I recently read an article about procrastination that helped shed some light on what I’ve frequently observed concerning recruiting in the real estate industry.
Although real estate owners put a great deal of
emphasis on recruiting, first level managers (ie. hiring managers) often
struggle to consistently perform the high number of the well-known tasks that
lead to acquiring the best hires. The hesitation to perform the correct tasks
soon turns into full-blown procrastination.
This procrastination eventually morphs itself into the development of bad recruiting habits—a focus on a low number of more enjoyable tasks that equip poor candidates to progress through the recruiting process, but keeps high-quality candidates at bay.
As our company has studied the recruiting process over the past seven years, I’ve noticed it often takes a multitude of two-minute tasks to get one high-quality hire. In contrast, low-quality hires rarely take this level of individual task volume. Instead, it tends to be a low number of tasks (sometimes involving longer, more emotionally draining interactions) to get to the final signing.
You’d think that a bunch of two-minute tasks would be an easier “basket to empty,” and a hiring manager might even welcome the brevity of the tasks. But, this is not the case. For some reason, if hiring managers are given sixty two-minute tasks to knock out, they get overwhelmed and throw in the towel (even though it is only two hours of work). Why is this?
Although diagnosing such a problem may seem simple (common causes are assumed to be traits such as laziness, lack of focus, poor attention to detail, etc.), it is actually quite complex. This pattern of behavior can be most likely attributed to a set of erroneous internal expectations. In essence, it’s an aversion to, what I call, “assembly line” work.
Think of it this way: Managers are hired with the expectation they will be called on to coach, train, inspire, manage office personalities, and see to it that everyone is productive. These tasks take thought, strategy, and emotional intelligence. This is the type of work most managers get excited about doing, and it is not “assembly line” work.
Assembly line work requires a completely different mindset than creative work. There is a different rhythm involved in knocking out a set of tasks quickly and then moving on to the next task. But this is the work of recruiting. I estimate that 90% of recruiting is assembly line work.
Is it even possible for real estate hiring manager (who spends a majority of their time in the creative realm) to be successful at recruiting? Yes, it is.
But, he/she must become aware or the creative / assembly line reality. Successful hiring managers understand they must consciously switch into a different mode of mental output when they put on their recruiting hat.
Part of the reason I figured this out was that I have a similar problem with my clinical work. Even though conducting psychotherapy for eight hours straight might sound like difficult work, it’s work I am very comfortable with doing. After more than 20 years in this role, I am an expert. I know how to respond and the work is right there in front of me. Because I have a stable client base, I don’t have to pick up the phone and prospect. I get to enjoy the creativity of the work itself.
But, part of my practice (and some of the other consulting work I do) involves dictating reports and completing insurance paperwork. This is “assembly line” work, and as you might suspect, I don’t enjoy it.
Like many real estate hiring managers, my natural tendency is to procrastinate on these tasks. To be successful, I too have to change my mindset and move into an assembly mind mode.
Here’s the bottom line: For a real estate manager, creative work is going to seem easier because it tends to be reactive. It is going to take more energy to do the proactive tasks of recruiting. Proactive work will continue to seem uncomfortable until you list it out, get in an assembly line mindset, and knock it out.
As Sir Isaac Newton once said, “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.” The real estate hiring manager must understand both realities and know how to be effective in both arenas.
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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.
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