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Team Building 101 - Here at Keller Williams in Pembroke Pines We Know How.

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams


Team Building 101 - Here at Keller Williams in Pembroke Pines We Know How. Over the past few years teams have become the rage in real estate. Husbandsand wife teams, those who have recently gotten licensed become the Mary and John team. While other struggling agents, look around their office and seek out another agent less experienced than them and become the Z Team. And now we have the blind leading the blind. I think that some of these people building teams are looking to be fed, by their team not realizing they are the hunter.

Traditionally the Team Leader known as the Rainmaker or the Hunter, are good at lead generation, have a good record of performance, and have a steady flow of business. They begin the team building process usually by hiring an administrative assistant full or part time, depending on the volume of their business to handle the paperwork, showing instructions, and other necessary tasks, which in turn frees up the agent to do what they do best, produce income, through lead generation, listing and selling homes.

As their influence and business grows they ad a buyer specialist. Now this is where it begins to get tricky and many of these new leaders begin to fail. Remember you are the Hunter, they joined your team to be fed, not to watch you feast on their efforts. Don't "cherry pick" and keep all the best leads for yourself, show character here or your team will loose respect for you quit.

I would also encourage you to develop a team manual with the procedures in place. You should also have a team contract, outlining your expectations, their compensation. Besides the Hunter starving his team members, the other common complaint I have heard over the years is that they some how were cheated by the Team Leader regarding compensation. When in doubt on an issue refer to your manual and contract and if there is no clear cut explanation in your manual as to how the situation should be handled always give your team member the benefit of the doubt. Yes even if it means you taking less of the split. That is what good team leaders with integrity and character do. No one likes to feel they have been taken advantage of.

Now that you have your building blocks for your team in place, a steady flow of buyers and sellers, you will begin the second phase by adding buyer specialists as needed, as your influence grows and you begin to get the reputation of a Realtor who can get the job done, so will your inventory grow. Buyers follow the inventory like fish follow a chum slick. The buyer specialists become a very important part of your team.

So remember, put it in writing, abide by it so there is never a doubt as to your character, word will spread and others will eagerly want to be part of your well run team.

 

Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Mark....I have a team and it takes the right personalities and blend to make a team that works.....I don't compete, at all.....I am the rainmaker.

May 11, 2010 01:06 AM
Tom Bailey
Margaret Rudd & Associates Inc. - Oak Island, NC

Mark ... Well done. You make some great points. Barbara #1 has the team concept down pat. Her blog about her team is worth following. If she says it I believe it.

May 11, 2010 02:43 AM
John Howard
Century 21 LeMac Realty - Mountain Home, AR
GRI, Mountain Home, Arkansas 870-404-3614

Mark,  I got here from Barb's post...Yours is a good post too!  Very thought provoking.  Have a Great Week!

May 11, 2010 05:12 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Mark, this is a great basic post for Team Building. I think the number one reason teams fail is green on the part of the team leader.

May 12, 2010 12:21 AM
Vanessa Rosenblum
ProREA Staffing - San Francisco, CA

This is a great post.  I agree that the Team Leader can be the source of problems within a team but I see the buyer and seller specialists causing an equal amount of discord.  It seems that some agents don't value leads that are handed to them the way they would if they had to find the lead on their own.  The result is poor follow-up and follow-through on the part of the agents and frustration on the part of the Team Leader because they feel that they would make more money if they "just did it themselves".  I find that clearly defined job descriptions and clear tracking of leads makes it easier to see who is making the cut and who isn't.

Jul 15, 2010 08:12 AM