5 Tips For Being A Better Leader
Some people believe people are born leaders, others think a person can learn leadership qualities. While there is something to be said for having natural leadership qualities, much can be learned and used to turn any business model around. The real estate business is a people business, you interact with people every day from clients to coworkers to managers. Developing strong leadership qualities will make you stand out from the crowd and bring you further up the career ladder.
Success isn’t just measured by how many deals you close; it’s also about how well you work with those around you. To succeed in real estate, you must show yourself as a leader, just a few small things can make a big difference. Here are five ways, you can become a better leader.
- Be A Positive Role Model. A good leader leads by example. If you want people to care about their job show that you care. Establish what your values and work ethics are and stick by them. The best way to encourage good rules of conduct is by following them yourself. Show that you are willing to put your integrity first before any deal and what actions you will not tolerate. Others will follow from your example.
- Know Your Team. It’s one thing to know your business but how well do you know your team? A good leader should know their team better than anyone else. Get to know those around you – who are they, why do they like, what are their strengths and weaknesses. If you know your team, you’ll be able to manage them and daily tasks much better. This also includes winning their respect. You have to show you are willing to listen to them and take their views into consideration. A good leader knows how to organize their team in a way that plays to each individual’s strengths, while complementing for their weaknesses.
- Listen And Learn From Others. No one likes to work under a dictatorial style of management, where different opinions are not heard or given credit. Let your team know you are open to their ideas, encourage debate and the exchange of ideas. This empowers people to take more responsibility and provide more input. As the great life coach Stephen Covey said, “In all communication, seek first to understand, then be understood.” By encouraging debate and creativity you’ll be making your team more proactive and committed to the task at hand. People will respect you more for allowing their voices to be heard.
- Choose Reason Over Emotion. In a heated business environment, emotions can often run out of control. A bad reaction or comment can undo all you’ve tried to achieve in a deal and cost you the respect of those around you. A good leader knows the importance of keeping a lid on their emotions and kneejerk reactions, as difficult as that may be at times. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call out failures in responsibility or demand the best from people. It just means that when you criticize or instruct, you should avoid losing your temper and allowing emotion to rule your thinking. It reflects badly on your self-control and will make others resent you. A negative opinion of you will make them less likely to come to you next time there’s a problem. Instead, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts and speak using reason, not emotion. A damaged relationship will only cause more problems further down the road.
- Be Direct And Encourage Feedback. In all your dealings with people, be they clients, superiors or co-workers, be direct in all, your communication. Don’t dance around an issue. Instead, say directly what you think and what the facts are, even if they’re unpleasant. If you’re not direct, people won’t know what you stand for. Many a business has failed because managers were not willing to face unpleasant facts. If you don’t know the precise direction business is going in you won’t be able to make the right decisions or achieve your business goals, no matter how well you’ve communicated to employees.
When you are direct in your communication everyone knows where things stand, allowing for business plans, performance reviews and deadlines to be drawn up. Encourage your employees to share all their feedback, whether it’s good or bad.