Very early on in my real estate career, I worked part-time as a residential marketing director for one of the oldest real estate development and management firms in the country. The residential division of this company was treated like a red-headed stepchild by the owners.
As you may recall, the development, commercial sales, and management divisions were the money makers back in the mid 1990’s. The owners (”the boys”) kept the residential side open because their late father started the company as a residential real estate brokerage and they promised they would never close the doors.
While working there, I had the opportunity to experience several management styles which made a lasting impression on me and helped set the tone for my own style as a manager.
Depending on who he was speaking with at the time, our broker had to wear many different management hats. I would watch him with the agents, the staff, and “the boys”. One day I asked, “How do you determine which management hat to wear?” And, his response surprised me.
“I wear so many hats during the day because I have to deal with so many different personalities. For instance, when a deal gets shaky with an agent, I put on my firefighter hat. The agent is in such a tizzy they can’t see a positive outcome due to all the little fires that started once the contract was signed. I sit down with them, go through the entire file, and help them sort out the various reports. I then work with them on a solution for their client or the other agent. We role-play the discussion and objections. If I have to, I tell them we will not accept the deal, and the fire is out for now.”
Okay, I understood that hat, but I was curious about the hat he wore with top producers.
“Well this hat has several shades and styles,” he said. “You see the number one agent has been in the business as long as I have, so the hat I wear with him is one of a sounding board, a consultant, and a fighter.”
“A fighter,” I questioned?
“When you work for a large company as we do, the boys look at the bottom line – what we are making and what are we paying out. So, when they want to reduce commission, I have to fight them to be fair and re-educate them on why it’s important to have the best.”
So, what other hats did he have to wear? “Well, it really depends on the day and in some cases the time, if they are active with buyers or sellers, or if they aren’t working any deals at all. Then the hat I wear becomes that of a therapist, cheerleader, or the person that kicks them in the pants and tells them to stop whining and start working their referrals.”
Well, we covered the manager’s hats in dealing with the agents, but what about the hat for the support staff? “That’s the most comfortable hat I wear. I manage the staff with objectives and goals so that we are able to meet our yearly budgets. I show them appreciation for the work they do and thank them every day for not being independent contractors!”
I asked him if he enjoyed wearing all of these hats in a given day.
“I couldn’t see myself wearing only one hat for the rest of my life. You see, I love being a manager of a residential sales office. Every day is different, so I don’t get bored. And at the end of the day when I lock up, I often smile. I know that I’ve helped someone fulfill the American dream of owning a home, and helped my agents and staff obtain their dreams, too.”
The moral of the story is that if you are a sales manager – enjoy your various hats. And if you aren’t wearing multiple hats, are you doing a disservice to your office and yourself?
Think about it.
