That 80/20 Principle Rule befuddles me.
I had never even heard of it until I got into Real Estate. I know it is not a real estate specific concept. My "business brain" simply awakened around the time I jumped into this business from the military (where it was more difficult for the 80%ers to disappear in the back-ground - yet as I look back to those years, I know who they were),
For years, I have been fascinated by the simple truth that you can assemble darn near ANY group of people and give them all the same level of training on any particular topic - Even career enhancing, life changing, bone rattling, lean and mean tips, tricks, scripts that'll virtually guarantee SUCCESS . . . and 80% of the folks in the room will leave the room in one capacity or another (physically or mentally) without the goods . . . and will NEVER implement one iota of the learnings.
If you're a 20%er, this is great news . . . If you're an 80%er, you might want to pause and consider your way.
OK 20%ers . . . Your only REAL competition out there is the other 20%ers (unless somehow all the 80%ers figure out that they outnumber you and unite against you - not likely, but possible). You can literally go through each day GIVING AWAY your own secrets of success secure in the knowledge that only 1 in 5 people who hear the wisdom will ever do anything significant with it . . . and truly, the odds are actually more along the lines of 1 in 10 (or 20 or 30). Even most of the 20%ers who seem to "Get it" will not effectively implement it in a sustained way.
I've been a REALTOR since 1993. My first business coach wowed me with his generosity. He simply GAVE away all of his great ideas. I asked him why? "Because I like to help people" yet he quickly acknowledged that most of those people never implemented the ideas at a high level, so he was not, in fact, creating any more competition for himself . . . what he was doing was "raising the tide and all boats were rising with that tide" . . . Keep contributing and the general environment of our industry and our community will improve over time . . . Those 80%ers WILL improve their habits and practices given appropriate training.
So . . . Do people CHOOSE to be 80%ers or 20%ers? Do we each have the ability to CHOOSE our level of success?
or are we just born the way we are and just need to live with ourselves as we are?
I know that not everyone is "learning based" and not everyone is real keen on "taking immediate action" . . . and some folks don't like sitting in class-rooms . . . or reading books . . . or listening to tapes . . . or being held accountable . . . or stepping out of their comfortable "comfort zones" . . .
Yes! We're all different . . . I love that about our world.
I am still committed to helping everyone I can to become the best that they choose to be . . . and I am fully aware that there will always be 80%ers . . . but I have also learned that:
"Once an 80%er - not necessarily ALWAYS an 80%er"
I have seen plenty of great leaders rise from the trenches simply by choosing to achieve high performance and no longer tolerating mediocrity.
All of this came to mind this morning because I was sitting in a classroom yesterday with Jeffrey. We were exploring the final 2 Power Sessions of Keller Williams Realty's powerful 443 program, and our discussion was very rich. I could really see that Jeffrey was "getting it" and is committed to identifying and cultivating a rich farm of his own . . . He's a 20%er . . . Out of the blue, he asked where "everyone else is????" We had started the 443 class with 6 people and here we were - just the 2 of us still standing here . . .
My response was quick . . . "The 80%ers have left the room . . . It's now time for you to take action and show them how they could have benefited by sticking around for the whole course. IN a few months, some of those folks will ask Jeffrey how he managed to overcome the "horrible market" and he will know the REAL answer . . . but will probably let them off the hook and politely say: "It was tough, but I'm glad I buckled down and pushed through."
If you're an educator/Leader, this post is for YOU! Whether you know it or not, your commitment to other people's success is often a higher level of commitment than many of them have in their OWN success. You cannot take ownership of their level of plug-in . . . You CAN be secure in the knowledge that you ARE making a difference in the lives of ALL of your students whether they are 80%ers or 20%ers.
Best,
b
Barry Owen
Career Development Coach
Principal Broker
Keller Williams Realty - Nashville, TN - Green Hills
www.theowengroup.net - The Owen Group is 20%ing our way along with home Buyers and Seller in Middle Tennessee
www.creatingspaces.blogspot.com
Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!
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