1. Leverage Personal Experiences
Build your authentic brand by leveraging your unique experiences. See each experience as a training ground to develop both your hard and soft leadership skills. Authentic leaders do not shy away from their past but instead, embrace it as a source of learning and growth.
2. Recognize Individual Strengths for the Greater Good
Understand the unique strengths of each individual and how they can contribute to the team. Be curious, recognizing, and leveraging the diverse talents and skills that people bring for the greater good. Nurture a culture that encourages individuality, a sense of ownership, and the freedom to voice ideas. Facilitate structures, like agent-led workshops and round tables, that allow ideas to be shared, discussed, and implemented, fostering a shared sense of ownership and purpose.
3. Establish Real Connections
Show genuine curiosity about your team members and their lives outside work. See the commonalities more than the differences, and acknowledge what is important to them – be it charity work, hobbies, or other personal interests. Understand their motivations and what they aspire to do, acknowledging that people may evolve and change over time. Building genuine relationships enables you to foster a work culture where every team member feels valued, appreciated, and free to share their ideas, further driving creativity and innovation within the organization.
4. Establish a Vision
Understand what you’re trying to achieve and arm your team with a sense of direction and purpose. Make your business kinder, introduce tech, and turn sales into partnerships. Be a real estate advisor, providing high-touch service in a helpful, advisory, non-pushy manner.
5. Identify and Utilize Unique Value Drivers
Know what gives your company a competitive edge, such as your company’s structure, culture, resources, lead generation tactics, marketing strategies, or concierge services. Leverage these unique value drivers to enhance your organization’s standing in the marketplace.
6. Communicate Effectively
Practice transparent and effective communication, listen actively, and ask probing questions. Encourage an environment where individuals can clarify their thoughts, express curiosity, and provide honest feedback.
7. Empathize and Show Humility
Practice empathy and humility. Avoid preconceived notions, value the person behind the role, and keep learning from everyone. Understand that releasing control can provide you with more power.
8. Develop Deep Industry Knowledge
Stay knowledgeable about your business and industry. Understand past trends and current happenings, and be ready to pivot when needed. Always look for what’s around the corner and be open to change.
9. Maintain Consistency and Stability
Be real, vulnerable, and humble. Maintain a stable demeanor unaffected by external circumstances. Create routines and focus on the big picture, ignoring minor distractions.
10. Foster a Culture of Authenticity and Self-Care
Encourage individuality and self-care. Understand that if you aren’t taking care of yourself, you aren’t taking care of others. Promote a work environment that allows people to be their unique selves and a culture that values quality of life as real success. Incorporate elements of rest and relaxation in the workspace, and encourage everyone to have a trusted advisor to seek counsel from.