Matt Hodges writes "it seems that I don't get any respect due to my age".
Oh yeah?
Fact is, age and/or gender is a common basis for people in our business or any business to pigeon hole others in order to, I believe, make themselves feel superior.
Want to hear folks say you can't be Internet savvy because the older generation isn't comfortable with computers?
What about the articles that claim that only younger agents are technologically competent because they grew up with computers.
Meet an older male agent and the first question is "what did you do before you retired?"
Meet an older female agent and the first question is "how many grandchildren do you have?"
True Story #2. I was going to sponsor a video program with and agent, but he wanted to limit the copyright assignment to 5 years because he figured I might not last much longer than that. For some reason, I lost interest. I was focused on developing a fantastic video database of local communities. He was focused on my age. I don't really need him. I was giving him an opportunity. He blew it. I'll do it myself.
True Story #1. One agent who was an associate broker in my company said he wanted to position himself to take over Homefinders.com when I retired. That was 10 years ago. He's out of the business and I'm stronger than ever.
Depending on how they were raised, many male agents will never have respect for a female agents as an equal.
Depending on their family structure, many older female agents view the young agent as representative of their own children who are always "our babies".
We'll always find fellow real estate practitioners who either make us feel uncomfortable or at least try to.
Not to worry. There isn't an ActiveRain member who doesn't time to time feel a lack of respect from some person or group of persons.
If one is serious about this business, the solution for any type of age or gender discrimination or lack of respect is to simply. . .
- Out think them.
- Out work them.
- If the above doesn't work, out last them.
Works for me.
When our peers begin to "dance" around a subject, you can guess what they are thinking.
"He can't understand this stuff, he's too young".
"She won't do much business, she's too old".
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.
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