John D. Thomas

Being called a team player is one of the best compliments someone can get. It basically means that you have your teammates’ backs, that you are dialed into the group’s overall goals and mission, and that you are willing to sacrifice your own personal gains for the greater good of the team.

And that’s exactly the dynamic we discovered while we were investigating this week’s cover story about the growth of teams in the real estate industry over the past 20 years, and how those teams have helped their organizations grow and prosper.

It all boils down to learning what your particular role is, honing your abilities to do it and then meshing with the other members of your team to create a system that works seamlessly. Not only has the growth of teams given clients better service and results, but also it has delivered more

return on investment for the groups who have learned to hire the right people in the right positions at the right times. As you’ll read, teams are not for everyone, and not everyone is a cheerleader for the group concept, but when a team is chosen and trained well, it can mean a real win-win for everyone involved.

One other aspect of the magazine I’d like to emphasize is our spread of images from this year’s Who’s Who party. It was an amazing event, capping off the best program of its kind we have ever produced. Congratulations once again to the Who’s Who Class of 2015, and here’s looking forward to another amazing group in 2016.