Real Estate Blog - Teaching and Mentoring Will Give You More Pleasure Than Anything As You Grow Older

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Teaching and Mentoring Will Give You More Pleasure Than Anything As You Grow Older

Back in the early 1970s, when I was working with symphony orchestras and teaching French horn, long before I embarked on a real estate career, I taught horn to a talented young music student named Neil DeLand.

Neil's parents brought him to my home for private lessons each week. He was a good kid and fairly ambitious for someone in high school. When you're teaching a young person, I doubt that most teachers stop to imagine what that student will be like, and what they will achieve, years in the future.

About two years ago, my former student Neil auditioned for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, one of the best-regarded symphony orchestras in the Western Hemisphere. He got the job and has been working as principal french horn in Toronto since then. Neil also teaches horn at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto.

Neil DeLand - Royal Conservatory

Neil worked in the Boston area during the 1980s and freelanced as a hornist with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestra. I remember when he was back in Minneapolis one summer, preparing for an audition in Boston and we spent a good part of that summer together in "refresher" lessons, rehearsing excerpts from orchestral works including Mahler's First Symphony.

About seven years ago, I got a card from Neil in Boston. He wrote that he'd been playing that same Mahler Symphony with the BSO and how much he enjoyed the experience. At the end of his note, he wrote "I've learned how important it is in music to have good solid fundamentals and I got them from you". I can't describe how proud I was to read that.

Let me carry this story over to real estate or any other career you may engage in. Making money is satisfying and building a reputation as a busy professional is satisfying. But nothing will bring you more lasting pride and satisfaction than teaching or mentoring. Give something during the course of your career and it will come back to you.

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Eric Kodner is a luxury property specialist and real estate educator in the Minneapolis & Saint Paul area with a unique perspective on the Twin Cities real estate market. Wayzata Lakes Realty LLC is a member of the LuxuryRealEstate.com broker network.

Posted by Eric Kodner, Lake Minnetonka Homes & Madeline Island Real Estate on 05/16/2008 11:00 AM

Comments (14)

minneapolis, toronto symphony, boston symphony, boston pops orchestra

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14 Comments on Teaching and Mentoring Will Give You More Pleasure Than Anything As You Grow Older

MAY

2008

If your interested in coaching and mentoring drop me a direct note. We are always looking for skilled practitioners to help our clients succeed.

Josef, thank you! I have taught at colleges and universities over the years and have also taught Fair Housing and ethics courses at our area Board. I'll send you an email.

Eric, I love this story! And you are so right about mentors.

Pat, I figured you would understand what I was trying to say here. Even though music is no longer my primary occupation, I'm very proud of my students who made it in the music business!

Eric - you should be very proud of yourself. Music is brutally tough. My mother was a professional singer and "made it" to a large extent although she supplemented her income by writing columns and being a radio host. Its not an easy business and to have a student go so far and still look back to you as establishing the importance of fundamentals is a wonderful thing to take with you. Even though this is no longer your primary means of support, you are and always will be a true professional in music. 99% of all people who aspire to full-time careers as musicians fail to achieve that goal - and that is a conservative estimate.

Eric,

Great blog today. It has always been rewarding to coach mentor and teach. I could not agree with you more. Thanks and have a great weekend.

Actually, i should add that this is an issue that is problematic in real estate right now. Many senior agents and brokers with much to teach have no desire to do so becuase they don't want new agents stealing their thunder. It's become so much about the money that many new agents are left to fend for themselves. Not a good situation for the clients OR the agents. And then these long time agents BLAME the newbies for not knowing what they are doing...and then everyone wonders why we are treated with the same dignity afforded a used car salesman. It all comes back to mentoring.

Ruthmarie, thank you. Yes, music (and the arts in general) is a very tough way to make a living.

People hear music all their lives, from the day they're born until someone throws dirt in their face. But nobody wants to pay for it.

Tom -- Thanks for the compliment! I've always found mentoring to be very satisfying.

Ruthmarie, there's room in this industry for great instructors. I agree that many don't want to teach and some don't wish to share their knowledge (or what they perceive as "secrets"). And big brokerage firms talk a lot about training, but behind the scenes they don't want to pay a cent more than they have to in order to train a sales staff.

Eric...how rewarding to see someone you nourished not only succeed...but recognize how you helped them. You sound (and should be) very proud!

Eric - I am glad mentoring gives you satisfaction. You are a special person. I have been put in the educator/mentor role - reluctantly I accepted the opportunity after being put on the spot. I found that I don't have the time or patience to "teach" other agents things I learned on my own. You are a good man to take on the role.

MAY

2008

Joan, I'm very proud of all my former students. And after many years in the music business, I was fortunate to continue teaching as a real estate educator. I guess once you get bitten by the teaching bug, it's difficult to quit!

Carol, teaching/mentoring is something you have to want to do. It's not for everybody but the rewards are certainly there.

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