From the desk of 2019 RRC President Michael Burkhard, CRS
One of our many responsibilities as residential real estate agents is to ensure that the needs of our clients are being met. We are consummate professionals whose industry expertise is relied upon daily.
We often ask ourselves many questions as we work with our clients. Are we flexible and accommodating? Have we met or exceeded their expectations? Do they place their complete trust in us? Are we providing them with a personalized and exceptional experience?
As we work hard to build authentic and solid relationships with our clients, we must also find the time to build authentic and solid relationships with each other. One of the best ways to achieve this is to become a mentor. The term mentor is often used to describe an experienced professional who provides guidance to someone who is new to the field, but mentorships often can (and do) exist between colleagues as well.
Taking a personal interest and investing in this type of relationship is not to be taken lightly. Your willingness to share knowledge and skills, be positive and honest in your interactions, and provide constructive feedback will enable you to appreciate both the process and the progress that occur. Being a reliable confidant to someone during times of uncertainty—or when they just need support—is truly invaluable and rewarding.
Offering career advice or an outside perspective ensures that both individuals are continuously learning and growing—establishing a concrete foundation for success. Being respectful and trustworthy on a personal level will also enable both parties to mutually define the parameters of the relationship as well as inspire uplifting conversations that create open, engaging and constant dialogue.
Our industry continues to rapidly evolve, so I encourage you to reach out to other REALTORS® and develop a mentoring relationship with your colleagues. Whether you decide to meet once a month, schedule weekly phone calls or communicate as needed via email and text messages, establish early on that the connection will be a routine occurrence.
Be your very best, share your valuable knowledge with your fellow peers, and build authentic and solid relationships that could—and should—last a lifetime. Learn more about mentoring by reading Walk This Way.
