Experience has taught me that when you are in the presence of a brilliant thinker, always have a pen and paper handy. As you begin to ask questions, you’ll find that a river of wisdom and practical examples freely flows from someone with valuable insight into the world. This was the case with J. Lennox Scott, Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, a third-generation real estate firm based in Seattle with over 100 offices and 3,000 agents in four states.
While enjoying an exquisite dinner at the Bull & Bear in the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, I asked Lennox, “What has caused your company to succeed in this economy?” He told me that everything shifted when he challenged his employees to walk in joy, walk in abundance and live an inspired life.
Now, before you write this off as some hocus-pocus concept, consider the impact this attitude shift had on Lennox’s business: 40% of new business (that is, referrals, which are like gold in the real estate business) came from 80% of the people the agents already knew and had personal face-to-face contact with within 90 days.
Traits of a great employee
“Our company is not just a real estate company; we are a learning company,” Lennox said. He requires all of his executives to read the same book, then come together to discuss how they intend to apply the techniques they have learned. This exercise has inspired the agents to improve themselves and stop settling for the status quo.
Lennox’s most successful employees have developed three traits: positive mindset, skill-level competency and being action-oriented.
Sometimes agents can have the right mindset, but lack the skill level to compete. When this is the case, it’s up to the leader or manager to help their employees develop their skills.
When an agent has neither the right mindset for the job nor the appropriate skill level to perform, they will likely fail to take any action and should leave the organization. The real estate business is a tough one, and the agents who survive do so because they possess all three of the necessary components—the right mindset, the skill level needed to compete and the initiative to take action on their own behalf.
Lennox’s continuing mission is to help agents discover possibilities, rather than focusing on why they are not doing something. Then he challenges agents by asking, “Why are we doing this activity?” and “How can we create a positive outcome?”
Another buzzword. I asked Lennox what he meant by “positive outcome.”
“To get to the positive outcome,” he said, “you have to find out how the agents can make a positive contribution to the potential prospect or past client. This simple act of consistently looking to serve the customer ultimately pays off. It’s not about what you get from them; it’s about what you can give to them.”
Helping your employees develop these characteristics
This method allows an agent to “walk in joy” because they know that they are positively impacting their customer’s life and doing more than just buying or selling a home. Walking in abundance happens when an agent knows that they are making a positive contribution to their customers’ lives by solving problems and finding solutions.
As a leader, you can help your employees develop these traits:
- Find out whether your team members possess the right mindset, skill level and initiative to take action. If they are lacking in any of these areas, then you have your work cut out for you.
- Tell your employees what they are doing right instead of what they are doing wrong. I like to recall this anecdote: A coach was yelling at a football player, telling him all the things he was doing wrong on the field, when another player observed the coach berating his teammate and said, “Coach, aren’t you going to tell him how to do it right?”
- Walk in joy. Every day you need to bounce out of bed with pep in your step, because you have that day to create a moment for your team members. Say thank you, nudge them to go the extra mile, give them an assignment that stretches their capabilities and get out of their way.
This article was published in September 2014 and has been updated. Photo by PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock
