MAURITIUS 2018 [Part 2]

MAURITIUS 2018 [Part 2]

/in /by

In our previous blog, I began writing on the plane to Mauritius with the 2018 Winners. Over the next 5 days, I spoke to them about what it takes to be a winner, some recent in their success and for others, simply a trail of achievement over years.

We continue with the theme…

“She taught me”. Mentorship is a key to many things in management, leadership and business. The fact that a person is attributed with the success of a winner is noteworthy. How many of us are mentioned in the life successes of other individuals? What meaning for both parties is that in the course of our lifetimes; to see the other grow, to experience the dark days and enjoy laughter and prosperity together? Mentorship is crucial to our personal and business wellbeing’s. When I start out as a newbie, I watch and learn by being shown by example and taught through lecturing and then trial-and-error. Slowly, patiently I progressed to maturity in the business – this is what I call the apprenticeship. Just a slow grind of technical competence long before anyone would trust you with their bonds, both estate agent and customer.

I have a number of mentees in my life as the principle of mentoring has always been fundamental to my management. The fun occurs, when over the years, you are surpassed by your mentee; how cool is that? They take on a life of their own, learn skills different to yours and then progress even to be more successful than you, however, you decide to measure that. Truly, a virtuous cycle of life. I’ve found the challenge is to acknowledge when someone is simply better than you and then to just graciously encourage who they have become. One final note, when you have reached the pinnacle of success in your field, you need to teach others. None the least of which if you have the opportunity, those who have been previously disadvantaged. Remember, the essence of greatness is realising an abundance mentality gives everybody a place in the sun; their slice of a growing pie.

Competitiveness should give way to co-opinion as you grow your skills together in the marketplace. Some of us know these truths, whilst some still cower and “defend their patch” and the other final note is a statement that I really like, “Ek like die mense.” Let me sum up this one – if you like people, people will like you. There is no formula equating the two but it is my experience is that a smile begets a smile and an attitude begets an attitude; positive and negative. Think of it this way, don’t you like people who like you? “Passion for what you do” means that you rub off not up and people excite to you and what you have to offer.

Talking about an offering, “process and consistency” came through as the winners spoke about their technical attributes. One person was even more specific, “become more efficient and productive and respond to market changes faster while providing better service to your agents and clients.” That’s saying it like we all need to hear it. For most of the winners, they spoke about administrative efficiency in that their process had become slick and as quick as possible. What this winner is saying is that when your process is efficient, it needs to answer the question, “Is what I’m doing adding a competitive advantage?”

“Service” and “quality of work” were always mentioned in this regard, but have you looked at your competitors and said understood what it is that makes you special. Remember, one of the reasons I harp on about relationships includes the notion of your stakeholders simply knowing that their transaction is safe on your hands every time. You may need to step up to a higher level, understanding what that is, by becoming even more productive. There is a sense of enlightened self-interest in doing that – you work less when your process is optimal and you need only focus on the exceptions rather than applications that follow the norm. My suggestion is that you take a morning to observe your team and see how deals pass through the process; have a group discussion and see how the team could organise themselves either to handle more volume or, just become slicker at what they do. That way, they buy-in and everybody works a little less and agents and customers will love it. In closing, one winner had this to say, “Keep it simple, listen to the customer and know your product.” That’s sound advice on any day.

Most winners did not just arrive in Mauritius 2018. They determined to get there early enough to be considered. In the Conference, one said, “Next year I want to be in the Top 5” and set about some obvious changes: Visit 2-3 more estate agencies per month, new packaging of their offering and solid you management information to form the basis of well-prepared feedback sessions with their lead providers. Sounds easy, hey? And it worked, the business grew significantly enough to qualify. I guess the next question is, “And this year?” Why not just keep up good habits, systems and reports? At the heart of success are goals that drive you.

SMART goals that add meaning, encourage, employ people, impress agents and make customers repetitive. “Luck!” said one winner, just before she smiled and told me “angels on her path” had helped her over the years. Stories of her Dad and his influence on her life and family who had transformed her computer skills, but underpinning her confidence, and even faith, was the reality that she never gave in to giving up; something continued to drive her success. Goals set the upper limit, encourage success and warn of unacceptable performance. Goals focus the mind and secure intentionality until the rewards of success kick in to spur us on. Set some right now – “I’m going to be there next year” is the attitude of a winner. Like your Mom told you, you’ll never know until you try.

No blog of this nature would be replete, without a mention of the leader of this business. Vincent was referred to many times. “Calm, relaxed, not grilling me…a human element” was the description of this quiet yet determined man by on winner. “Mevrou, jy gaan ‘n kantoor oop maak in…”, a powerful comment for the listener; a sense of positive self-expectance and an opening up of possibility and change in an anticipative, encouraging, exciting way. Vincent has a character that, as I said at the final dinner, knows disappointment, determination, relationships and how to privilege others. That’s why he wins as his companies follow his lead. From sub-Prime to Highest Sales Performance: ooba licensee, an award won even while we were away. In typical style, Vincent hardly mentioned it but it’s an unbelievable achievement especially as we face technical recession head-on. Vincent, we respect you and appreciate you. We consider it a privilege to part of the team and to have been in Mauritius 2018, a privilege-upon-privilege. Keep it up for All of Us!

Two quotes that appeared on bed-drops each night are:

“To accomplish great things we must dream as well as act” by Anatole France, and;
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of little things brought together” by Vincent van Gogh.

On that note, think about what you’ve read then decide on your response. You know as well as I do, that reading about winners is much easier than being one, but you can dream and act. You can take little things and bring them together into one big success, even next year and for a lifetime…

Homeloan Junction wishes this upon you. Like the Afrikaans says, “Ons gun dit vir jou”.

Yours in Property

Jack Trevena
Latest posts by Jack Trevena (see all)