Every person you meet, whether a client, customer or prospect, has (1) unique requirements, (2) special needs and (3) specific motivations when he/she/they decide to work with another person.
It doesn't matter what profession you are in. What matters to him/her/them is whether or not you can help them.
No one is perfect.
You can not help everyone, but you can be there for someone. When you decide to be there for a person, then be there for that person. It doesn't mean you wont have issues, it just means they are relying on you and you have to do the best with what you have at the time of each individual life event.
It doesn't mean jumping through ridiculous hoops, being afraid to disappoint them, or that you will not make a mistake or two down the road. It simply means do the best you can and be honest about your business. There will always be an issue to resolve.
What separates the professional from the amateur is how you decide to resolve it.
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I'm not sure what prompted this, but I really like it. Your conclusion is spot on.
C, I like helping people. Sometimes I meet people that I cannot help. In those instances, it's best to state that outright and move on. IMO.
No one is perfect. I bet some will argue with you about that one LMAO!
What separates the professional from the amateur is how you decide to resolve it. (it's all in the manner of how I handle it :)
I try to teach this to my children every day and wish others would have been raised with the same ethical perspective...If something crappy happens, just own up to it, apologize, and ask how to fix it. Don't try to lie, avoid it, or pretend like it didn't happen.
Being able to stand up and resolve an issue successfully is a sign of maturity to me. I am sure some people will disagree with me but the best thing about me is I can have an opinion all my own ;-) (At least that's what my husband tells me!) ;-)
Carolyn - This is very nicely stated. I agree with you on all points. :) I learned a long time ago that I am not perfect, nor do I pretend to be.
very true.
Great post. I totally agree. Dont' pretend to be perfect, because that makes you look fake.
Be real, and show them your commitment and you're humanity and all will be fine.
One reason so many real estate practitioners fail in the practice of buyer's agency is because they do not perform their job with the intensity needed to do a really good job.
Since our industry is "listing centric" through training and practice, buyers often get short shrift in the home search/buying process. Sad.
My practice and the practices of the agents in my network focus on giving intense representation to home buyers.
C - Wow...what a thoughtful and nicely put "reminder" about the level of service we should be providing. I love it. Short, sweet and to the point.
It's all about caring for the person enough to put them before profit and any monetary potential gain.
Good post. No one is perfect but we better do an almost perfect job of representing our clients.
How nicely put C-T-S !!!
If we all kept this sentiment in mind, we'd all working in harmony :o)
Cheers Carolyn - see you for lunch soon !
Sheldon :o)
Carolyn, darn I guess I'm going to have to change my slogan "Choose Brian -- I'm Perfect!"
Seriously, the only person who's perfect is my wife. She may not be perfect for everyone, but she is perfect for me.
Beautifully put. As is Brian's comment to you. You are a wonderful person C, and if this post was prompted by someone somehow making you feel "not perfect", no worries. There is no doubt, not in this world, that your heart is always in the right place. That makes you perfect. Your perfect intentions. xxoo
C, very thoughtful, I love it. You're right, "It doesn't mean jumping through ridiculous hoops". But you can jump in with both feet!
Short and sweet and a great reminder. We, I need to remind myself of this more often.
You got it...no relationship business or personal is a "one size fits all" no matter how you try...best to work with what you have, what you attract...and if you don't like what you are getting...look inside, not outside for the reason...good job..blog on !
Ahhhh Connie, the things I have jumped into (LMAO). ;-)
Susan, I absolutely adore you. Thank you. :-)
ROTFLMAO @ Brian. I know what you mean. My little minions are a trip but I would not trade them for anything. My wee people are priceless. :-)
Sheldon, I am going to call you and Josef and set something up. Working 8 to 8 with early morning and late night gym sessions is making me a wee bit cranky (LOL). I had to stop myself from snapping on someone yesterday and realized I needed to adjust my attitude and just tell a client, "no." It shocked them to no end because I rarely say that word when I am working. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the virtual sand with buyers and sellers. You also have to be willing to release a client and let them go if you believe it is in your or their best interests. Once I decided not to cross particular lines or let someone enter my restricted space it was easy to let a single, simple word stand on its own. No explanation, no attempts to placate, just simply said no and walked out. 20 text messages later... (LMAO) I don't know why people think it is okay to waste the time of Realtors. Sheldon, there are days I feel as if I have extra children... ;-)
Gita, very well said. :-)
Fernando, I agree. I constantly do real estate math with my buyers and am always harping on return on investment. I know to them it's their home, but I have to keep reminding them it makes no sense to be hot for a house if the trend indicates the person may probably be upside down in a mortgage because one wants to purchase an overpriced property in a declining neighborhood. Oh, the conversations I have had about declining neighborhoods (LOL). They are always shocked when I tell them the banks want 10% down if it is officially declared a declining neighborhood. When you have someone geared towards a 3.5% down payment, they usually will stop debating the issue if they barely have money for closing costs.
Thank you, Laraine. I was inspired by someone but that is another post in and of itself (LMAO). I need to get back to writing about YOTVETA deserts. ;-)
Lenn, when I finally figured out I was a buyer's broker I was happy to dump the traditional model and create a new virtual office business plan. Melodious is awesome. She really helped me dive right in and I spend approximately 70% of my time with buyers, 15% on rentals and 15% on listings. I am determined to work smarter instead of harder. The irony is my hours have expanded because I have a lot more clients (LOL). I tried to partner up with a couple of people in my firm but they keep leaving for the theoretical grass is greener brokerage home (LOL). What is even more ironic is they find something to complain about as soon as they settle into their new firm. If you are still going to do the chronic complaining routine, why leave the old firm?
Ralph, I find joking about my issues and blogging about my kids has been the best thing I could ever have stumbled upon. Wait until you guys get to see our iTunes project (LOL). So much to do, so little time... :-)
Jason, that's why I love my bay-bays the most. They are soooooo seriously real about their lives whether we are joking or crying together. I know more facts about the people in Club Chaos than I do regarding some of my relatives (LOL). My friends and family are always lurking on my blog. My Mom pulls it up in the senior citizen center frequently. I get requests all of the time. I have got to catch up on my blogging. I'm behind in my schedule because I have a couple of hot buyers who keep me in the street until after sundown. I came home 10:16 last night after meeting the girls for the gym. Poor Mike was exhausted. Minion sitting is hard work so I have to do something lovely with them. 6 Flags would be nice. :-)
Christianne, isn't it remarkable how hard we have to work to try and get our kids to "get it?" My parents spent a lifetime trying to get me to "get it." (LOL) They still straighten me out on occasion. I have issues (LOL). I can't wait to throw a SC BBQ at their house. They have a huge field we can have mad fun in. An AR get together with the relatives would be nice. My brother and sister are just as quirky as I am. Might be able to get Mikey's relatives up from FL. Working on getting the Summer date set so we can play in Greeleyville, Manning and Myrtle Beach. :-)
C-Sally-C, if only you could read my e-mails (LMAO). ;-)
Maria, Elizabeth Weintraub and I had a fascinating conversation about that (LOL). I've been toying with the idea of writing something along those lines. I just have to curb my acid tongue for the occasion. ;-)
Erik, I am glad you enjoyed it and I may tell what prompted it down the road. I'd rather talk about what I went through on this particular incident rather than the I am going through this now angle because once I've gone through it I'll have a conclusion and hopefully a possible solution to share. ;-)
Missy, I second that. :-)
Thank you, Sally & David.
Time to get the little minions to school. Will see you guys later. I am going jogging to collect some eye candy and do my turtle run. I have to catch those posts up as well. :-)
As Missy said, short and sweet but so true. Owning up to mistakes is, I think, one of life's biggest challenges because we are afraid of how it will affect the persons involved. Sometimes you just need a leap of faith.
Barb, if there is one thing that I do have, that would be faith (LOL). ;-)
Great Post! I do find myself worrying that I will make mistakes and that somehow, the client won't forgive me for them. Then I remind myself that I am human and it's inevitable that I will make mistakes. I think sellers and buyers just want to be informed, kept in the loop and kept up to date on one of the biggest events in their life. They have choosen us to help them and we need to under promise and over deliver!
Carolyn, very well put. Sometimes you also have to be able say "no" to a request if it doesn't sense, doesn't promote the cause, or is counterproducive. It's a hard thing to recognize and even harder to do, it may just be the thing that is needed most.
C...
I have this little motto I guide my life by: "My best just has to be good enough". In the end it's all I got :)
TLW...ROAR!
C...
Hmmm nicely and succinctly atated ... and ut seems that less words equals more noteriety ... congrats on the feature sweetie!
C, that was perfectly stated, and well, just RIGHT ON. Thank you for your post!
And congrats on your feature! YAY!
C... thanks for a timely post. I have to do something (non real estate related) and have been putting it off because... well just because. Congrats on the lovely little
...
Being th ebest we can be is all we have, who we decide to give our best to is up to us!
Sounds like empathy to me. I remember in college history and philosophy, teachers told me to understand someones thinking we have to get outside ourselves and try to understand their culture and surroundings. Voltaire was different in thinking from Kant becasue of the times, the culture, the economy, and even the climate. It is just a matter of how far we delve into the life of our client to see what needs need to be met, and what needs need to be shaped.
m
I always tell clients is not a matter of IF a problem will occur but WHEN. The true measure is and always will be on HOW its handled.
C- wonderfully put and sums up so much of life... we can not possibly be everything to everyone, but sometimes, we can be great to some. There is an adage about that ... You cant be everything to everyone, but to one you can be everything... or something like that... I love the words I learned in a FW class.. "do what you say you will do.. sometimes more but never less". Those are great words to work with.
Lindsay H, I love the under promise and over deliver angle. That rocks as a blog post title and is very good advice. :-)
Silvia, thank you. My three year old says no all the time. I figure if little man can make his feelings known, so shall I (LOL). :-)
TLW, I love your motto. I shall adopt that. ;-) Mama, looking forward to meeting up with you and Papa when I go on vacation. I will e-mail you and let you guys know where we will be. We have to start scoping schools for the wee ones in preparation for relocating down there eventually. We have no idea when we will be officially invading FL but we will vacation there as usual. :-)
LOL @ Richard. Thank you, sweetie. :-)
Thank you, Marney. :-)
Thank you, Lee and Pamela. I hope you get your little thing done. I've put off a few little things as well. I told my clients I was disappearing for RE Barcamp in Boston and a few had a cow (LOL). Every so often I have to remind them that I am entitled to a life. It's a very interesting life when I do return to live it (LMAO). All work and no play makes Wordy C very cranky. ;-)
Bridget, this is so true. We have to decide at what level we're going to play the game when the ball is in our court. I have to remind myself every so often that I control my schedule so if I start complaining about it it's my own fault for not managing me and my time better. I want to be happy and do the best that I can. Best is always subjective and relative, so... okay, can't say that in public (LMAO). ;-)
Carolyn, Nice post. Congratulations on being featured. I think perfection is something we should always be striving for knowing we'll never quite make it but improving as we go. Thanks for reminding us.
Joe, empathy is a fascinating creature of the imagination. Sometimes we can tune in and understand the other individual, yet other times it's as if we're dealing with a foreign language from another realm. I don't always get my clients but I do make a major effort to try and understand their needs and motivations. Push the right button, supply the right need, you can get to your destination efficiently. Push the wrong button, ignore a major criteria they deem important and the slow death knell of successfully concluding a business transaction begins. Sometime people obsess on the unimportant and miss their moment for trivial reasons. The irony is, you can not trivialize their trivia (LMAO). Now there's a blog post I can't wait to write when I get back home. I've got mad material for that one (ROTFL). ;-)
Laura, very well said and so true. I'm always expecting something to pop up. When it doesn't I find myself looking carefully for what I think I missed. I'm not sure if that is a good or bad habit. It can get time consuming (LMAO). :-)
"How you decide to resolve it" - is indeed the antidote for my (our?) lack of perfection. Thanks for keeping us motivated, Carolyn!
"Do what you say you will do.. sometimes more but never less." Gail Tassey just inadvertently spanked me (LMAO). What a wonderful quote to strive for. I shall have to try to improve my personal record... I've been lacking in this respect from time to time (e.g. hubby and housework - laundry immediately comes to mind - LOL). I will try to do better and stop running around as much. I must say running the streets is just so much fun (LOL). I like being mobile. :-)
Irene, you are very welcome and this place definitely keeps me motivated. It's my home away from home with all of my fave people living in my computer. :-)
Thank you, Marian.:-)
P.S. Thank you, AR. :-)
What a great reminder for all of us...short and to the point. If I strive for perfection...it motivates me to get there..at times it may take me longer.
Someone taught you well, we can't be everything to everyone, but you can be what you are for the person in front of you.
Well said, much needed, and worthy of a reblog, if you don't mind...
I am always careful about the solutions that I choose to problems, but I like to make the quickly and concisely. One of the most difficult things for people to do is follow through and stay committed to the decisions that they make.
C. excellent, short post. i've always thought the person in front of me 'now' is the most important person. give them your undivided attention and relationships grow. and of couse.....solve their re problems along the way, if you take em on. that is what we are as realtors...l.problem solvers and dream assisters.
Just do what you can and do your best. You have to know when to say no as well.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh Real estate
Just do what you can and do your best. You have to know when to say no as well.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh Real estate
Helping someone doesn't always mean that you have to do something. Just having an open ear to listen helps someone.
My phone is always open for a leaning ear!
C - We all make mistakes. Confident enough in yourself to admit it, and to the other- that is how trust is built...
C- We are constantly being pulled in different directions between family, friends and clients. We're only human and while it would be nice to be there for everyone it's not humanly possible. I will never be perfect but will strive to do my very best given the situation being me and only me.
Well said and people can sniff out the real deal a mile away. If you are real, genuine and you care and try 100%, most people will stick with and to you like glue.
Do you feel market slow, have extra time to do BPO,s > extra $$$$
Keep busy your self > initial door to get REO listing .
As has already been stated, none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes.
I like Mike Jones motto:
If I mess up, I 'FESS UP & I fix it.
Most people can deal with it when we let them know what's going on and what we are going to do to handle the situation. And then do it.
Hi C! :)
Carolyn, Congratulations on the FEATURE!!! I too agree with Mike's motto...
Gotta give this post DA BOOT...
featured in Blogs Happen...
Your building consultant for life in Nashville, TN
Michael, thank you for the feature. :-)
Doreen, Mike Jones does have it going on, doesn't he? (LOL) ;-) BTW: Hi D!!! :-D
Aslam, your tip is appreciated. I am definitely keeping busy. :-)
Chris, I agree. I always enjoy when someone says they got my name from a friend. When people decide to stick with you, they also tend to speak well about you. :-)
Donna, I like the way you put it and believe the same thing. It is so easy to become unbalanced when you are constantly juggling schedules while trying to please people. :-)
Wendy, great talking point. If you don't foster trust in people it becomes very difficult to be their adviser.
Jeannette, that's awesome. I shall have to call you (LOL). ;-)
Patricia, it's all we can do. ;-)
Thank you, Anna Banana. That is a very nice operational attitude. :-)
JL, efficient, quick and concise. Can't get much better than that, my friend. I love your style. ;-)
William James Walton, re-blog away bay-bay! ;-)
Thank you, Todd. :-)
Rebecca G, I know exactly what you mean. It sometimes takes me a while to get where I am going, even when I know where I should be (LOL). :-)
C - short and sweet and too the point. It's our imperfections that make life interesting.
Hey C,
Very inspiring post, and a true professional will always be honest. And if we don't know the answer to a specific question, being professional means, you will do what you can to find the right answer. Great post, short, sweet, but full of truth! :)
-Lisa
Just having the understanding that people aren't perfect, and that most things can just be worked on goes a long way. There's no time for excess stress, whining, pointing fingers, etc. Be men and women and move on. People make mistakes. It's life. Its normal.
Spot on post, C. You can't be perfect. But you can do your best. That's all anyone can hope for.
I'm not sure what prompted this post either, Miss C-Tann, but you have made a beautiful glass of lemonade out of the lemons you seem to have been dealt. I always tell my son that I don't expect perfection, I simply expect him to do his best. If a C is the best he can do in a class, that's fine. But, if I know he could have done better than that and didn't try, that is much worse.
Big Mike, very interesting, indeed. :-)
Thank you, Lisa. :-)
Steve, moving on with a bit of grace is always nice if you can swing it. Sometimes people make it hard when it doesn't have to be... :-)
Thank you, Heather. Blog post therapy is always useful (LOL). ;-)
I give my best and expect the best from others. It's so frustrating when you live by certain professional values and standards and then have dealings with someone who doesn't live up to them. I don't ever want anyone to feel that way about working with me. Great post, I look forward to hearing "the rest of the story."
Congratulations on the feature. This is so simply said but such an important sentiment. I am actually going to send it to my colleague who needs some uplifting right now.
Thank you, Sharon. I've been getting lots of questions about the "rest of the story" (LOL). :-)
Stacey-Ann, very happy to be of use. :-)
C~ this is so well said. We can't or at least shouldn't beat ourselves up for not being perfect. If we do our best that's all we are meant to do. Thank you for these words. And, thank you for helping me support Penny.
Deb
Thank you, Deb. You are very welcome. I am so sorry for everyone's loss regarding this incident.
Yay, this is very timely for a listing presentation I did Friday. They have been on my mind and I have an idea to call them about tomorrow. We have discussed the obvious very frankly....they are so so cool. I wish they had more options.
Ann, the options always make life interesting. It can be difficult to know when to stay and when to go. I've walked a few times and breathed a huge sigh of relief later. You just never know until you decide you are done...