Some people choose to suck on purpose
Listen. It’s not fair, but it’s a fact of life.
Some people don’t really give a crap about professionalism or others.
They could care less about keeping their promises (assuming they made any).
They don’t strive to stay current, they stive to shortcut and squeak by.
Their work ethic and professional ethics are sketchy and suspect.
Their glaring un-performance and apathy stains everyone around them.
They only care about the themselves. The sale. The cash. The commission. These people populate every business and industry. It’s a fact of life.
Our real estate industry isn’t unique. We have our committed career and service oriented achievers, and we have wormy apples, perpetual problem children, posers and pretenders. Professional pygmies are common in every industry.
Raise The Barrier
There’s a growing desire to raise professionalism in the real estate business. The sentiment has a name; RaiseThe Bar. How to Raise The Bar seems to fall into three groups. In no particular order.
1. Some propose Raising The Bar by raising barriers to entry. The bricks for building a higher fence include requiring a college degree, salaried compensation, apprenticeships, more-and-more mandatory education, and other hoop jumping strategies. Fair enough.
2. Some embrace a strategy of raising the trust, performance and professionalism bar by holding leaders like NAR, Local Associations, Brokers and Sales Managers accountable for developing and rewarding professional behaviors – and terminating the unprofessional. Sounds like running a business doesn’t it? Fair enough.
3. There’s also the personal-responsibility, If It’s To Be It’s Up To Me contingent.
If you really want to experience what these three groups opinions sound like, spend some time reading posts and comments in this Raise The Bar Facebook Group. It’s interesting stuff for a pro.
As for me, generally I’m on board with Raising Our Bars not Raising Barriers. Specifically I fall into the If It’s To Be, It’s Up To Me tribe. And I believe leaders should lead, and terminate the unprofessional.
Raise Our Bar
I’m not in favor of raising barriers to entry by creating flaming hoops for others to jump through. We have enough rules and regulations to police and punish the dishonest.
I’m in favor of Raising The Bar by Raising My Bar. I believe in personal accountability and responsibility. I believe in controlling what’s in my control, like how I behave, for example.
If pretenders want to pretend, pose and embrace I-Suck-Shortcuts, that’s their bad-business-decision and my opportunity. In fact, the flaccid inactions of the lazy make it easy to outshine conk them in the head.
Lower The Boom
That’s right, Lower The Boom and conk them in the head.
My Raise The Bar plan is simple.
I won’t break my promises. I won’t protect the status-quo. I won’t stop learning. I won’t be selfish or self-centered. I won’t make excuses and blame. I won’t be greedy or stingy. I won’t be lazy. And I will never forget who’s paying bill.
That’s my story. What’s yours?
Why bother sharing my story? Why bother sharing your story? Because sharing our story helps us to crystalize our thoughts, and internally and externally articulate our beliefs and values. Sharing our story keeps us on track. So what’s your story?
Cheers and thanks for reading.
