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.

Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network.  Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?  

By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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.