advice to other leaders? Ask “why” a lot, and find out what the Association needs from you. Don’t wing it, make sure you understand first, and then help others to understand, create common objectives, and then make it happen. Help the staff be strong enough to run the place, help the team be strong enough to lead it, and make sure you are always looking to the future. Today is gone already.
Kevin Sears
As told by Kevin Sears
When I first learned about the NAR Leadership Academy, I knew immediately I’d have an interest in participating because NAR does everything so well. And, after I applied and was accepted, I knew I’d come out a better person, husband, father, Realtor® and business man.
But what I didn’t realize was that I’d be graduating with 30 friends for life. Among my classmates and the NAR staff, there was a bonding that occurred – one that’s difficult to explain unless you’ve gone through the program.
What I learned at different levels through the Academy and in my role as the 2010 President of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors® was the importance behind teamwork and relying on the team that you and others put together. Here in Massachusetts, the Association leadership are champions for the cause, and our cause is to work on behalf of members and the Association.
Being the leader of a Realtor® Association is very similar to being a leader on a sports team: You need to develop a strategy and a plan. You need to find the right people and put them in place, finding them a position where they can succeed. That happens through teamwork.
Another aspect of leadership that’s very important – regardless if you’re leading a State Association or a Little League team – is discipline. Even with Little Leaguers, you have to practice and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the members on your team. The coach has to determine where to put players on the field during the game, and it all revolves around having instilled discipline. And, finally, and not to sound too corny, a leader has to get the team to execute so you can succeed and come out victorious.
With that said, some of the best lessons in life are a result of failure. We all make mistakes. But if you learn from them, practice and put yourself in scenarios where you can succeed, you can come out ahead.
There have been challenges our State Association has faced during my term as president. But I’m very fortunate to be part of a great leadership team that had a plan and strategy in place. The plan that we initiated, the one we’ve experienced success with, was set into motion years ago by my predecessors. I’d love to have the perspective today of 2012 and 2013 and know what the challenges will be years from now.
The success of our Association comes from the fact that the members elected the directors, and the directors developed and approved our strategic plan, which is there to guide our ship. We refer to it as our GPS. But it’s also tremendously important to engage the Association staff because they are the paid professionals who run the Association. We have the plan and set the course; we have the GPS. It’s the staff who function as the engine and the members as the fuel.
Mark Palace
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.
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.
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.”
Pat Pipkin, GRI, PNM, SRES, TRC Continue reading »
