CHANGE requires ACTION

As we embark upon the beginning of a new year, a new administration, a new era, it is important that we assess our role and responsibility in the recovery of our economy. As REALTORS®, we have a duty “to educate consumers about the benefits of homeownership and buying opportunities in this changing real estate market,” according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

Here are three action items to help get you started:

1. Reach out to the communities that you serve by hosting a series of educational workshops. Encourage the attendees to set goals. Follow-up with the attendees to track their progress. Make it your business to make a difference in the lives of those who reach out to you for help. If you cannot personally help them, refer them to someone who can.
   
2. Raise the bar and become a person of influence. Begin by finding one thing that you do extremely well, i.e. putting together great presentations, public speaking, research, etc., and promote it. Share your knowledge and expertise with your colleagues by hosting training sessions and enlist their support in areas where you may need assistance. Your talent will soon raise the bar for other REALTORS® and inspire leadership and team building throughout the industry.
   
3. Re-energize your spirit with a dose of continuing education. Chicago Association of REALTORS® is now offering FREE continuing education courses to its members. I encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to equip yourself with information that will help you to better serve the consumers who need your expertise.

Through these times we will only grow stronger and more resilient. Through these times we discover our strengths and our weaknesses. Through these times we develop the courage to say “this too shall pass” and we move forward 14,000 strong as “The Voice of Real Estate in Chicago” taking action and making change.

Shara Danielle Winfield, Chicago Association of REALTORS® Director
shara@hamptonmarshall.com | www.hamptonmarshall.com

Comments

[Christian Vilches]

I agree with this post 110%. As a Realtor who is facing a very difficult time in the business, I have to do the only thing left to do which is working in better myself, my professional skills. Even in the most challenging market, people still buy and sell and is my dutty to reach them; and course to educate them. Right now I am working on my presentations both listing and buyer in order to make them as effective as possible; I joined Toastmasters and I'm looking for every opportunity I can find to talk in front of people (I'm still scared to talk in front of an audience) One of my goals for this year is to create a mastermind group in where I and other people can discuss about goals and ways to obtain them. I've been reading about a book a week all of them on the topic of self improvement. Anyway, I'm convinced, this is up to me no matter what.

[Genie Birch, 2009 C.A.R President Elect]

When Did Greed Replace Integrity?

We are living in strange times. I am still trying to figure out when greed replaced integrity. It seems like that is what got us into this whole economic mess. People putting themselves and their well being before those they were representing. We hear about Ponzi schemes, companies clamoring for help from the federal government just to go out and hold lavish parties, payout bonuses or buy private planes. What is going on? Why are CEO's making millions of dollars while their lowest paid workers are barely making over the minimum wage. That is if they are not being laid off. The only answer I can come up with is greed. We have created a society where the most important thing is how much we have and what we have. No matter what it cost to get it.
When I first moved back to Chicago I remember reading an article in the Chicago Tribune's Parade magazine about a man from Philadelphia (I think).
This man had a factory that burnt down. He was maybe 65 ot 70 years old. He had a couple of hundred workers. The foreman went up to him as the factory burnt down and asked him what he was going to do. The man knew that the insurance company would pay him whatever the policy was. He could walk away and live out the rest of his life comfortably and retire. It is tough at that age to rebuild a business so thought the foreman. This owner responded that he was going to rebuild this factory. Too many families depended on him. He had to do the right thing. What would the money do for him when he knew that so many of his workers that helped build up his business would not have a job. They wouldn't be able to feed their families, pay their mortgages or have health insurance. He would use the insurance money to pay the workers while they rebuilt the factory. The workers came together and took less than their salaries so that the money they left on the table could be used to rebuild the factory quicker and the owner would take less out of his pocket. Wow! What a powerful lesson!
Don't the CEO's of these companies owe their workers more than their boards? Do they really need that much money? At any cost? If they were to live a more moderate lifestyle, how many workers jobs could be saved? Don't we all have to pitch in to save ourselves, our fellow workers and our country. What happened to leading by example?
So I ask when did greed replace integrity?