WorkPuzzle

Is Requesting a Resume a Good Idea for a Real Estate Agent Interview?

Over the last few years, we’ve worked with several real estate hiring managers who insist on seeing a resume before meeting with a candidate. When our account managers ask for an explanation, the conversation usually goes something like this:

"My time is valuable, so I want to make sure the person is both serious and qualified to become a real estate agent.” 

One manager recently said:

"If they can't send me a resume, I don't want to waste my time on them." 

Is this a good policy?  Let’s investigate the pros and cons of this stance.

First consider that every business practice is an expression of various underlying assumptions.  From that premise, let’s try to surmise what possible assumptions are being made in the “resume first” stance and then assess their validity. 

Assumption #1: Any candidate worth interviewing will have a resume handy and be eager to show it to me before a meeting. 

I want you to consider the best people who have entered and thrived in your organization. How many of them would have sent a resume or even had a resume handy when they were first hired?  How many of them would have come to an interview if you asked them for one?

It appears to me (for reasons I will go into below) that only the most desperate (and perhaps confused), would feel compelled to bring a resume to the first interview when considering becoming an independent contractor within the real estate industry. 

Assumption #2: You interviewing them is more important than them interviewing you.

This assumption is clearly communicated in the request for a resume. In many highly competitive corporate jobs where a salary, benefits, and security are provided, this is certainly to be expected. But, in the real estate industry, there is a different set of expectations. 

Most candidates know that becoming a real estate agent means signing up to invest significant resources to become an independent contractor.  From this perspective, it only makes sense that the first interview would be a two-way street of reciprocal respect.

Remember, you need great candidates as much as they need you. If, after the first interview, you have doubts about the person’s potential to perform, asking for a  resume would seem reasonable.  At this juncture, it makes sense to test a weak candidate’s follow-through or investigate their background.

But if you ask a savvy candidate for a resume, you run the risk of alienating them because they are often employed successfully and want to assess you (and the real estate career) before you assess them.  

Assumption #3 Your time is more important than their time.

Most working professionals do not have an updated resume in hand.  Most people do not prepare a resume until they are unemployed, or think they will soon be unemployed. I know many people who have never needed a resume because their reputation and professional performance speaks for itself.

How do you think the most capable candidates will respond to this request? Do you believe that they will spend the time necessary to prepare a resume just for you? They will only do so if you have earned the right to make such a request.  Instead, most candidates will interpret your request in one way:   "My time is more important than yours." 

Assumption #4: You're in the power position not them.

The very act of requesting a resume communicates a great deal about your assessment (or your insistence) of the balance of power in the relationship. You might as well be saying: "Yes... I think I'm more important than you".  Even in competitive corporate America when an important executive is being courted for hiring, the resume is not requested until it makes sense to everyone involved.

In order to attract the best candidates you must not assume this power position.  The relationship has to feel peer-to-peer, especially in the first meeting.  In my opinion, some managers who request resumes before the first interviews have issues around fearing vulnerability.  This technique may help them from exposing this apprehension.

Assumption #5 : You don't expect to interview successful candidates.

This assumption could be based on past experiences of interviewing terrible candidates. The problem with this assumption is that protecting against “wasting time” with unqualified candidates kills the chances of engaging better candidates in the future. It would be similar to a fisherman giving up casting because previous casts were unproductive.  Yes, he’ll save a lot of time.  But, the chances of catching fish have diminished to zero.

In our experience working with real estate hiring, about one third (33%) of interviews result in an engagement where the managers is truly excited about the candidate’s potential.  Of the third who fit into this category, usually one half (50%) of those candidates end up joining their team as an agent.   Working backwards on these percentages, it takes an average of six interviews to hire one high-potential “new to real estate” agent.*

If you disagree with my analysis of this problem, don't hesitate to let me know. I have been wrong before and expect I will be again. But, in my view so far, the basic rule of thumb is this: 

If you want to attract the best talent to your team, you must treat everyone, initially, like he/she might be the best candidate you've ever seen. 

*Note: The overall hire/interview percentage is higher than 17% (1 hire in 6 interviews) for most high- performing real estate organizations.  This happens because some of the “not-so-great candidates” also become agents.  Overall, high- performing real estate companies see 25% of their total interviews eventually convert to hires.  This data is based on the companies who are clients of Tidemark.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Be Happy--Become a Real Estate Agent--Part 2

Last week, our discussion focused on new research concerning where individuals find happiness in their careers.  Surprisingly, the “real estate agent” position topped the 2013 “Happiest Jobs in America” list.

How did the real estate agent position garner such a high ranking?  The position scored highly on the top ten factors that produce happiness at work:

1. Work-life balance

2.  One’s relationship with his/her boss and co-workers

3.  Work environment

4.   Job resources

5.  Compensation

6.  Growth opportunities

7.  Company culture

8.  Company reputation

9.  Daily tasks

10.  Job control over work performed on a daily basis.

In part one of this blog, we talked about how to use this information during an interview.  But, there is more to learn from this research; both from a retention perspective and a second recruiting angle you may have not considered.

Retention

Think about how the agents on your team would rate each of the happiness factors listed. It might be interesting to conduct your own research on this topic during upcoming coaching sessions. 

To mirror a job happiness study, use a five point scale (1-Unacceptable…5-Outstanding) and ask questions in the following manner….”How would you rate your work-life balance while working in our company?”

As you might suspect, retaining agents has a lot to do with maintaining an environment where people feel they can initially obtain and then later sustain a sense of personal happiness.  

Typically, agents won’t leave your organization because the company next door offers something better.  They leave (initially with their emotions) because something (or multiple things) is constantly irritating them. Once this irritation sets in, it’s easy to rationalize that the grass must be greener somewhere else.

To be successful at retaining your agents, be proactive and make sure that these irritations don’t take root in your organization.

Recruiting

From a recruiting perspective, there is a second angle worth considering in the jo happiness study.  It will always be difficult to lure happy individuals away from their current positions with a “life’s great over here” message.

A better strategy is to find those who are unhappy. 

Almost any message of hope has a good chance of resonating with these individuals.  The CareerBliss study documented the job positions where workers are most dissatisfied:

There are a few patterns worth noticing in this data. 

1.  Pay is not correlated to happiness.  The most “unhappy job in America” pays a six-figure salary.  None of the happiest jobs are particularly high-paying positions.

2.  Education level is not correlated to happiness.   Several of the jobs on the unhappy list require high levels of education (nurse, teacher, attorney, pharmacy technician).  Many of the happiest jobs do not require highly specialized education.

3.  Serving unhappy customers is taxing.  Notice that many of the unhappy professions regularly deal with dissatisfied customers or unhappy clients.  People typically interface with the legal, medical, and customer service professions when something has gone wrong.

Successful recruiting first involves finding people who are unhappy with their current employment and then engaging them by tapping into their feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration. 

Unless a  candidate first feels heard on these two topics, the positive traits of being a real estate agent will fall on deaf ears. 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Asking and Listening: The Magic Bullet of Interviewing and Hiring

I recently had the pleasure of visiting our long time clients at Prudential Carolinas, Prudential York Simpson Underwood, and Prudential Yost-Little Realty, all under the same roof in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I had spoken to this executive team and group of managers on at least two previous occasions and have always enjoyed our interactions. 

Part of my presentation involved a refresher course on the psychology of a good interview. Most of this section emphasizes the vital importance of listening to the candidate and eliciting as much information as possible during the first interview.  The process involves asking a lot of open-ended questions about who they are, what’s their story, what’s causing them to make a career change now, what they hope to gain from working, etc.

My emphasis on the power of listening comes from volumes of research on how people make decisions concerning any important topic in their lives. To emphasize this point I used several non-hiring examples such as dating or making an important purchase.

Think back to when you were dating—would you rather hear your dates drone on about themselves or ask some thoughtful questions along the way? When you buy a computer, do you want the tech-sales-geek to expound on all the details of each machine, or would you rather he ask a few questions first and then focus on your needs?

Here is a counter-intuitive principle that is true of all human interactions:  As people talk about themselves, they will learn more about themselves and feel more attached to you (the listener) in the process. 

No matter how many times I deliver this presentation, managers continue to report how difficult it is to put this into practice.  But, the group in North Carolina is starting to crack the code and seeing some incredible results.

During the presentation, one of the managers (Player Murray) gave the group some feedback on how this technique was working during his recent interviews.

"I'm not sure that I said much of anything in my last interview, and the candidate decided to come work for us!”

He went on to say that when he finally began to trust the process of first asking questions and listening, many interviews proceed with little need to describe much of what differentiates his company from others in the first interview.

"I am convinced that this is the number one principle to practice in the first meeting, and without it, I would not have hired many of the high quality candidates who came through HiringCenter.  They feel valued and connected when I listen to them first and foremost."

Player has learned the magic of asking and listening. He has seen first-hand how people become attached to those who are interested in them. He doesn't do this to be manipulative, he does it because it’s the right thing to do—that’s why it works. 

This story has been repeated with other managers across the country. Savvy, early-in-the- pipeline candidates who know little about the real estate industry will ask questions when they are ready. Even if they do ask some questions intially, don't be sucked into talking about yourself and your company too much.  Instead, answer briefly and get back to asking and listening.

In fact, here is a good rule of thumb:  Always assume you are not listening enough. At this point, you’ll probably be at the right level, and the magic will soon start happening in your interviews.

Question:  How have you learned to become a more effective listener (in interviews or other situations)? When using these techiques, how have you noticed your relationships change?    

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

The Progress Principle

Since reading the books "Flow" and "Finding Flow" summarizing the empirical research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, I constantly think about improving work tasks and how to keep them from being too boring or anxiety producing. 

The book, "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work" by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, does an excellent job reminding us what goes on inside the heads of those we are responsible for and how to improve their engagement at work. Analyzing nearly 12,000 diary entries, provided by 238 employees in 7 companies, the authors explain how managers can cultivate progress and enhance work life. 

 The diaries themselves can provide insight to the inner turmoil people experience, and that alone might be worth the price of the book. However, the real value comes in their insightful recommendations. Not only are the recommendations well worth considering, but existing research also agrees with the suggestions.

 In the book, the authors demonstrate how to remove obstacles to progress, such as pointless tasks and toxic relationships, how to enable progress, using clear goals matched with autonomity, and how to nourish interpersonal events that demonstrate respect and foster collegiality. 

 The following video is rather long, at 18 minutes, but, if you have the time on an upcoming flight, it may be worth a look. 

 

  

Knowing how to get and keep your team engaged may  qualify as one of the top three tasks of being a leader. You can work on many other factors, but, if you have disengaged workers, the progress will be slow.

Question:  Are you able to keep those around you engaged?  Share the techniques that you've found effective in keeping those on your team engaged.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

3 Tips For Successfully Building and Working Your Network

Over the years I have trained many managers on a piece of software we developed called the TalentPipeline.  We developed this software specifically as a recruiting tool for managers to diligently and thoughtfully keep track of their recruiting efforts and their recruiting network.

Shorty after introducing the software, I saw a pattern develop quickly among the majority of early adopters. Most managers seemed to have an insatiable desire to dump a VERY large database of agent contact information into their TalentPipeline, even though I had advised against that and advocated for a smaller more manageable pipeline.

Steve Tobak, a management consultant, discusses the benefits to a quality versus quantity network in the excerpted article below.

“Success in business is all about relationships. Your network is your most important asset. Treat it that way…

Business life has always been about connections. Business leaders spend decades building and cultivating those relationships. They cherish their networks because they know it's their most valuable asset.

If your networking strategy is simply to grow it, then you're likely doing more harm than good. Contrary to popular wisdom, bigger networks are not necessarily better networks.”

Steve provided a list of ways to build and maintain a network of strong, quality relationships.  The following strategies are worth noting here;

1. Respect contacts as individuals.

Remember that contacts are real relationships with real people. They have their own lives and they're busy. Your urgent needs may mean squat to them. You have to respect that, meaning you can't just send out blanket, generic requests to groups of people and expect anything in return except a lot of irritated contacts.

When it comes to relationships of any kind, you've got to remember that it's a two way street. You have to give to get. The best way to do that is to always, and I mean always, ask yourself: What's in it for them? It doesn't have to be quid pro quo, but it helps if you do something for others before asking them to do something for you.

And never spam them. Ever.

2. Keep your network current.

Let me tell you something interesting about contacts. They don't age well. They get out of date really, really fast. That's because it's a crazy, complex world so people are constantly adapting to changing conditions.

The truth is you're better off keeping your list of key connections short and staying in touch with them as appropriate.

3. Make your network personal.

Look, success in business is all about relationships. That's how all opportunities arise between individuals. And there's a big distinction between old school networking and social networking. A personal relationship creates a level of trust that really sets you apart from the virtual hordes.

In other words, one personal, face-to-face relationship is worth a thousand online ones. That doesn't mean you shouldn't network with people on LinkedIn or wherever you want to spend your time. Just keep in mind that, if you never really get to know someone, that relationship isn't likely to amount to much. So why bother?”

If you want to be successful in managing and nurturing your network you must be mindful of the people not the numbers.  If your network is too large, the valuable work of cultivating those relationships is either non-existent, or not genuine.  While it may appear on paper that you have a large network, it only becomes valuable if it is being tended to with value, authenticity and time.

Question:  How many candidates are you able to successfully maintain in your talent network?  

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Editor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. .

Risk Averse is Life Averse--Part 2

In the last edition, I wrote about my mid-life transition that occurred 12 years ago. Reliving the details of that change reminded me of the tremendous risk I felt as I initiated my new plan.

Despite this risk, I knew that my choices were limited. I could remain burned-out and bored with the confines of a full-time clinical practice, or I could undergo some radical changes to my direction and see what happened.

One choice included no risk while the other included some risk (although it was far from financial ruin) but held the hope of freeing me from the trap I felt I was in.  

After describing the benefits that followed, I promised to tell you more about a new book that confirms the wisdom of taking calculated risks—especially during the productive years of a person’s career.

Karl Pillemer, a renowned gerontologist at Cornell University, wrote a book called "30 lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans."  This book is a gem.  It includes insight that he distilled from interviewing more than 1000 aged Americans. While no book is perfect, it does contain themes of wisdom that are truly engaging and appear to resonate with eternal themes. 

To give you a quick bit of medicine from this book, read the following "refrigerator list" of principles learned:

1. Choose a career for the intrinsic rewards, not the financial ones.

2. Don’t give up on looking for a job that makes you happy.

3. Make the most of a bad job.

4. Emotional intelligence trumps every other kind.

5. Everyone needs autonomy.

After reading this list, spend some time soaking in the value of something this simple and profound. If you think about it, each of these rules is crucial to the recruiting process—both the interview and the follow-up process. It is what’s rumbling underneath the surface in the minds of the candidates.

This is an insightful basis for asking hard-hitting questions: Are you (ie. the candidate) in a career with intrinsic rewards? Are you in search for a job you enjoy? If they doubt their smarts, do you realize how important emotional intelligence is to succeeding? And, lastly, how badly do you want autonomy? 

Don't get me wrong. A real estate career is not for everyone. But the people in your pipeline figuratively raised their hands at some point thinking that it just might be for them. Will they regret it later if they don't try? 

Dr. Pillemer says, “yes.”  At least that’s what most of his research subjects told him:   

"I can only channel to you what the consensus of the 1200 elders in the study was. From the end of life, they definitely have a "take a risk" attitude, when it comes to time versus money.

They don't want you to do something that might bankrupt you, but if there's a choice to be able to live comfortably and have more time to actually live life, they recommend trying to make it happen.

It is a balance between being financially secure and having more time, but they really encourage us to not stay longer in a job we hate than absolutely possible."

This is valuable insight because most people whom you interview will be dissatisfied with their current job.  This is often their motivation for researching new careers. 

If you can help them see the future and overcome their natural aversion to risk, you’ve done them a great service.  You’ll also do yourself some good—you’ll hire agents who are motivated to flourish in your organization. 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Risk Averse is Life Averse

About 12 years ago, I was burned out in my work-life.  At the time, I found it difficult to maintain almost any degree of excitement towards my daily routine. This was a new feeling for me. Up to this point, I had found it easy to capture enthusiasm towards my work. 

What caused this situation to develop?  There were probably several factors. Part of the issue was related to a transition at home.  I was being freed up from many parenting duties (I had one child in college and two more about to enter), and the nature of my role was changing.  

During that period (that I have since referred to as "Dave's Doldrums"), I was introduced to an exercise that eventually helped free me from those very doldrums. The task was called the "Sage Letter." 

I know it sounds a bit far out, and I usually avoid anything that remotely smells of pop psychology.  But I was desperate, and I thought I'd give it a try.

The exercise involved imagining myself as an 85-year-old man looking back at the events of my life. From that perspective, I wrote a letter of advice to myself at my current age (I was 40 at the time).  I know this sounds simple, but it actually takes some time to write such a letter.  I had to seriously dive headlong into this somewhat bizarre task of "becoming" this 85-year-old man. 

I eventually knew that I had arrived at the "right place" when I truly felt confronted with an actual 85-year-old version of myself.  I started uncovering my hidden blind spots and aversion to risk. The pure wisdom of brutal honesty suddenly poured out on the page.  I started to understand why I was experiencing these doldrums, and I could see how much self-sabotage was going on in my life.

This exercise helped me gain some much-needed clarity. The primary insight I experienced was an awareness of the risk aversion that had crept into my life. It had not been there before, but had slowly and insidiously developed.  But, it didn't stop there. The letter also revealed hidden truths about how to improve my marriage, my friendships and my spiritual life. 

Since that experience, I cut back on my private practice, began a consulting company, taught graduate classes at a local university, started leading a ministry at my Church, and helped start Tidemark and see it grow.  My energy and enthusiasm for life returned.

Why am I disclosing all this?  It's because I recently ran across some research explaining the risk aversion that I had felt during this critical juncture in my life.   It is actually quite common and typically happens during an individual’s child rearing years.  The result is a "freezing" of the ability a person has to thoughtfully make big life decisions and it later leads to a profound sense of regret. 

The research was summarized in a recent book, 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans, written by Karl Pillemer, a human ecology professor at Cornell University. Dr. Pillemer spent five years interviewing more than 1000 Americans who are over 65 years old. 

In the book, he distills their wisdom into principles on work, life, marriage, parenting, and other topics. He also describes how many of these elderly people regret having been risk averse earlier in their lives. 

In the next edition, I'll share more about this research.  But in the mean time,  I'd like you to think about how this relates to the people you interview, recruit and manage. Who could you advise to use the "Sage Letter" exercise? Or, maybe it is time you give it a try to yourself.   

Question:  Are there any opportunities you missed in your professional life because you were risk adverse?  What did you learn from the experience?

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

To Increase Your Recruiting Results--Help Others to Help Yourself

In my previous life (pre-Tidemark), I was a case manager for Big Brothers and Big Sisters in New Hampshire. Before that, I worked as an "at risk" youth counselor for another non-profit organization. 

While the backgrounds of those I served was not pretty, the outcomes of my efforts did make a difference. In my previous positions, I had to set my goals for the long-term.  Short-term results were either nonexistant or difficult to detect.   

Obviously,my experiences are not in the same vein as most real estate owners and managers, but there are some suprising similarities between the roles. In fact, if you're going to meet your retention and recruiting goals, you will be more successful if you approach the problem from a framework of helping those you want to recruit and retain. This is what worked at Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and it can work for you as well.

The starting point of this process is gaining an understanding of what is causing the individual to struggle (ie. what are his/her needs).  The only way to truly get this information is to naturally engage in a relationship building process. 

Once you can identify an area of concern and can help that person navigate through it, you have become an incredible source of value and authenticity--two critical components in retention and recruiting.

Brian Patrick Eha, assistant editor for Entrepreneur.com, recently wrote an article discussing the work of the late Zig Ziglar.  Below is an excerpt, which is very relevant to my point.

“If you want to achieve your goals,help others achieve theirs. Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar did just that, reportedly traveling more than five million miles in his career and touching a quarter of a billion lives. Fortunately for us, he left behind a lot of sound advice.

'You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want,' Ziglar famously said. Put his maxim into practice: Next time you're in a meeting, focus on discerning the other person's needs rather than your own.

Form personal connections with customers.
 Customers often buy from the businesses and sales professionals whom they like on a personal level. Do a little research before meeting with your next client and look for common ground.” 

Try substituting “customer” and “client” with "agents," both existing and those whom you wish to recruit.

Once you get to the point of helping people solve their problems or overcome obstacles impeding their success, you will have taken one giant step towards your recruiting and retention goals.

Take it from a Big Sister…helping others achieve their goals will naturally help you achieve yours.

Question:  What difficulties do your candidates commonly face?  Have you figured out a creative way to help them over these obstacles?  Take a minute to share what you’ve learned…

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By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. .

Post-Interview Engagement

As most hiring managers in the real estate industry know, the hiringprocess is unique.  Other than an initial application and interview, the candidate is fundamentally independant in terms of entering the real estate field, and could be on their own for months, before joining a real estate company.

Many of the managers with whom I have consulted have heard me discuss the post interview follow-up that is so critical to their hiring process.

In a nutshell, treat a potential hire as if they are hired. 

I came across this short video in which Indigo Triplett, CEO of Careers in Transition, discusses a concept I have shared with many managers…in her case she refers to a “Work With program” that allows prospective hires to actually work as a hired employee for a short period of time--up to 40 hours. 

The concept allows for a hiring manager to move away from predicting a candidate’s success based on the interview and resume alone.  

Clearly there are some limitations in the real estate world prior to obtaining one’s license, but I submit there is plenty for a potential hire to do and see prior to activating their license.

The more you and the people in your office engage personally with a desired new agent, the more you will know who you are potentially hiring. You will get the benefit of getting other perspectives from those who worked with the prospective hire.

Some ways to engage candidates:

1.  Invite them to sales meetings.

2.  Invite them on office tours.

3.  Match them up with an experienced agent in the office and have them attend an open house.

4.  Invite them to training sessions….the sooner they are trained the sooner they will produce.

We all know how important relationships are in every facet of the real estate industry; hiring is no exception.  The more you engage a candidate in your office, the more they will feel an affinity not only with you, but also with the office culture.  

This is a huge competitive advantage. They will be more motivated to complete the licensing requirements, and less likely to consider your competition.   

Stay tuned for my next installment in which I will share with you what a couple of my high performing accounts are doing, relative to the strategies discussed today.

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Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network.  Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?  

By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a guest contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. .

Coaching the Prima Donna Diva

Things occur to me at the oddest times and for the strangest reasons.  Last night, I was emptying the dishwasher and listening to music when an artist who has been scrutinized over the years by the media started playing. 

Through that scrutiny, the public gained much unnecessary knowledge of his many relationships. Could it be that he is just too much of a prima donna? This thought crossed my mind then, just as quickly, my mind flashed on a conversation I had with a manager years ago.

I was training this manager on our coaching system. I wanted to review an assessment report (the Core Capacity Index (CCI)) and discuss how she can use this as a coaching tool.

She chose to look at one of her multi-million dollar producing agents, whom she referred to as a "diva" and at times very difficult to work with (this is not a judgment against all multi-million dollar agents, I am just speaking to this one manager’s  experience). This agent would not comply with certain protocols and methods that make the office run smoothly. Instead, she chose her own strategies for her own purposes. 

The first thing the manager told me was that the CCI report was spot on.  This manager was always fighting an uphill battle and was very frustrated. We discussed conversing with (not telling) this agent from her (the agent's) perspective. 

This is what I now refer to as the "understanding point." Speaking with this agent in such a way that she felt she was part of a solution vs. being told what to do, what not to do, and/or what she didn't do. 

Certainly, an assessment like the CCI helps shine light on the coaching relationship.  But the more important lesson is simple--step out of your skin, look at those whom you want to help succeed and work from their perspective.

This will not only help the agents you coach, but it will also make your job much easier because you will fight fewer uphill battles.

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Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network.  Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?  

By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a guest contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. .