Category Archives: Team work

commitment, Communication, education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work, tips

Being a Servant Leader

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Being a servant leader is not a new concept it has been around and goes back to 33 A.D.(thank you Linda Fitzgerald, for correcting me) The phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in “The Servant as Leader”, an essay that he first published in 1970.

Organizations as well as individuals can be servant-leaders. When you are a servant-leader you focus mainly on the growth and well-being of others and the communities to which they belong too. Traditional leaders generally involve the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top”.

As a servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as to their best abilities.

For Butler University, Robert K. Greenleaf put the Ten Principles of Servant Leadership together.

Some of the qualities a servant leader holds are:team

  • Listening to others and values diverse opinions
  • Regularly seeks out opinions of others
  • Has Empathy for others and willing to help others with life issues not only work
  • Commitment to the Growth of People into leadership rolls
  • Build’s a community of trust
  • Encourages others
  • Has selfless qualities

 

Compare to principals of a traditional leader whose principals are guided by the accumulation of power and money servant leader is guided by the need and opinions of others and the community the servant leader serves.

commitment, Communication, education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work

The responsibility of Leadership

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meeting roomCalling yourself a Leader comes with a barrow of responsibilities. Many of us leaders are going to be tapped to run for many external positions for non-for-profits and other leadership type of organizations.

I ran across a post from 2009 on the STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS website called  “Leadership Is Responsibility, Not Power” Even so it was written in 2009 is still holds true.

Many Leaders still think their role to be position of power. The time that a leader ruled with an iron fist is over and a leader needs to be more someone of trust, who can strategize, show a clear goal and willing to take criticism.

A leader also should be looked at as a responsible, and need to be accountable for their actions or their teams action they are leading.

No matter if the Team is now their work team, volunteer team, board team….

Especially when a leader takes a position on a board or volunteers for a function they need to specially responsible and make sure all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted.

When you think you are ready to take a leadership position outside of your work make sure that you truly have the time and the energy to perform for the external leadership position. Missing the beat could not only reflect badly on you personally it also could reflect badly on your work and you might put others in a negative position, and you might be asked to step down from the external leadership position or not asked to run a second therm.

Communication, education, Inspiration, planning, Team work, tips

To Photoshop or not to Photoshop a listing picture

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Thanks to a prominent TV Show and another REALOTR® touching up pictures with Photoshop, and getting caught, we again have the discussion about if or if not to touch up pictures to make a house look much better online.

A Colum published by MSN Real Estate that was written by bankrate.com called Not-so-real estate: Is it ethical to alter photos? had several good example of when and when not to touch up.

Quote from article:

Randy Cohen, who wrote “The Ethicist” column for The New York Times Magazine, calls it unambiguously unethical and deliberately deceitful. “You might photograph the backyard from a particular angle to emphasize the view of the waterfall, and no one would quibble. But if you deliberately remove a bush to get that view, you’re definitely crossing the line.”

The REALTOR® codes of ethics under Article 1 states:

When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve REALTORS® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a nonagency capacity, REALTORS® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly.

Here now comes the argument. Is touching up a listing picture with Photoshop a possible violation of the code of ethics by possible not treating all parties, aka the buyer who looked at the house because the REALTORS® decided to Photoshop the picture?

When you asked the REALTORS® from NM he might tell you not to do it.

He touched up a sellers house to present it in a better light on the internet, received a sight unseen offer with the earnest money check from an out of state buyer.  As that buyer was finally able to look at the home in person an immediate complaint was filed against the NM REALTORS® and he almost lost his license.

Here are my thoughts and I am not an attorney:

When you have to Photoshop out a toy you overlooked in the yard as you took the picture you would be fine. Removing power lines, trees, bushes or straighten out a wall, would in my eyes go too far.  The code of Ethics clearly states that the REALTORS® is to treat all parties honestly and photo shopping real from real estate is not treating all parties honestly and many listing services now have the rule that they do not allow picture that were photo shopped.

commitment, Communication, education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work, tips

Don’t be afraid to network

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We all do it !!!  Networking!

Some of us better than others and some of us don’t realize we are doing it every day.

Just having lunch with friends or family is a form of networking. You are getting the word out about what you do and who you are looking for. It always comes up during casual conversation.

Watching the kids at a sporting event is a form of networking. You usually make connections on a personal level with the other individuals who are at the event. Going shopping can be easily an event for networking.

Some of us are connected through social media and that is also a form of networking.

OK…now what we do with all of our connections we have accumulated?

When you speak with active networkers they will most likely throw the Givers Gain tagline at you. It is much more than that and I found a good example in an article I have read on the website “Addicted 2 Success” called “13 ways to unlock the hidden power of your Network to increase your net worth”

  • Assess the barriers that are holding you back
  • Define your core passions and purpose with the Funnel Test
  • Create a mind-set of positive productivity
  • Develop a Give Give Get attitude…..yes givers gain is also part of the mix …..
  • Commit to shaking it up. Get out of your daily routine.
  • Accelerate your connections with technology
  • Cultivate relationships that support your purpose. Keep your core circle of networkers close and your secondary cycle close on hand.
  • Visit power pockets to accelerate networking
  • Hone your connecting skills and learn from hub players
  • Create content, products, or services to share your purpose
  • Develop partnerships to extend your reach
  • Learn to make successful asks.
  • Decide what brings you happiness and success: head, heart, or wallet?

 

Networking is a team sport and Jack Welsh put it best:

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch

commitment, Communication, education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work, tips

What type of Boss are you?

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newspaperHaving been on both sides of the fence during my work career I recently stopped and contemplated about what type of boss I am.

Reading a lot of articles from different sources I came across an article that was posted in the Fox Small Business Center called “10 things great bosses do” and used their list to see where I am standing.

The 10 trades they listed were:

  • Holding yourself accountable
  • Don’t be full of surprises
  • Be prepared to fix things
  • Know and have a feel for your business
  • Get the job done
  • Manage effectively in every direction.
  • Be able to make quick and informed decisions, even when they are not popular
  • Be effective not productive and stay flexible.
  • Live for your job by being engaged, empowered, driven, and self-motivated
  • Make sure you keep your sense of humor, have humility, empathy and learn about your own limitations and fallibility.

 

Looking at this list I can see I still have room for improvement on the other hand I can personally see how far I have come.

 

In matter to grow a business we have to be willing to grow ourselves.

commitment, Communication, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work, tips

Who has your back while you are out?

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SoHands touching a globemetimes there comes a time where you will be out of your office for an extended period of time. Is it maybe for business, pleasure, family or health related reasons.  This goes for anyone who is employed or self-employed alike. Sometime we all just need to take a break.

During the time you are absent especially when you are employed you know that your employer will make sure that your position is covered and when something arises during your absent that it is going to be covered and it will be taken care off.

How about the individuals who are self-employed? You do need a break and you do need to take time off, even when it is for a few days.

Who has your back while you are out?

 

Here are several Ideas and tips to make sure you can take a few days off and hopefully relax for a few days.

 

  • Inform your customers that you will be away and give them a contact person in your absence.
  • Give the contact person full authorization to pull any needed information in a possibility that one of the clients does need anything while you are out.
  • For potential call in’s make sure you have that contact personal name and number available on your voice mail or to the answering service you might using.
  • When you self-employed and you are part of an office like with real estate. Make sure the office knows who to contact while you are out.

Keep in mind, even when you are self-employed you need to have a team around to support you !

 TEAM

T- Together

E- Everyone

A- Achieves

M- More

buying, commitment, education, planning, Team work, tips

Which is better? Mortgage Pre-Approval or Pre-Qualification letter?

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office_desk

 

This is a question I am constantly asked by buyer and sellers alike and when it comes the time to make an offer on a home I always suggested to my buyers to have a pre-approval letter ready and not a pre-qualification letter before we even start looking at a home.

 

There are some key differences between a pre-approval and a pre-qualification.

Pre-qualification is most of the time done over the phone or online by answering simple questions about the income and credit rating of the potential borrower. Many times the lender will not ask for any qualifying documentations of income and spending.

The pre-qualification is a determination on whether the prospective loan applicant would likely qualify for credit under a lender’s programs and standards, or a determination on the amount of credit the prospective applicant would likely qualify for.

Usually a lender will give a determination of pre-qualification usually with in less than 48 hours

On the other hand the pre-approval can take a little longer and it is more complete.

Lender will ask at the time of application for the last 2 years income tax returns, bank statements, W2’s, etc. You also will be asked about employment and you will have to agree to have a credit report ran. Pending on your personal income, willingness and ability to have a down payment and past credit history it could take up to 4 weeks for you to receive an answer. When approved the lender is willing to give borrower a mortgage commitment letter because the loan has already been submitted to underwriting and they are only waiting for you to find your dream home.

Difference between Pre-Approval and Pre-Qualification:

Pre-approval

Conditional approval given within 48 hours (average)

Borrower needs to issue following items after an offer on a home is accepted:

•             W2’s
•             2 Years Tax return
•             Bank Statement
•             Employment verification
•             Pay stubs
•             Additional documentation if needed maybe due to name change, self-employment etc.

Home possible needs to pass following inspections:

•             Home inspection
•             Acceptable title insurance binder
•             Certification of clear termite inspections
•             Other inspection based on area

Pre-qualification

Conditional approval given within 4 weeks (average)

Borrower needs to issue following items after an offer on a home is accepted:

•             No change in the applicant’s financial condition or creditworthiness prior to closing.

Home possible needs to pass following inspections:

•             Home inspection
•             Acceptable title insurance binder
•             Certification of clear termite inspections
•             Other inspection based on area or lender

commitment, Communication, education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work

Growing personal and in your business needs a plan

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We all have heard the saying “when it is not written down it is not going to happen” or the other “ make a plan, write down the plan and execute the plan” but how many of us are sometimes shooting from the “hip” and shoot at an unidentified target and miss.

Some of the plan for any company should also be company grows through personal and income. All of this should have a plan that is clear and well laid out with a certain goal in mind.

For instance a home based business could have the goal of moving into an office space within 5 years.

Here is the goal and now you need to put the action steps into place to achieve the goal.  You might have to identify coaches, mentors, or advisors you need to consult to achieve your goal. Make sure everything is written down and easy accessible to yourself for a frequent check on how you are doing.

You might have a partner who checks on you to find out if you are still on track or if you have strayed from your path.

Part of the goal should be also the internal grows of your internal sales force and I found that the article by Chris Simone titled 5 tips to building an inside sales force gave great Ideas as a recruiter or business owner on how to tackle the sales force growth.

I always said that any grows is a team sport and there is no “I” in Team and have written about this in a blog post called “TEAMWORK…a lost art?”

education, Inspiration, organizing, planning, Team work, tips

Control what you can control

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An article about 9 things that will trash your home value from Mandi Woodruff came across my desk. Some of the things they listed where loud neighbors, foreclosure in the neighborhood and hoarders. This made me think, not only about the housing market but also about running a business.

What could be the things that will trash your business?

My first thought goes immediately towards the total loss of information and documentation due to a natural disaster like fire, flood, or storm. Or possible more manmade disasters like power outage, back-up failure, you name it.

There is also the possible personal accident or medical emergency that could keep you from tending to your business when you don’t have plan B in place.

Some other internal business wreckers for some business could be the improper disposal of chemicals or cleaners or employees who are not quite as honest  and maybe taking a switch here , a gallon of paint there or eating an unauthorized free meal here or giving their friends a free lunch there.

The other thing that comes to mind is not keeping up with changes or keeping up with continues education and changes in technology or becoming just plain complacent and set in the personal way of doing things.

Some of the things we can control in in some way but there will be some things we have absolute no control over and we just need to take the bull by the horn and deal with them or ignore them when appropriate.

Communication, education, planning, Team work, tips

New interactive course to teach you to achieve your financial and homeownership goals from Freddie Mac.

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This great new online self-guided interactive course from Freddie Mac is for everybody who is considering buying their home or who is already a homeowner. Goal of the tool is to teach new buyers on how to achieve their goal and current homeowners on how to avoid foreclosure.

The This great new self-guided interactive online training course by Freddie Mac is called CreditSmart® Consumer Online Training and has 12 separate training modules. Each module is about 20-30 minutes long.

You will learn:

  • Understand the importance of building credit to secure your financial future.
  • Gain insight into how lenders assess your eligibility for a mortgage loan.
  • Recognize the warning signs of predatory lending and scams.
  • Learn the steps to successful homeownership.
  • Safeguard your home and your finances against life’s unexpected challenges.
  • Learn what to do if you ever have difficulty making your mortgage payments.