Why is it that some agents misbehave, or do bad things? I'm not talking necessarily about activities that are criminal in nature, although we have probably all heard some of these stories, including those involving fraud, but more about the more frequently occurring situations when the agent ego seems to get in the way.
Recently we have heard from Randy Prothero, writing about Contract Blunders and Craziness. And anyone who read two recent posts by Scott Daniels (If A is Selling to B, Why is C Calling Me to Complain About This, and I Need Dr. Phil to Intervene) will probably agree the agent(s) had issues. Please forgive me for not recognizing (and remembering) all the many other posts along these lines - now that's an idea for a bestseller.
As a former student of human behavior (yep, I was a psych major and have a couple of degrees, but don't hold that against me) in a past life, I often have wondered about some of the naughty things that certain agents do, and the reasons they do them. Seems to me the agent ego could be at fault. Without a segue into more esoteric ramblings of psych theory to uncover the deep dark secrets of their development and motivations, attributing their behavior to their ego, or sense of self (exaggerated in these cases), seems to provide a good explanation.
I'm not talking about the situations where someone doesn't know better (using the wrong form, misunderstanding certain contract terminology), or lacks the experience to resolve a problem correctly. Rather, I am referring to those situations where it is clear the person has their own agenda (forget the rules), needs to control the situation at all costs (forget what's best for the client), or is motivated solely by money. And what about the person who simply feels that they are more important, and their time is more valuable, and they can't take the time to do their job correctly and expect someone else to do it for them (while you might call that laziness, I would suggest the root of that problem is ego getting in the way). I think we also see ego in action when an agent plays attorney, or inspector, or mortgage broker, when it is inappropriate to do so. I could go on and on...
Don't misunderstand...ego and a positive self-esteem are good things. There's nothing wrong in knowing yourself well, being confident about what you know how to do, and being proud of it. Or asserting yourself in a situation in order to protect your client's interests. Let's face it - we are taking on a huge responsibility with clients and perhaps their largest purchase, and a positive self esteem is a tremendous help in dealing with the many hurdles, different personalities, and issues that arise when buying or selling.
And it doesn't hurt when working with buyers and sellers who, themselves, have perhaps a heightened sense of importance. There has to be a bit of therapist in all of us at times. Most of us recognize reality, are reasonable and willing to compromise, and know that "you can't always get what you want" (any Stones fans??).
But when the agent's ego (and inability to control their self-motivations) gets in the way of the transaction, look out...you have a problem. And you can bet they've done it before, and will do it again. But maybe I'm just a cynic.
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