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Category: Best Practices

Servant Leaders

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

#Community
#Connection
#ServantLeadership

I posted this yesterday, and I might everyday for the next 90 days. Why? Lately it’s been the first three words when I wake, and the last three words of the day.

Servant leaders build community. They encourage friendships and provide forums for these relationships to emerge and deepen.

Servant leaders work to build strong positive relationships and are willing to accept the differences of others as a strength.

Getting the job done is not enough. Servant leaders are concerned about the health and strength of others and the overall sense of community and connection.

Servant leaders accomplish this by building relationships, community and connection.

In other news – about last night – the Angel game was postponed so we just walked around the lake and interacted with our community. Whenever I see a park bench, I always think of Forest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get” yet you can always serve to make things just a little better.

By design or by default
By design vs. by default

 

The most important question? 

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The most important question? 

“What do you really really want?” This Is really the second most important question. Say what?! The more important question is: “What are willing to give up to get it?” 

Are you willing to give up chill time for gym time? 

Are you willing to trade busy work for prospecting, business development, or recruiting? 

Write a book? Are you willing to give up what you usually do from 7 to 9 pm and go to the library instead? 

I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I really, really want.

I’ll give up whatever it takes to ______ (fill in the blank)

To get _________, (fill in the blank) I’ll do whatever it takes.

When you are willing to do whatever it takes, you’ll earn want you really want.

What's Possible?
What’s Possible?

Onward and Upward.

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“Onward and upward” is a mindset that requires a few key ingredients: optimism, empathy, curiosity and action.

  • Optimism is the ability to overcome adversity despite the circumstances.
  • Empathy is the ability to understand situations from another’s perspective with no judgment. The ability to choose to respond rather than to react.
  • Curiosity. To be effective be curious: curious about how people are feeling, curious about why things happen, curious about the future, curious about steps to take to navigate difficult waters.
  • Action. The winners are the doers. Talk is cheap, action speaks.

When we make changes by design vs. default we can craft a future the supports the growth we deserve.

Perfection is not a standard, progress is.

With 80 to 90 working days left in 2023 I’m opening up 10 slots for “what’s possible” strategy sessions. Because it’s not how you start the game it’s how you finish.

Onward and upward.

What's Possible?
What’s Possible?

Be The Voice Of Reason

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

A favorite and a classic.

Be The Voice Of Reason

Human nature craves the exchange of information. When that exchange turns unproductive try this 4 step approach:

  • Understand the difference between valid information and gossip.
  • If gossip nip it in the bud
  • If gossip change the subject
  • If gossip confront the individual

Keep the strategies above in mind so when you’re confronted with a gossipy associate, you have the checklist to respond appropriately.

Doing The Right Thing

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One of my lawyer friends quoted Carl Sandburg today:

“If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell.”

My take? Doing the right thing is always the right thing and good business. “Make it right” and “Honor your commitments” is one of the best mantras ever.

Thoughts?

Doing the right thing is always the right thing.
Doing the right thing is always the right thing.

What I Learned About Business In My Golf Lesson

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I was reviewing some golf lesson notes and thinking this applies to business, hobbies, and life, yes?!

  • Thoughts precede motion.
  • Visualize what you want (see it, feel it, trust it).
  • Manage your mental state & those things that get you ready to perform at your best.
  • Being comes first; doing second (who do you need to be?) 
  • Routine is ALL about confidence.
  • Choose confidence over comfort.
  • Tempo, rhythm, and balance.
–
What's Possible?
What’s Possible?

The Leader’s Role: Defining Reality and Driving Results

Mark Johnson 1 Comment

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” – Max de Pree

This powerful quote by Max de Pree highlights the multifaceted role of a leader. Defining reality isn’t about creating a fantasy world; it’s about understanding the current situation, identifying challenges and opportunities, and setting a clear direction for the team.

For business leaders, defining reality often boils down to understanding the core drivers of success. Here are three crucial realities that top performers consistently embrace:

  1. Lead Generation Drives Revenue: This is the fundamental truth of any sales-driven business. Without a consistent flow of qualified leads, there are no appointments, no sales, and ultimately, no revenue. This isn’t just about “moneyball” tactics; it’s about recognizing that lead generation is the lifeblood of your business.

  2. Relationships Fuel Growth: The size and quality of your network and client database directly impact the size of your business. Building strong relationships, nurturing leads, and delivering exceptional service are essential for long-term growth. This requires creative marketing campaigns and genuine connection with your audience.

  3. Consistency is Key: Consistent effort over time is the most powerful driver of success. It’s not about occasional bursts of activity; it’s about showing up day after day, week after week, and consistently implementing your strategies. This consistent effort builds momentum, strengthens relationships, and ultimately leads to sustainable results.

Leadership in Action:

A leader’s role is to define these realities for their team, provide the necessary resources and support, and foster a culture of consistent action. This means:

  • Setting clear expectations and goals related to lead generation, relationship building, and consistent effort.
  • Providing training and resources to help the team excel in these areas.
  • Holding the team accountable for their performance.
  • Recognizing and rewarding consistent effort and results.

By embracing these realities and leading with a servant’s heart, you can create a high-performing team and achieve sustainable business success. And that is how we win the day!

 

The Accountability Advantage: How Tracking Your Efforts Drives Exponential Growth

Mark Johnson 1 Comment

“What is measured improves. What is measured and reported back exponentially improves.”

This simple principle has a profound impact on performance, whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a business professional.

Consider a study of Olympic-level figure skaters. When they trained on their own, they averaged 60 jumps and spins per hour. But when their coach started tracking their attempts on a whiteboard in real-time, their output soared to 100 elements per hour! Removing the whiteboard caused their performance to drop back down, proving the power of immediate feedback and accountability.

This same principle applies to your business. The single greatest leverage you can use to achieve the success you deserve is increased accountability. It’s about more than just setting goals; it’s about consistently tracking your progress and making adjustments as needed.

That’s why I’m introducing “TAG”—The Appointment Game. This simple 30-day challenge focuses on two key metrics:

  1. Daily New Conversations: How many new conversations about real estate are you initiating each day? This could be through networking, social media, cold calling, or any other lead generation activity.
  2. Weekly New Appointments: How many new appointments are you scheduling each week as a result of those conversations?

Why these metrics? They focus on the activities that directly drive business growth: connecting with potential clients and securing opportunities to present your value.

Here’s how to play TAG:

  1. Track Your Numbers: Each day, track the number of new real estate conversations you have. Each week, track the number of new appointments you set.
  2. Report Your Progress (Optional): Share your progress with an accountability partner, a mentor, or even on social media. Public accountability can be a powerful motivator.
  3. Analyze and Adjust: At the end of each week, review your numbers. Are you hitting your targets? If not, what adjustments can you make to your strategy?

Example:

  • Goal: 5 new conversations per day, leading to 2 new appointments per week.
  • Tracking: Use a simple spreadsheet, a notebook, or a CRM to record your daily conversations and weekly appointments.
  • Analysis: If you’re consistently having conversations but not setting appointments, you might need to refine your qualifying questions or your appointment-setting pitch.

What would happen to your business if you consistently focused on these two metrics for the next 30 days? I challenge you to find out.

TAG, you’re it!

Start tracking, start connecting, and start growing to win the day!

What is measured improves.
What is measured improves.

What Happened To The Real Estate Market?

Mark Johnson Leave a comment
It’s that time of the month… for the real estate market update. 
 
If there were 2 slides out of the 84 from this month’s KCM updates plus 1 from Altos, which ones would I share? … you will see the 3 below, plus a link to all the slides.  
 
Do you want to attract more people to your brokerage, team, or office? Then help your team translate what all the information and data means and how to act on it. We can help, HMU.

 
Key updates for this month: 
 
  • 247 years later, Adam Smiths’ laws of supply and demand are still working: 99% of US markets had a DECREASE in available re-sale inventory for sale. 
  • A supply-constrained market with no relief in sight 
    • Large institutional investors have indicated no reason to sell – residential is providing higher ROI than commercial. Follow the money. 
    • Consumers are unwilling to trade a 3% mortgage for a 6%, opting instead to remodel or upgrade. 
    • New construction is growing – especially in the South – yet not nearly enough to close the gap. 
    • Freddie Mac survey: In the next 6 months = 18% of consumers indicated a desire to buy while 16% of sellers indicated a desire to sell. 
  • While affordability is always an issue consumers have never been in better financial condition 
    • Average credit score the highest in 23 years – 714 Average 
    • For those applying for a mortgage: 765 is the median credit score 
  • Consumers have more access to data, and information YET lack knowledge 
    • YOU are the knowledge broker for local market activities 
    • AFTER speaking with a knowledgeable HYPER-LOCAL agent, 64.5% of homeowners were MORE likely to sell than before.
    • Creating a conversation with value-added content makes a difference – NO SECRET AGENTS! 
  • A few of the top 20 markets with the most listings sold are in Texas: Houston; San Antonio; Austin, and DFW. Some of the tightest pricing is seen in CA, with less than 12% of listings (the national average is 32%) taking a price decline in cities like La Mirada; Cypress; Fremont; Placencia & Garden Grove.
Key takeaways: 
  • Enabling Homeowners and Investors with value-added information does create listing opportunities. Especially non-owner-occupied and 1031 exchange opportunities.  
  • 16% of homeowners indicated a desire to sell in the next 6 months… that is your opportunity 
  • Sales and Rates Normalizing  – housing prices continue to show stronger growth than what was previously expected.
  • Homebuilders continue to add to supply, but years of meager homebuilding over the past business cycle means the imbalance will likely continue for some time. 
  • Seasonality has returned 
  • Prices rebounding 
Confidence is contagious, and so is a lack of confidence. There is plenty of actionable data to be confident about. 
PS: Recruiting and retention has never been more important. In all types of markets, we continue to see 10% of agents leave the industry; 10 %to 15% join the industry, and despite an 85% satisfaction rate with their broker 32% switch firms.  Need some help? Let’s chat.
—
Real Estate Inventory For Sale
Real Estate Inventory For Sale

 

Credit Scores
Credit Score Trends

 

Top 20 Real Estate Market Trends
Top 20 Real Estate Market Trends

The Year Is Half Over

Mark Johnson Leave a comment

50% of the year is over… it’s time for a quarterly business and operations review!

  • Is it scheduled?
  • I have a powerful 23-question business review – info@winningtheday.blog

Are you ahead, behind, or on track with your goals? In any case, “declare it perfect and move forward powerfully.”

Review what’s working, and what’s not. Make the adjustments, and keep moving forward.

Basic agenda:

  • Mission, vision, values, and stakeholders  – any adjustments?
  • Key KPI s
  • What’s working. What’s not.
  • Start, stop, more, less!
  • Action steps (no more than 2 or 3.)

The results will happen – as long as we are all willing to execute the daily activities, track the results, make the changes to the behaviors, and engage an accountability partner.

Are you interested or committed to what’s left of this year?