Craig Witt of Exit Realty

I have been writing blog posts for some time and often the topic of participation is discussed. I for one don’t think that word can be over-reinforced, even as a gentle reminder. To participate is to belong; it is to show commitment; it is to support others; and it demonstrates you are involved. Not everyone in the Real Estate industry holds themselves to this high level of accountability. I am not sure the reason why participation seems to not take priority to some but I believe the benefits are plenty. There is a lesson to learn and value in everything we do, if you look for the message.

In my opinion, every effort we make must have some sort of measurability; time is our most precious commodity and all good business realizes return on investment or ROI. It is prudent to invest resources in the direction which suits you best, but successful people realize quickly whether or not their investment is generating value. Adjusting your direction and your efforts is necessary to stay ahead of the curve, and ahead of your competition. This allows me to segway into my point in case.

Event attending is a time-sucker, period. The question becomes, is it positive time sucking or negative time sucking? I attend a lot of events, and many of them are hosted by a state association. Many of the attendees are from local associations, there to represent their local board, and often their fees such as travel and lodging are covered by the association. Attending a two day event means a couple nights of hotels, meals, entertainment, mileage and more. It also takes the attendee away from their business and their families. So, with this great investment, why does it appear like more of a field trip rather than a learning and leading opportunity?

I recently attended an event where a fee-based professional speaker was hired to address the group on the morning of the second day. This was a speaker I had seen many times before and really enjoyed his message so I sat in the room to listen. I noticed half the room was empty…not half full, half empty. It was obvious many of the attendees were missing; so your mind starts to wander. Did they stay out too late the night before? Did they have to return home for business or for personal reasons? Did they just simply not see value in hearing the speaker? I have my own opinion, but the bottom line is the room should have been full. This speaker was being paid to speak and believe me, his topic needed to be heard. Believe it or not, his topic dealt with participation, commitment, common agenda, and common purpose. In a time where we all need to be rowing in the same direction, it was a shame the message fell on few ears.

I have learned by being part of Exit Realty that you are either in or out, you cannot be half pregnant, and dead is dead. We impress upon our associates to lead by example at all levels, and participate in events that move your business and personal life forward. I am proud to say that consistent theme is reinforced from the top down at Exit; and we find value at every turn because we look for it. Commitment is easy to say, but hard to demonstrate. Some notice when you are there, everyone notices when you are not. Conduct yourself like someone is watching, because they are. Be the best you can be.