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What Do You Do For Accountability?

I ask because we've recently started an Accountability Group with a number of people in my office and two of the managers and it's exactly what I needed. I wonder if any of you are doing anything that we might be able to incorporate.

A group of ten of us get together every week for about half an hour, first thing in the morning. We go around the table and report on how we did with the previous weeks goals, obstacles, improvements, successes and failures. We then set our goals for the upcoming week.

This is all easy enough to do on our own but, there's great feedback and encouragement which is very valuable for me. There is also the benefit of being chasllenged by some of the other members of the group to increase or refine goals to a more result oriented outcome. Again, this is extremely valuable for me as there's a tendency to be happy with a positive outcome even when there's apossibility for so much more.

The group has also gotten to the point where we have daily check-in's, jsut to make sure people are on track with their goals. For instance, one of my goals is to make two hours of phone calls every day, "how're the calls going" is a good reminder that truly helps me through the day.

Some of this is "back to basics" in nature, the type of thing that a rookie agent might be doing but, I find that it is these fundamental practices that I am quick to dismiss and slow to bring back into my praactice are exactly what I need to turn an average day into an incredibly productive one.

What are you doing to stay accountable and be productive?

Andy Raffle sells Bucks County Real Estate. Check out my website for Yardley homes and information, search for properties, read my informative Real Estate Articles and read my Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Andy Raffle

www.askAndyRaffle.com

Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA 19067

215.493.9080x130

Posted by Andy Raffle, Yardley, PA Real Estate on 09/30/2008 09:52 PM

Comments (30)

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30 Comments on What Do You Do For Accountability?

SEP

2008

Andy, that's terrific! In addition, it has helped me to have an accountability partner, and talk every day.

First, great move with the accountability group Andy! I teamed up with another agent in my office last year, and it's been the best thing I ever did. It keeps me on track. Best of luck to you!

That is a great idea. I have a business partner and we do the same thing! Thank you for sharing-Dinah NowYouAreLiving.com

Andy, that's terrific! In addition, it has helped me to have an accountability partner, and talk every day.

09/30/2008 09:24 PM

by Patricia Kennedy (Evers & Company)

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I agree, I have somebody who I work with every day and we watch tholse weekly goals.

Kristina and Dinah, I've considered the partner thing as well but, for now, I'm on my own....with the help of osme friends.

What you are doing sounds just like my Mastermind Group, which I have been meeting with for years. Having a group like this where you meet regularly and hold each other accountable is invaluable. I find this to be one of the best things I can do to move quickly toward my goals.

Keep up the great work!

Nika, is "Mastermind Group" a program or just a group of you that put it togther by yourselves?

Yes, Patricia, good point.

Andy - there are programs out there that you can join, but I've always put my own together. The challege with that is that they don't always stay together or work in the most effective way. I actually did a teleseminar on putting your own together. You can listen here:

http://www.nikastewart.com/audio_class.htm

Good luck. And let us all know how your is going!

I used to have an accountability group that I met with each week. We would plan out goals for the next week and then review our progress the next week. That worked out really well but people fell out of it. That's something I need to get going again...

Andy,

you often have great business tips, keep up the great job!

Thanks

Tom Davis

World Class Delaware Realtor

09/30/2008 09:57 PM

by Jared Pomranky ~ Detroit Investment Properties (Urban Detroit Wholesalers)

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I can see that happening and I think that it's ok if people leave. After all, one or two other agents are enough to make this work. I also see that new people will want to come into the group if it is working for the people who are working it.

Thanks for your comment

Andy,

you often have great business tips, keep up the great job!

Thanks

Tom Davis

World Class Delaware Realtor

09/30/2008 10:11 PM

by Dover Real Estate, Dover Homes For Sale Real Estate & Delaware,Dover's Tom Davis (Delaware Real Estate: Delaware Homes: Delaware, Dover , ERA)

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Garsh Tom, don't make me blush! Thanks for your comment and your kind words.

This is some great stuff. But I wonder, do you find that doing this with your competitors works. It looks like that wouldn't work.

09/30/2008 10:16 PM

by Charles Stallions Real Estate Services Inc

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I thnk I'm in a very odd office in that, while we are certainly all working in the same market and competing for the same business, we work together and help each other. I attribute it to the quality of the management and the fact that we really don;t have many, if any, new agents. We've got a lot of experienced people who have client lists and referral sources. This group shares ideas on marketing materials, etc. with each other. There's plenty of business out there and lots of people not doign what it takes to get it.

http://www.nikastewart.com/audio_class.htm

Good luck. And let us all know how your is going!

09/30/2008 09:54 PM

by Nika Stewart - Decorators' Success Coach (Decorators' Alliance of North America)

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Good stuff, nika. Very similar to what we're doing.

Boy, this is basic stuff for us. We have weekly staff meetings, go on caravans together and every six month's I go over each agent's performance plan and discuss HR, business development and other issues with each agent. We pay based on rolling 6 month average sales production, and do an annual budgeting process with agent's personal budgeted numbers built in to the plan. We also have profit sharing based on office performance against goals and profitability. If there is a weak link, we send them over to Brand X, but usually succeed with regular coaching and mentoring.

OCT

2008

I'm not as accountable as I should be recently. However, my coach requests daily time sheets to show what we planned to do and then what we really did.

09/30/2008 11:30 PM

by WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Synergy

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I'm not sure what is "basic" about this "stuff" or what your described has to do with what I mentioned but, I'm glad to hear that you review performance every six months. I find that a weekly, and sometimes daily, review of goals and performance gives me and my fellow agents an accountability that we would not have with six or 12 month reviews. Thanks for your comment.

I'm not as accountable as I should be recently. However, my coach requests daily time sheets to show what we planned to do and then what we really did.

10/01/2008 12:13 AM

by Christine Donovan Costa Mesa Real Estate (Broker/Attorney) (Donovan Blatt Team - Donovan Group Realty)

It sounds like you are now. Whether it's a coach a manager or a fellow agent, it's all acountability. I sometimes find myself knowing that I have not met one of my goals from the following week and simply not leaving until I get there the day before the meeting. It works for me.

Andy,

I am trying the same thing at my office. I still though find reasons not to call. Would love to hear how it goes.

Richard

This is great. Good for you. There's 2 types of salespeople out there:

1. Imitators

2. Human

Sounds like strange categories right? We each fall in 1 or the other, in that imitators tend to just look at what everyone else is doing and try to follow that path, assuming that if "everyone does it, then it must work!" What I call the human category of marketers/salespeople are those who actually look closely at what makes or breaks success, and discover that it's our very own human nature that often is responsibile.

Procrastination, lack of consistancy, information overload, time wasting habits, or even plain old laziness. The real stars amongst us are those that recognize these traits, and do something about them! It seems you have found something that works for you, and that is fantastic. Congrratulations, you're now a human! (Said with tongue firmly in cheek)

Great post Andy!

CW - FSBO Lead Portal

Andy,

I am trying the same thing at my office. I still though find reasons not to call. Would love to hear how it goes.

Richard

10/01/2008 06:09 AM

by Richard Smith Mortgages Home Loans FHA TN GA AL (American Acceptance Mortgage, Inc)

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Richard, do you use scripts for your calls? Do you practice your scripts? I have a fellow agent who I meet with every morning at 8:30 for an hour of script practice - even though we've been using them for a while. That starts us off an a roll and we go right to calls from there.

I use Mike Ferry's stuff, which you can download for free at his website.

Greta blog! I find that accountability at work and life in general is always the key to success.

10/01/2008 11:27 AM

by Cidalia

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Thanks, Cidalia. Now I just need to figure out if you are making fun of my typos or if you're amember of the club, too! Greta is one of my most commonly typed words.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - City by the Lake Andy, I had a business partner and we would make a goal challenges to each other every month. It was great motivation and made our marketing plans more fun. At the end of the month the one that came closest to their monthly goals and/or challenge was treated to lunch by the other. We learned a great deal from these challenges and each other.

Also, thanks for commenting on my Post!

OCT

2008

Thanks for your comment, Pam. It sounds like a lot of you USED to do something like this and that you found it REALLY helpful. Why'd you stop???

OCT

2008

I belong to a group in my office where we do go over what we've done for the week as well as spend some time discussing the finer points of something (typically contract related, this week we started talking about the REALTOR code of ethics). My office manager faciliates the group and he is a great coach and mentor. In addition, outside the group I have an accountability partner. We hold each other accountable to get our monthly newsletter out the door. We figure out a week that we want our mailing out the door and encourage each other to get it done.

NOV

2008

This is a great reminder! Several years ago a group of us met weekly. We were all committed to "taking our business to the next level". It really did help....but some people dropped out and then more and more until we all quit meeting regularly. Time to get back to that again --- thank you for your comments and the reminder!

DEC

THat does indeed sound terriffic. Sometimes it is hard to make two hours of phone calls in a day. There are so many interruptions. Good luck to you as always Andy

Don

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