Soulful Success!

Here are a few shots of many of my Sutton colleagues with me!  We went bike riding near Kelowna at the Kettle Valley Railway trestles for the day on Saturday, July 21st.  This was a "reward" for a listing contest our office ran in the spring.  In our office, we don't pit one Realtor against another.  Our contest was for total office listings -- some brought several, some brought one -- but we all played together in celebration of our shared success.

Success is being redefined these days. I think the best term I've heard of late, when referring to people who "made it" by all usual measures of success, yet still feel empty, may still be suffering from "Success without Soul."  I believe the richness of our interactions together; the meaningfulness of what we do in our community, the genuineness of our interactions with clients is what enriches our work.  So it is I'm thrilled to find context in a smaller office of like-minded people!  Sutton Group rocks!

To create a workplace that fueled by more than financial reward you must play together, care about one another and see the role you play in business as service to the larger world.

And, when visiting the Okanagan be sure to check out this biking adventure!

Enjoy Soulful Success!

Time to fire your best employee?

Last evening I was conversing with a Realtor colleague who ran a sizable business for a few decades before getting into real estate.  We got talking about the damage that one person can do in the work place if they're a bully, rude and unpleasant.  (Props to the managers who once aware of this kind of behaviour are solid enough to address it.)

"It's always your best employee that you have to fire," said my friend.  Meaning, of course, one most strategically placed or hard working.  He told the story of needing to fire his mechanical manager of 14 years -- a man who knew everything and was irreplaceable in his business.  But, the high cost of keeping a manager or employee who demoralizes the work environment is beyond calculation and my friend was savvy enough to know this.

Many of us have worked in offices with bullies; often management avoids intervening because that particular employee is their work-a-holic favourite.  However the cost of replacing, retraining and  recruiting new staff is astronomical!  And, everyone knows that life is too short to put up with going to work somewhere that you dread walking in the door.  Make no mistake, a great employee in a toxic environment is already looking for another job and will leave as soon as possible to avoid dealing with dinks.

What a huge relief when a boss has the fortitude to make it very clear that no one is indispensable and that bullies in the work place are simply not tolerated.  Period.

Family stories tell me that my grandfather was a corporate "ax man" back in the day.  He travelled in the 60's to companies and would have to deliver the news that each and every employee was fired.  He followed that with the invitation to show up the next day if they wished to re-apply for their job.  Doubtless a much hated role my grandfather had; which is why companies contracted this to a professional that wasn't local.

But the sad part is in coming to that point that places the company on the brink of bankruptcy.  Chances are a big part of that was due to H.R. and management ignoring repeated complaints and revolving staff in certain departments.

Be honest.  Are you sheltering someone in your workplace that is making life miserable for many?  Do you honestly think they're worth the millions it will cost you to avoid "the talk?"  Step up and speak out; if they won't or can't change you simply must let them go.

The Long View in Real Estate

A hallmark of a great Realtor is the desire to question and investigate the long view of any piece of property.  Someone just wanting a sale will only look at the immediate need; but a Realtor with a good head for planning and desire for life long clients will be looking ahead and advising of long term possibilities and/or limitations of the property you have in your sights.

What do I mean by this?  When I look at homes with a newly wed couple, I'm already thinking of resale value for them once their family outgrows their starter home.  Is it a good location?  Is it an improving location?  Are their amenities within easy reach?

When I look at acreages with people I discuss access to the home and outbuildings, not just on the beautiful summer day we're seeing the property, but in the middle of a raging snow storm when one of them is out of town.

When I look at a property with crops or livestock we have to consider long term water availability.

Before selling a tenanted property, a great Realtor will have a discussion with the prospective buyers about their tolerance for stress!

A great Realtor is a resource with your long term interests foremost in mind -- not a one hit wonder pressing you into a quick sale!  Kind of like a great financial planner who is not merely selling you today's hot stock but taking an overall view of what will best serve your needs over time.

Look for such a Realtor (well, if you're in the North Okanagan you already found me, but in other areas...) that is, in fact, looking out for you!