WorkPuzzle

Three Steps To Becoming A Better Manager

In the previous edition, I shared a true story that many of you found quite alarming.  In closing, I promised to next provide a no-nonsense path to becoming a better manager.  After all, becoming a true leader takes work - It doesn't happen accidentally.  It occurs mindfully and intentionally for most...and although it may appear to come naturally and accidentally for a few, it really doesn't.  Everyone has to work at it.  Research shows that it takes 10,000 hours of doing a task well to become an expert at it.  Management is no different.

To catch up, please take a moment to read the last posting if you haven't already.  In summary the question was posed:  If you were suddenly thrown into a position of having to count on a TRUE following - not an appointed following- would there be anyone following you?

If you're not quite sure, there is good news... By following a simple set of steps, you can begin to slowly build the behavior of a good leader. Here are a few of the essentials:

1. Find a mentor.  If you want to become a leader, it's imperative that you learn from a leader.  Don't put this off.  Assign yourself the task of finding someone now.  And don't just find someone who's getting the job done - Find someone who's hitting it out of the park.  Every time you are with this person, have a list of good questions, and ask them.  What are their habits?  What are their top priorities?  What they may see as second nature, you might find revolutionary.  Make their habits yours.
2. Listen to people and meet their needs.  Great leaders know what their people want and help them fulfill their goals.  They know what motivates each individual, what scares each individual, and ultimately what each person dreams of.  If you're simply fulfilling your role in order to exploit the talents and performance of the people you are leading, they'll smell it a mile a way.  Agents, whether you're recruiting them or motivating them to perform, are not objects to exploit, they are people to help.  And when they feel helped by you and inspired by you, they'll return the favor.  Make this a central focus every day.  Scott Nelson, owner of Comey and Shepherd in Cincinnati, sets a great standard:  "Our managers are required to 're-recruit' their own agents, at least one per week, and take them off-site to lunch or coffee.  I do the same thing, and usually have two or three such lunches per week.  I engage 125-150 agents per year, and it makes a big difference.  I also go to a branch sales meeting each week and keep in touch personally with email."
3. Coaching is Key.  What is the bottom line?  It's this:  If your agents don't perform well, you don't perform well.  Just like when a college basketball coach doesn't coach well, the team doesn't perform well.  There is a reason that most successful sports coaches develop slowly from coaching at the high school level--to college assistant--to head coach... They must gradually learn the skills of training and motivating a team to greatness.  Even the most talented young athletes who are recruited from across the country require consistent practice, direction, and motivation.  Learn how to build performance, and you'll always have a job.

Don't get in a habit of blaming poor performance on other variables--like for instance, "They're lazy or stupid."  Great coaches never do this.  Always view it as your responsibility to coach more effectively. 

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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. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Why Sitting At Your Desk Will Kill Your Business: Part 2

Earlier this week, I stressed the importance of spending less time at the desk and more time building value-added relationships.  How critical is this principle?  The following scenario provides a powerful example regarding the Real Estate Manager position, but I think it relates to the position of Real Estate Agent as well.  Answer the following question honestly:

If ownership announced tomorrow:

"As of today there are no longer Office Manager positions.  That job is no longer a part of our organizational structure.  From this day forward the Manager position will be replaced by a Coach/Recruiter position.  And furthermore, if you don't have a high number of agents who choose to be coached by you and a large pipeline of experienced agents from other companies who you meet with, or contact regularly in hopes of recruiting, then you no longer have a job."

How would that turn out for you?  A little scary isn't it?

Well guess what?  This actually happened recently in a fairly large real estate company.  (In an upcoming article I may share with you more about this company.  I'm awaiting permission to do so...)

If you would fare VERY well in the above scenario, pat yourself on the back for a job well done.  You can consider yourself part of the top 25% of managers who have managed to build a true and committed following.  If you would truly fear the above scenario, it's not too late.  At any time, you can commit to actions that will improve your "true following"-- It's time to overhaul your weekly schedule and prioritize your schedule to better reflect what leaders actually do.

The title of "Leader" can be appointed, but the meaning of Leader is much more practical than that.  A true leader is determined by how many people would actually follow them, given the choice.  As I mentioned, sitting at your desk is not the way to build a following.

In the upcoming final edition on this topic, I'll provide three steps to becoming a good manager.

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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. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Why sitting at your desk will kill your business

I know we all have work to do.  And much of that work is at our desk and on our computer.  And yes, we shouldn't fall behind in the work that must be done at that location.  But, I would argue that most of us spend far too much time with busy work, and far too little time in the activity of strengthening relationships.  In fact, I would dare to say that many of you may be using "desk time" to avoid the work of building relationships, which is the vital nourishment to the ultimate success in the service industry.

Ben and I recently attended two conferences.  The primary reason for attending these conferences was to set up meetings with several interested, prospective clients in order to, hopefully, get them signed on as clients.  Secondly, we used this time to touch base with current clients and further build those relationships.  Unfortunately, we had several cancellations of set appointments, and were left twiddling our thumbs much of the time in the business suite we had rented.

I could have easily used this extra time to get ahead in my writing, catch up with email or numerous personal computer related chores. Fortunately, the very principle of this blog edition came screaming in my conscious mind:  "Nothing can happen if I'm in my room!"

As I ventured out with no particular plan in mind, day after day, I stumbled onto several very old and very new clients, in addition to non-client acquaintances.  Without going into too much detail regarding who I met and spoke to, I CAN tell you that many of these interactions were absolutely priceless.

Being around people, having conversations, asking about families, getting to know their challenges, and then actually helping them, and them helping you, is how most businesses are built.

• Howard Shultz, founder and CEO of Starbucks visits...drum roll please...25 Starbucks locations per week.
• Herb Kelleher, well known natural schmoozer and CEO of Southwest Airlines for 37 years was known to say, "You have to treat your employees like customers."  And by the way, the day of his retirement celebration, Southwest pilots took out a full page ad in USA Today thanking Herb.  That same day, American Airlines pilots were picketing their employer...

If you are a manager of people, or an agent trying to build a business, you cannot miss the importance of this principle.  The priority of rubbing elbows with the people that you coach, manage, hope to do business with, those you've already done business with, and hope to recruit... is irreplaceable.

How important?  I'll use an example in the next blog that might surprise you.

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Attracting Younger Agents: Part 3

In the last edition I summarized comments from several of you regarding the dilemma of whether to concentrate efforts on hiring older (38+ yrs) or younger (21-35 yrs) agents.  Everyone agrees that there needs to be diversity in age represented, but there are definitely strong opinions that are approximately split down the middle, with a slight edge in the favor of focusing most of one's efforts on younger agents. 

Being a relatively new observer of this industry (five years), I may need your help deciphering the core logic behind these stances, but let me take a whack at it...

Much of the discussion may hinge on the differences in the model pertaining to the actual work of the agent. That is: What makes someone successful?  This difference can be deeply ingrained (perhaps rightfully so) and represents the historic culture of the organization; including the hiring, the training, the tools, the systems, the managers, and perhaps even the expectations, as well as the culture of your region.

One side can be described as the more traditional model.  The traditional model is clearly a networking strategy.  The networking strategy relies heavily on the circle of influence, and as such, requires that agents have a large circle of influence with individuals who want to buy or sell homes.  An extension of this belief is that the optimum age preference for this group would probably be 35-55.  The further belief, is that from within this group, it is much easier to choose a top performer, as they come with a proven track record of success or have raised their children well, while coaching soccer, running the PTA and serving on their local church board of elders.

The other side is focused on developing and training new talent.  This side appears to want to simultaneously shape the younger talent into the habits around systems that they want to instill, while encouraging this group to connect with their generation in ways that are innovative and fits their style and geographic region.  This side wants to capitalize on the e-lead innovations and social network strategies.

Both models, if executed with clear dedication, probably work well.  But, in my opinion, we must consider the home buyer.  What do they want?  What a home buyer wants in the Midwest may be different than what a home buyer wants on the west coast.  I know, when we studied a company in Seattle, there were clearly both types of agents working:  Traditional and E-Lead. The CCI assessment captured and defined both profiles among their top performers.  This market demanded both.

But, what if we assume for a moment (as some do), that buyers want to deal with someone in their age bracket?

Here are some facts from the American Housing Survey (AHS):

• The typical age of home buyers has remained at 39 years of age since 2007.
• However, when looking closer there are differences among first-time home buyers and repeat home buyers.
• The age of first-time home buyers fluctuates with household affordability.  From 2003 to 2006, during the housing boom, younger buyers had a more difficult time entering the market and the typical age rose to 32.  In 2007, the typical age of first-time home buyers fell to 31, and from 2008 to 2010 the typical age has remained at 30.
• Among repeat buyers the story is different.  When many markets became buyer’s markets, current home owners stayed in their homes longer, putting off selling and moving to a different home.  This affected not only tenure in home, but the typical age of repeat buyers.  Repeat buyers increased in age steadily on an annual basis from 41 in 2001 to 49 in 2010. 

The youthful section of this chart seems to dictate that at the very least one should seriously consider hiring a representative sample of younger agents.  In fact the "median" never really tells the story like the average does.  Dig deeper and you find that two-thirds of the first time householders were under age 35 while less than 5 percent of these householders were over age 55.

But here is another thought. Allow me to kick around an idea... What if there is an entirely different model for training the next generation of agents?  What if there is a model where age doesn't matter...where only talent, eagerness, willingness to learn, motivation and execution matter?  I have a 26 year old son who sells in an industry where he is calling on and selling to much older adults.  In addition, one of his 28 year old friends sells business insurance.  Both young men are very successful, selling to much older adults.  The list can go on... Pharmaceutical sales people are usually young and call on doctors, who may be much older. 

Or consider 25 year old Josh Flagg and his young, very successful Realtor buddies who are featured in "Million Dollar Listing" on the Bravo network.  He can't relying solely on circle of influence.

Why does the Real Estate Industry generally ignore this age group?

One of the complaints that has been shared with me regarding hiring younger people is that they have no savings to rely on to get them through the first few months.  The argument is that, "Older adults have more financial stability to get started."  They say, "There isn't a proven track record..."

But, where older adults also have a mortgage, insurance, car payments, kids to support, and expensive habits, young people have little of this, young people can live with their parents or don't mind living in a dump to get by temporarily.  Historically, in most professions outside of real estate, young people have more tolerance for risk, more energy and motivation, fewer fears, and need less security.

These are just thoughts that were stirred up from the discussion.  But I urge you to be thinking about the following:  Is there something about the traditional real estate mentality that seems to miss out on capturing the imagination of this group?  Is there something about the average real estate manager that doesn't appeal to the best and brightest young people?

Here is my usual and customary belief about all industries:  The brightest talent does exist in all age groups.  And when you get them, they'll succeed.  The question is... are you set up to attract and keep them?

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Attracting Younger Agents: Part 2

In the last edition, titled "Three Timeless Time Management Ideas," you might have noticed that the video was not related to the topic.  I apologize.  Please refer back to WorkPuzzle.com to see the video originally intended.

Now back to today's subject:  Responses to Appealing To Younger Agents, Part 1 (posted a week ago) generated stronger opinions than I've seen from any previous blog entry that I can recall.  All the feedback I've received comes from industry professionals who've witnessed the evolution of the real estate industry, far before I dipped my toe into the mix.  It certainly seems to be a topic of interest and worthy of serious discussion.

The responses seem to be split down the middle.  One group believes that recruiting a younger candidate mix must be taken very seriously, and actively pursued.  The other side makes a credible argument for continuing the way the industry always has...sticking to primarily recruiting and hiring older (38+ yr olds) candidates. 

  Let's first consider the second group.  Here's the well thought out argument: Real estate has traditionally attracted people in their second careers, or individuals whose spouses have a steady income and who already have school-aged children.  This population has garnered a network of friends, has a history of success, and doesn't need as much hand holding to get things moving.  Scott Nelson (CEO of Comey and Shepherd in Cincinnati) referred to this as "..relying on fundamental human behavior rather than embracing a so-called trend too quickly."  Having witnessed the real estate industry first hand since he was a child, he says, "My belief in business is that we can make as many mistakes by moving too slowly to embrace new things as we can by moving too fast."

Additionally, this camp is also concerned about younger people having the financial means to begin a full-commission sales job.  Many believe that the older, more experienced agents, have the means and motivation to work well in the industry.

On the flip side, others believe that hiring younger people should be a top priority in order to fill in the gap that was left when the easy money dried up.  Easy money in the last real estate "up" cycle, they argue, attracted non-committed younger people who weren't really in it to do good work.  The veterans hung in there and as a result the age average shot up as the less effective bailed in droves.

These people believe that younger people are attracted to working in a more mobile way, either from home or from Starbucks, and want to come into an office less often.  Ironically, despite the need for mobility, some in this group believe that younger people like to work in teams and with more reciprocal work, rather than as lone rangers.

Rod Eller of Prudential Carolinas actually introduced us to some of his younger agents (approximately early 30's).  The agents in this cohort, he says, have been some of the most productive since last November.  He says, "It seems the older agents almost packed up shop over the winter.  Most of the production has come from the younger...and newer agents in the last four months." 

Another thoughtful response I received is that, "Younger agents are looking for a blend of the old with the new, and a culture that gives them flexibility and understanding.  They want a manager and company that teaches them how to sell, but shows them that there's no bad way to generate a lead - go ahead and use technology or old fashioned shoe leather - as long as you are generating!"  This person goes on to say, "I found the younger agents are also attracted to stability.  They may be willing to take a risk getting into this business, IF they know that other young agents are finding success in your company ahead of them."

Before I elaborate on my thoughts, let me first describe what has stood out to me most in the above responses:  It is apparent that what counts most is a having a thoughtful and somewhat definite philosophy, and a plan.  Only then can you execute and maintain your position as a dominant player in your market.  If you operate your plan while knowing the trends and carefully weighing all alternatives, you'll probably be in good shape.

I know that I promised you my thoughts about this, but addressing them today will make this blog twice as long as it usually is, so I'll chime in next edition.  Having read the varying opinions, appearing to be sliced down the middle, it's going to take me a few days to digest it all and deliver some independent thoughts.  In the meantime, be sure to write me if you have anything additional to add.  Thanks for your responses - They have been very helpful!

Editor's Note:  A correction was made to the video segment of our previous blog posting.  To revisit the article, please go to http://www.workpuzzle.com/workpuzzle/2011/03/three-timeless-time-management-ideas.html

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Three Timeless Time Management Ideas

I know that many of you are expecting another blog about "attracting younger agents," but I am waiting for more responses to my call for input first.  I'll follow up next time...

For some reason, I have had difficulty prioritizing my time to get the most out of the last few weeks.  Over the past couple of years, I have used several systems to help with this, but occasionally I feel the need to find something new to help me organize and shake things up a bit.  I'll share with you an old system that I have used in the past, and two new ones I came across this past week in my blog reading (one from Dan Foster's blog).

The old system is modeled after Steven Covey's book- First Things First.  It is based on a simple four quadrant matrix where you have to categorize "Urgent" vs. "Non-Urgent" tasks, and "Important" vs. "Non-Important" tasks.

The Urgent/Important tasks of the week go straight to the top of your to-do list.  These are the tasks that are not only very important to you, but should be done now (or regularly).  These are the tasks that impact your life or your business greatly.  This list should include activities that build and drive your values, your family, and your business.  These are the items that will define you in the future.

The Non-Urgent/Important tasks are those that are equally valuable, but can wait, and don't have to be done regularly.  More on this later...

The Urgent/Non-Important tasks are those that may appear to beckon your attention, yet don't come close to competing with the "important" tasks.  These tasks can be difficult to determine.  They may be the fires that people bring you that perhaps distract you from the real work to be done.  For real estate managers, they might be some of the deal doctoring that could be delegated to someone else, freeing you to do the work that impacts the bottom line, like recruiting.

And lastly the Non-Urgent/Non-Important tasks are those that should be dropped off your list.  Last week I was on the verge of beginning a task that might have ended up being a daily series of these blogs, only on Twitter.  Now, for some, Twitter may fit into a more important or urgent category (or both)...perhaps it is their way of connecting with their young audience or marketing their services.  But, after reading that only 1% of Americans are using Twitter and that most of them are under the age of 30...for me, it doesn't make sense.  For others, it might.  Just make sure it does!  And when it does, where does it fit in the above categories?

And now for the new systems... The first one comes from CEO, Scott Belsky, who reminds us that with most priority systems, like the one above, we can easily exclude the most important priority:  Finding Adequate time to invest in thinking creatively about the future.  Watch this video for insight into this often forgotten practice.

Scott Belsky: Is It Urgent, Or Is It Important? from 99% on Vimeo.

This next system is shared by Dan Foster, Manager at Prudential NW in Portland.  His system takes more time, but may be worth the work.

Track how you spend your time.  Spend 3-5 days recording everything you do in 15 minute increments.  Sounds terrible, and to be honest, it is.  Stick with it though.

1. Identify your high and low payoff activities.  From your list, assess each of your activities and identify them as either HIGH PAYOFF or LOW PAYOFF.  You should have anywhere from 3-7 high payoff activities, depending on your role with your company.
2. Create your perfect week.  Take a blank weekly calendar and write out your perfect schedule for a week.
3. Delegate the low payoff activities.  Assemble the activities that did not make it into your perfect week and that you consider low-payoff activities and delegate them to someone else.
4. Communicate your schedule.  It is extremely important that you let your clients, team, and family know about your new schedule and priority management plan.  People will respect your time if they see you value it.  Post your schedule, the hours you are available, and when you are completely unavailable.
5. Practice delivering solution based “No” responses.  My high payoff activities become non-negotiable appointments on my calendar.  If someone wants to meet during the time I have a high payoff activity scheduled, I tell them “No, I can’t meet with you then, but I can at ________ or at ________.  Which of these two times works best for you?”  This is a solution based “No” response and people prefer it to a simple “No, I can’t,” or “No, I’m busy then."
6. Review your plan.  Your new plan should be reviewed daily for the first 30 days.  After that, a weekly review is ideal.  Shift activities to different time slots if needed during this review.  Assess your energy level at certain times of the day and determine what level is required for you to deliver maximum results.  Make adjustments and re-engage the next week.

There is value and wisdom in using various systems and integrating them as they make sense and as your business evolves.  I have already performed a review of my own calendar and to-do list...now it's your turn!

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Appealing to Younger Agents

A recent Real Trends article hammered home what many of us have suspected for quite some time...that the real estate agent population is aging.  In their article "Younger Sales Professionals Leaving the Industry in Droves" they go a step further, telling us that, not only are they difficult to attract, but that these younger agents are also difficult to retain:

"When viewed only by median age, the change has not seemed severe:  The median age went from 52 (in 2004) to 51 (in 2006) to 54 (in 2009).  This is noticeable, but most haven’t seemed to react too much over it (though it’s hard not to note that in the recent three-year period the median age increased by three years, which essentially says that the whole group just stayed the same and aged together – this alone is revealing).  

Based on our calculations, the number of sales professionals under the age of 35 has dropped from 149,000 to 101,000 (down 32%).  Over the same period, the number of sales professionals 35 to 44 has dropped from 272,000 to 156,000 (43% down); those 45 to 54 have dropped from 407,000 to 301,000 (26% down).  At the same time, the 55-and-over group has virtually held steady (going from 557,000 to 545,000).  In other words, we lost 164,000 Gen X’ers and Millennials in a three-year period (nearly 40% of what they were)."  (Real Trends Volume March 2011, XXV, Number 3)

Their explanation of this trend is fairly straight forward and I believe it is right on target.  They say:

"If we focus on the 35 to 44 group, which represented 20% of the total agent population in both 2004 and 2006 but only 14% today, we know that this generation had never experienced a down market before this one (after all, they were all in their thirties five years ago, and age 25 to 34 a decade ago).  It would seem that this group hit the wall and struggled to make ends meet just as they were moving to an age when one normally settles down and focuses on a long-term career.  They were brought into the business at a time when the industry was largely focused, from NAR right down through the individual brokerages, on expanding rosters to higher profits by recruiting, recruiting, and recruiting.  With some exceptions, similar energies were generally not put into training during this time.  Bad habits were formed, “easy money” was made by many thanks to a booming market, and too little was done to prepare for a shifting weather pattern.  When the downturn in the housing market went from bad to historic, it’s no wonder that many in this generation were not prepared to handle the jolt."

Real Trends' solution to the problems, however, seems a bit short-sided to me.  They recommend bringing younger candidates into today's rental market.  Not a entirely bad idea, but, I see the problem of attracting and retaining young talent to be much more complex than that very simple solution.

Before publishing some of my own thoughts about this trend, I would greatly appreciate hearing from some of our readers.  So, in the next day or so, please let me know what you think.  In the meantime, I'll write my thoughts out...and I'll be ready to add yours in the next edition.

You can send them by email or respond to this blog.  Thanks!

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

An Assignment to Daydream

Over the past two weeks, I have come to an interesting conclusion...and here it is:  Daydreaming works.
 
I stumbled onto this phenomenon somewhat randomly.  You see, I tend to be one of those people who is typically DOING something...all of the time.  And if I'm not doing something, I'm listening to something, or reading something, or emailing someone, or, oh yeah...skiing.  Does this sound familiar?  Many of us who tend to be driven, and entrepreneurial by nature, are like this.

Two weeks ago, I decided to turn off my radio indefinitely while driving in the car.  However, my initial purpose for this radio boycott project wasn't to daydream, rather it was to be more mindful about strengthening my prayer life.  I figured that the time that I wasted in the car could be spent in prayer instead of mindless Classic Rock. 

But, as we all know, the mind has the propensity to drift.  For the first few days of the exercise, I attempted to fight this off and stick to the plan.  However, on the third or fourth day, I decided to let my mind wander and see what happened.  The result?  I ended up developing and further perfecting some interesting ideas for our business at Tidemark.  While these ideas may not be earth-shattering, they have certainly helped to make my work this week more purposeful and productive.  Having had this experience, I decided to do some investigating on the subject of daydreaming, and turned up a great deal of research on the topic.

Amy Fries writes (Psychology Today):

"Admit it.  When do you get your best ideas?  When you're sitting at your desk striving for an answer, or when you're doing something off-task like driving, walking, or puttering around the house?

On the surface, daydreaming seems like the antithesis of 'work,' yet it's truly at the core of our most important type of productivity--creative problem-solving.  That's why some of the most innovative companies in the world feature programs that give key employees the time and space to think creatively, i.e. daydream--Google offers a 20% program, 3M has a 15% program, and Gore & Associates (Gore-Tex, etc.) features 'dabble time.'  All three companies credit these programs as the source of their most successful products.

While many of us can see the relationship between daydreaming and creativity in the arts and even science, we've been slower to come around to its usefulness in business.  Say the word 'visionary' however, and we understand how having a vision--a mental image or plan--can help someone start a breakthrough company or service.

Yes, I know.  All the work and focus must follow to have an idea come to fruition.  But the original idea and the motivation to fulfill that idea are birthed in a daydreaming state, and we do our most creative problem-solving when the mind wanders.  While daydreaming, we can:

1. Envision - Model and simulate in our mind's eye 
2. Think uncensored thoughts - Necessary for originality
3. Free associate - Make random connections and come up with novel solutions
4. Tap into the most complex regions of the brain "

Amy goes on to say that encouraging your team to be creative and daydream starts with the way you talk to your team:

• "Ask 'what if' questions and encourage speculative thinking.
• Accept risk and a certain amount of failure.  I believe it was Edison who said 'to have one good idea, have a lot of them.'
• Provide a forum for idea sharing and give feedback. 
• Get rid of your old-school ideas about daydreaming, and start doing it. Go ahead--I'm giving you permission.  Among the many benefits of daydreaming-it's fun, and we can all use some of that."

I'll go out on a limb and say that it will be the teams who exercise the most creativity in all of their key strategies, who will begin or continue to dominate their market...not to mention, be more fun to work for.

And in case your concerned...yes, I am still praying too.

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

The Case Against Passion

There are two frequently used words that tend to make my blood boil:  (1) issues, as in, "She is dealing with some issues;" and (2) passion, as in, "Pursue your passion."  Now, it's not that I never say these words, but, because they are overused, they have almost lost their meaning.  This is especially true when it comes to the way the concept of "passion" is used to find one's calling in life.

A great deal of the obsession around the concept of passion has to do with America's obsession with being happy.  If you haven't figured it out by reading my articles by now, I'll tell you that the science is fairly clear:  The happiest people are not the ones who are actively pursuing happiness.  They receive it as a bi-product of doing the right things every day to build a life of meaning and purpose, contributing towards something much greater than themselves.

Why is this topic important to a recruiter?  Read the following words from Daniel Pink's recent article "Think Tank: Ever Felt Like Your Job Isn't What You Were Born To Do?  You're Not Alone, And You'll See Why."

"When we find ourselves in the midst of a career change or feel a dull sense that what we're doing now isn't what we should be doing forever, our friends and families – along with every mentor, advisor, and consultant – will smile knowingly, lean in tenderly, and pose this question:  Tell me, what's your passion?  The idea is that if we simply acknowledge what fires our soul, if we just pull out our metaphysical arthroscope and examine our hearts, the path will reveal itself.  With a voice that quavers in expectation and an inflection that italicises the final word – they ask us again, 'What's your passion?'

Ladies and gentlemen, I detest that question.

When someone poses it to me, my innards tighten.  My vocabulary becomes a palette of aahs and ums.  My chest wells with the urge to flee.

Oh my.  The answer better be amazing – not some fumbling, feeble reply.  But I know the responses I've formed in my head aren't especially good.  Worse, they're probably not even accurate.  And I'm not alone.

So, as the economy comes back, and people begin pondering new opportunities, maybe we can take a break from this daunting and distracting question and ask a far more productive, one:  What do you do?

I learned the wisdom of this alternative from Gretchen Rubin, who lives and works in New York City.  After graduating from law school in the early 1990s, Rubin served as a law clerk for the US Supreme Court.  This job is perhaps the sweetest plum in the American legal orchard.  It practically guarantees a career of high-level positions in law firms and government.

But during her stint, Rubin's eyes wandered away from the law.

'When I had free time, I never wanted to talk about cases or read law journals, the way my fellow clerks did.  Instead, I spent hours reading, taking notes and writing my observations about the worldly passions – power, money, fame and sex,' Rubin says.

'Finally, I realized -- Hey, I'm writing a book.  And it dawned on me that some people write books for a living.  This project didn't have to be my hobby; it could be my job.'

She wrote her first book – Power Money Fame Sex:  A User's Guide – and soon she realized that she wasn't a lawyer.  She was a writer.  Now she has four books to her name, including her latest, The Happiness Project.

Rubin might have felt an occasional bolt of passion while writing.  But that didn't offer much guidance.  Instead, she took a step back and watched what she did.

Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation, a London company that supports small businesses.  She has discovered that people who notice what they do when nobody is watching them, or even paying them, often end up as entrepreneurs.

As it happens, I can testify to the power of de-emphasizing passion and re-emphasizing doing.  Beginning about two decades ago, I worked in some very demanding, intensely stressful jobs in American politics and government. But throughout – on the side, usually for no money – I wrote magazine articles about business and work, and formulated ideas for books.  At one level, it was foolish.  I lost sleep, sacrificed leisure, and probably distracted myself from my paid employment.

But after many years, it finally hit me:  This – not politics – is what I did.  And now, as a result, that's what I do.

Am I passionate about it?  Sure, I guess.  Maybe.  Some days.  But passion isn't something I much ponder.  I'm too busy doing what I do."

Having pondered the above, do you have any ideas how your interviews might change in the future?  Certainly don't throw candidates out of your office for using the word "passion."  But, do drill down more thoroughly on how the candidates spend their free time.  They may not even think to tell you much of the really interesting stuff...stuff like: "I basically like talking to my friends 24/7 and have about 1,000 phone numbers of people I stay in contact with..." or ... "I spend a great deal of time on the computer, following stories, stats, information..."

In either case, you can use that information to better coach those candidates on how to turn what they do into a more personally derived business plan that resonates with what they already do, naturally.

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Five Elements of a Great Business Vision: Guest Blog

Last edition, I recommended that you peruse Dan Foster's blog site to see an example of someone who brands well.  Below is a guest post by Dan, a Branch Manager for Prudential Northwest Properties in the Portland metropolitan area. In addition to being a Branch Manager and active blogger, Dan is also a Life Coach, husband, and father of two children. If you're interested, he can also be followed on Twitter.

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"There is an ancient Hebrew Proverb that states 'Where there is no vision, the people will  perish.'  The more I talk to people in this economic season the more I am convinced this proverb is true.  This week my team and I will be focusing on the story of our business – our vision.  Some will be developing a vision for the first time and some will be reconnecting with the vision they created in the past.  All of us will be thinking about the story we want to tell our clients, coworkers, community and loved ones in the years ahead.

My friends at Building Champions have helped me layout five key components of a meaningful and effective business vision.

1. Convictions:  Vision begins with identifying the values and guiding principles that you are willing to hold true to no matter the consequences.  They should represent the core of who you are as a person.  People often use words like honesty, integrity, and great customer service.  This part of your vision statement must go deeper though by identifying not just the conviction but the behaviors associated with living out that conviction.  For example:

Life-long Learning:  Passionately pursue lifelong learning and personal development through reading, attending conferences, and networking with other professionals.

2. Purpose:  Your vision statement must answer the question, why does your business exist?  We all have to know the deeper reason behind why we do what we do each day.  Is it all just for money?  Is it just about making widgets or providing some service?  I believe your purpose is what gets us through challenging times and reminds you to keep fighting the good fight even when nothing seems to be going right.  For example my personal business purpose statement is:

To coach and train professionals to be purposeful in their business and life.

That statement motivates me and reminds me that what I do each day is more than just the supervision and oversight of real estate transactions, more than just training classes, and more than just answering the 'got a minute' questions.  It’s about helping people conduct their business with purpose and intentionality each day so they can reach new levels of success both personally and professionally.

3. Envisioned Future (Story):  Your envisioned future is your description of who you want to be and what you want to achieve over the next 5-10-20 years.  Remember you must be able to see your vision if you are going to achieve it.  This part of your vision statement takes the emotions, dreams, and motivation you have for your business and puts it into words.  The following is an excerpt from my team’s vision statement and talks about the culture of our office:

When you walk into our office you will find a warm and engaging environment that will be the beginning of a real estate experience.  Our administrative staff will understand they are on the front lines as directors of first impressions.  We will create a culture that invites our team members to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives.  Our team will consist of highly trained and passionate real estate agents that are driven by purpose in their life and business.  We will be a diverse group of sales leaders unified by our convictions and purpose.  We will be purpose driven brokers.

4. Key Areas of Development:  The key areas of development flow from your envisioned future and become the areas of your vision for you to start developing over time.  As I wrote the vision for the Sherwood and Newberg teams at Prudential Northwest Properties I identified common themes in the areas I was writing about and soon had my list of key areas of development:  Customer Service, Training, Coaching, Culture, Marketing, Recruiting, etc.  I spent time writing about what each of these areas would look like, how we would be perceived by our clients, and what it would feel like when we were fully developed in this area.  For example:

Our Community: We will actively participate in our community through service to our clients and through charitable donations and event sponsorships.  We will engage our communities by offering relevant and real time information on their real estate investments.  We will utilize the latest technology and best practices to serve our clients and community.  We will be known for our convictions and purpose.

Training:  Recognizing that people grow from interacting and learning from each other, our team members will regularly participate in various training experiences.  These training experiences will be relevant, market sensitive, and provide an opportunity for team members to learn from their peers, develop new skills, and perfect their natural talents.

Coaching:  Our culture will be one that is fueled by our convictions and accountability.  100% of the team will be involved in a coaching experience on a bi-weekly basis.  We will model service and balance.  We will hold each other accountable to living our Life Plans and will not allow our careers to take us off track.  Coaching will be the cornerstone experience for a team member’s individual development.

5. Compelling Ambitions:  Your compelling ambitions must be clear and motivating.  They will become the unifying focal point of your efforts and the catalyst for team spirit and motivation.  They must also be measurable and have a clear finish line so you know when you have reached them.  These goals should be big enough that people doubt whether they can be achieved but attainable with you and your team giving your entire heart to the cause.  For example:

Achieve the #1 position in overall market share for both active listings and closed units in Yamhill County, the city of Newberg, and the city of Sherwood by 2013.

Be patient as you go through this process.  It can be challenging and even awkward.  However, I’m convinced the reward is worth the hard work.  If you would like a copy of the tool that I use for creating and revising my business vision please contact me.

Question:  Do you have a business vision for your career, the people you lead, or the company you own?

Make it a great day!

Coach Dan"

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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.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.