How to Improve the Real Estate Industry: Shut Up And Listen

Ines,

“I’m kind of a big deal.” Unfortunately that’s the reason why most do not listen to others. They have a heightened sense of self-worth and the only person in the room they want to hear speak…..is themselves.

Doug

I try to tell all of my clients that while I strive to listen and interpret as best I can, I expect them to tell me if they perceive that I’m not listening. You’d be surprised by how surprised they are that I have expectations of them, and of myself. 🙂

Oh. So. True.

This is quite possibly one of the most inane and insulting posts I have ever read.

I can’t believe this is what our professional forums our reduced to. Penning a post to tell agents not to be rude; in the rudest of all possible ways.

To be honest, I miss the Bloodhound days, where a post was researched, vetted and the writer brought up issues and ideas that needed airing. This is not of that caliber and what I call “internet bile.”

Benn, do people get 25 points for comments here, like AR?

Ines, you love good communicators? Do you think you communicated your message well?

Crass and insulting come to mind.

Here comes the obligatory “Good post!”

Ines,
If I told you your post sucked, and to stop writing, would you consider that rude?

Here’s the point to actually vet: Not listening is not exclusive to the real estate industry.

I go to Home Depot; they don’t listen. I talk to Verizon Wireless; they don’t listen.

Completely.

Come on. Did you read the comment?

I did read the comment, it seemed considerably harsh considering this post seemed like nothing more than a gentle and innocuous reminder to listen, something we all seem to agree everyone could do more of.

Kevin wrote: “I go to Home Depot; they don’t listen. I talk to Verizon Wireless; they don’t listen.”

So what? Because others don’t listen that makes it OK for real estate agents not to listen? I don’t recall Ines saying poor listening skills are exclusive to real estate.

Interesting to compare this post to BHB, where the primary owner / author frequently makes very personal, sometimes vicious attacks. If you miss it so much, go read it. It’s still there, and the personal attacks are still happening.

Given the widespread lack of listening skills I’ve encountered in this industry, I think what Ines said needed to be said. Not every blog post needs to be deeply researched and vetted to make a viable point. Just my opinion.

It’s probably just me, but calling a post “inane and insulting” and “internet bile” is WAY more “crass and insulting” than saying “shut up”.

Way.

Ok Jay.
Great.

I’m horrible. Heinous. I do read BHB. But I have the balls enough to read it and and not run from it and hide in a pretty little cloud with rainbows and butterflies of hashtags and acronyms.

I was having a conversation with someone else who was commenting that they quality of content at another publication, not this one, was dissapating rapidly.

Should we all just stand back and comment with “Great Post” with 14 million acronyms and hashtags? If not, that’s what seems to be happenin’

I think there is a place for Agent Genius, BHB, AR, et al. It’s clear that you don’t like BHB—but I read it for other things (not the personal attacks).

And where is my diet coke and popcorn?

Jay
Consider this comment four acronyms and three hashtags.

Matt,

I didn’t understand your comment until I read your profile. You train agents.

Stereotypical? I sell multi million dollar properties. If I need to scrub the floor, I have no problem doing that.

There’s nothing stereotypical about me.

The last chastising I rec’d was yesterday from a “coach” who “used to be” an agent.

HMMM.

#wink

I find it interesting how two people (and many more) can read the same post and get something entirely different out of it.

Insulting? No. Although I can see where you see it as insulting based on what your parents told you about “shut up” and dogs.

What I read was a reminder to agents to stop and listen closely. A way to make our industry better. Sometimes we’re so wrapped up in the million ways we think we’re improving our client’s experience that we miss some of the basics. Sometimes we get so excited about our latest tech tool that we forget to communicate with our clients on a personal level. Sometimes we’re just tired and not doing our jobs to the best of our ability. Whatever it is, there are times when a reminder of the simple things in life need to be reinforced – even if you practice them everyday.

Ines’ ideas are common place in agent training classes – it’s not as if she jumped out of bed and said “I’m going to tell all agents to shut up.” I’ve heard the same theories many times before and sometimes the message has been harsh, sometimes it’s been given softly. The delivery caught the attention, but the message remains the same.

Posts like this don’t help the industry they only further negative stereotypes.

I’m on the other side of the fence on this one. Let’s bring the garbage to the surface and expose it for what it is. Let’s be open about the mistakes our industry has made and some continue to make. I’m not a fan of the “let’s keep it in the closet” and deal with it amongst ourselves set. I am all for an industry that stops the attitude of sweeping things under the rug in order to make sure we all look squeaky clean. It hasn’t worked. The consumer is a lot brighter than that and this attitude of hiding our flaws from the consumers only makes them more suspicious (they can see right through most of the gloss that we paint over everything).

Ines’ topic doesn’t quite fall into what I’m talking about here in my opinion, but because of the comment, I decided to expand it a little deeper.

Ken,

If you read the Wiki thing for “Shut Up” it might as well be STFU. I saw/read the post differently. I spoke my mind, and now I’m done.