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Armonk, NY Real Estate News

By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
 Are you stuck in your business development because things are changing and you don't know what to do?  Are the old things to generate business not working anymore?  The problem is that what you did in the past is no longer worker but you are stuck in habits which have created a rut and that rut has become the path of least resistance. By continuing to go with the flow we will decline.We have to face it … we live in a changing world. EVERYTHING changes and it’s time to acknowledge the cold, hard truth. That is, much as we’d like to, we cannot control everything that happens to us in life. We can, however, change the way we react to what happens.One of the key reasons change might come hard has a lot to do with one of the tools your brain uses regularly. This tool helps you get through y...
Comments 59
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
More is not necessarily more when is comes to a real estate office.  Just this last week I encountered a broker that believes this but his office's reputation does not bear that out.  What will turn things around?  Becoming an authentic leader and encouraging a collaborative team will turn thing around.According to a Harvard professor, William George effective leaders are authentic leaders. Authentic leaders are self-aware, practice their values and principles, seek criticism and “stay grounded.” Above all, they empower others to become leaders themselves.Strong leaders have courage to challenge the status quo and point out failures in the organization. They develop and coach others and build positive collaborative relationships. Teams that are high performing are collaborative.To illus...
Comments 48
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
 You want the truth? “You can’t handle the truth!” This well-known line was uttered by Jack Nicholson in the move, A Few Good Men. This line hits a little too close to home for some organizations. While some organizations ask themselves what they can do to help their organizations align there are others where it is always the wrong people and that they (the organizational leadership) know what is right. Would you get defensive if an outside consultant asked you questions to get to the root cause of your problems?I read a post by Endre Barath, Jr. this morning for the contest The First Time - Real Estate Version.   If you haven't read it I recommend it.  Endre found that there is more than a big name and that names ,in themselves, do not create success.  I could not help but notice his d...
Comments 24
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”   Understanding what motivates a person, whether it be rewards, recognition, promotion, or feeling that something is accomplished will result in developing that accountability attitude. However, you will have continued failure if you do nothing and refuse to hold people accountable for results.  The best way to create an accountability culture is to help people to accept accountability. How does a broker or manager hold members of the staff responsible for performance? What about someone on the team who needs help but fears asking for help? The results can be devastating when we fail to have accountability discussions.The book, “Crucial Confrontations”, by Kerry Patterson, J...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I read a blog today from Kathryn S. titled Using Social Media.  She made some really great points about the misuse of social media.  Kathryn focused guarding your personal privacy.  I definitely agree.In my post I focus on the dangers of using social media to check on others particularly in how it relates to Fair Housing Laws and and Equal Employment Laws.We hear people caution you that your behavior online can cost you a job offer or even an apartment rental.  That is true and people can be rejected for valid reasons.  But here is the catch for employers and real estate agents. If you make a policy of checking social media you could end of seeing personal things that have nothing to do with paying rent or being a good employee.  Decisions based on these facts would be illegal.  Ok, you...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
 Does your leadership lack inspiration, innovation, and the ability to adapt to change? As a leader your role is to navigate your organization or your team through the uncertainties. Sometimes the good and necessary management skills such as planning, directing and controlling create roadblocks because they are missing the inspirational leadership. The reason that a team is not achieving desired outcomes is usually traced back to the leadership. That’s right. If all of the students fail the exam, then the fault lies with the teaching. Like students you and your staff may not be on the same page. You may be a great manager but you may fail as a leader. We can influence the process through which people recognize our leadership by creating an environment where people will join “the team” b...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
It is quite clear that you must brand yourself and create a value proposition to be relevant to your customers. The same is true for your team value proposition.  Are you relevant to them.A Real Estate Brokerage has a reputation and brand to other real estate agents.  Are you proud of yours?  Does your agency team value proposition and team brand make people want to join you?  What is your team value proposition?This team value proposition should be tied to your strategic plan and include your vision, your values, and, your mission. The values should include such things as social responsibility, ethical conduct, support and training and teamwork.  Strong team and employee engagement produces successful business outcomes including a loyal customer base. And this leads to increasing sales...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
If you are feeling stressed out you are not alone.  I asked the question of some Westchester County business owners.  Many feel overworked and overwhelmed.To be sure the pace of business has changed.  Real Estate agents know that only too well in the fast market with rapid communication. Technology, while automating things that used to take much more time has also created new pressure. Instant communication on handheld devices gives us the sense of urgency and feeling that we must always be working. Everything seems to go faster, leaving everyone feeling overworked, overloaded, and overwhelmed.   Some people may suggest that this is an issue of time management. The real issue is not time management but understanding your goals and your purpose.  I covered that topic in a previous blog. ...
Comments 35
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I love to build strategic alliances.  These alliances are great for business.  I know there are many such alliances in Real Estate such as the BNI power team that includes real estate agent, mortgage professional, real estate attorney, title person, home inspector, and so forth.With that inspiration I developed teams that complement what I do including employment law attorney,  payroll providor, accountant, marketing professional just to name a few.  Now I look constantly for speaking engagements and decided to create a win win arrangement with all of my partners.  I proposed doing educational seminars for business leaders using a strategic partner.The seminar was for owners of restaurants. "How Restaurants can create great engaged employees and loyal guests"I used my event management s...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Do you invest your time or do you waste your time? If you don’t know what you want or where you want to go you will most likely waste time. Before we talk about time management decide where you want to go. Where do you want to go? What are your values? What do you believe and what are your priorities? Your answers will determine how you spend your day.That's right.  Time management is more about priorities and knowing what is really important to you rather just a system of managing time. Let’s say you just received a sizable inheritance. One or two people might throw a big party. More than likely most people would invest it or pay down debt.  But time is more valuable than money because you can't get it back once it is gone.There is a difference between spending time and investing time....
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I read a post by Barbara Todaro yesterday on New School vs. Old School.  It got me thinking and inspired this post. I agree that we should predict and anticipate change and even create the future based on change.  Sometimes, however, we chase after innovation of the day.  We see this in corporations when the employees say to themselves, "Another change?  This too shall pass."  Grabbing the newest shiny object in social media with no forethought will probably not result in success.  And neither will changing everything you do just to market to millennials. I got a reminder last week regarding the importance of keeping a mixture of old and new.  I had a problem on my web site and could not post my blog.  After initial panic I thought, "Wait a minute, this is a message to remind me not to ...
Comments 60
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Have you ever looked in the mirror and asked, “Am I a person who inspires and encourages others?”    If the answer to that question is no, then you may not have the power to lead.You may have the management role with the authority but there is a difference between power and authority.  As the owner or manager you have the authority by virtue of your role.  However, your power is granted by those on your team or those you supervise.  Have you noticed there are always certain people who are sought out or considered “go to” people.  They may have no title at all and people seem to value their opinions and respect them.  These are individuals who have been granted power by others by virtue of their leadership skills.How much power do you do you have?  Why not find out. Ask your colleagues o...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
 George S. Patton said, “Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” As leader of your team you need to be in control of your business BUT you don’t need to be a control freak. Taking that route leads to being overwhelmed. As a sole entrepreneur you, of course, need to control everything but once you decide to grow being a control freak will hold you back.Once you hire employees or take on a team your job becomes managing results of others rather than doing everything yourself. If you don’t do that effectively you will spend all of your time driving the fire truck and putting out fires. You’ll worry about how to do every detail but you will lose sight of the big picture. Why is this problematic? If you add a new team member but...
Comments 64
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Your words, no matter how eloquent, will probably not by themselves convey your message. Communication is a two-way process and it is more than just words. Effective communication involves feelings, connections, and other nonverbal signals. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best. “What you do speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you are saying.” Therefore, it is important to understand the meaning others might put on your words. Your gestures, expressions, intonations, and beliefs will communicate much more meaning than the words alone.Communication is a two-way process to exchange ideas. We communicate in order to elicit some type of response. Some examples of a response could be more knowledge, a specific action, or some type of emotion.A good communicator, to be sure of the desired response...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Ben Kinney has asked us to focus on our Mission, Vision, and Values.  In my role I help businesses do this and, therefore, I also set the example by highlighting mine.  In summary, my organization, Performance Development Strategies helps organizations and executives grow and maintain a competitive advantage by developing and more effectively utilizing their own skills and the skills of the people in their organizations. We help them achieve long-term success by meeting their challenges faster and better than their competitors.  We work with small business in a wide cross section of industries and professions.Here now our Mission, Vision, and Values:MissionWe help business owners and business executives to reach their dreams by helping them find their “why”, clarify their objectives, an...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
 This may sound counter intuitive but I would urge you never to select someone as an employee or agent based on their experience.  That may be somewhat of an exaggeration.  What I am saying is really don't base your decision solely on experience.  One of the biggest mistakes a business and hiring manager makes is hiring based solely on experience. I have seen the business owners in Westchester County New York beginning to understand this.In my last blog I spoke about leading indicators. Business owners will do well to base their decisions on these indicators. This brings me to the point of why you should not rely on experience. Experience is in the past. And as mentioned in the last blog, “Past experience is no guarantee of future performance.  In Good to Great Jim Collins explains that...
Comments 48
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Would you like to know how to spell success?  Similar to the Rolaids commercial of years ago which asked, "How do you spell relief?"  there is also an answer to How do you spell success?You find success by doing and measuring things that will lead to results.  To quote the investment commercials, "Past performance is no guarantee of future results." Just because you were successful in the past does not mean you will be successful in the future. You need to measure leading indicators.  I work with business owners in Westchester County New York who define success through their vision, their values, and goals. In addition, they monitor and measure results.You may have heard the expression, “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it” To begin, you need to have a strategic plan, goals and ...
Comments 67
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Have you ever asked someone why they got into real estate or whatever profession they chose?  The answer, by the way, only matters to them and no one else.  If the why and the passion is there then the rest can be learned.  It only matter what the individual wants.  That is because motivation to do something comes from within and it begins with a WHY.I was recently working with one of my Westchester County NY coaching clients on his business development. He was struggling with his growth and was having trouble getting his team on board. He was having a hard time accomplishing the objectives that we have worked on together in his plan. These were the goals that he had established in previous sessions. After failing to complete some of the tasks we had outlined from our previous meetings ...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
We see it all the time.  Two people apply for the same job or vie for the same sale or listing.  Why did the winner gain the sale?  The winner made a connection!Without connection there is an absence of trust and without trust there is no sale or no win.In another example you might observe two people giving a presentation on the same material and have a totally different reaction. The difference is not the content; it is the connection. You build connection with empathy. You actively listen and you ask questions that show you are interested. I think it’s a fair statement to say that how well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others.Speaking and presentation are important.  However, it is not just what we say that matte...
Comments 60
By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Regardless of what business you have you might coming up against barriers.  And these barriers may be preventing you from achieving all of the success you thing you should be having.  As I listen to many owners of businesses from restaurants to manufacturing to non-profits they are looking to remove the roadblocks and move forward. If any of these comments sound familiar, then you might have roadblocks in your organization. Our sales are flat. We can’t get our employees motivatedWe have high staff turnover.We are getting more customer complaints.We have new competition.These are several very key problems and there could be many more. Yet for each of these problems there is a root cause. The problems can be solved by being proactive rather than being reactive. How many people recognize t...
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