Sunday, December 12, 2010

Holiday Wish

Each year at my office we send a copy of one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul stories to my agents. It’s a tradition that my dad started decades ago, and we still continue it to this day. It’s always a big hit because the stories are so touching and remind us of the importance of caring for one another and giving our time.

One of my favorites talks about a sociology research study done in a slum in Baltimore. After interviewing 200 young boys, each of the researchers wrote the same evaluation for them: “He hasn’t got a chance.”
Twenty-five years later another sociology professor decided to find out what happened to those 200 boys. He found almost of all of them and discovered that the majority had found more than “ordinary success.”
Why? Each of them said there was a teacher in his life that made a difference for them.

My holiday wish for REALTORS® in 2011 is that we’ll be teachers and be willing to be taught. If you’ve been in the business for a while, find a new REALTOR® that you can mentor. If you’re new to the business, seek out a mentor.
I learned the business from my father, and his insights have helped me tremendously. He is one of the best mentors anyone could have.

If we aren’t learning we aren’t growing. Every in agent in your office can help contribute to you being a better salesperson. Every member of your local and state association can help you be a better leader. Our association is filled with teachers, talent and wisdom.

We’re facing great challenges in the coming year. We’re working to open up credit lines so we can get the real estate market off its feet. We’re also working overtime to protect the mortgage interest deduction. NAR has your back on these vital issues.
But success in our industry will take more than strong legislation. We also need wise professional counsel. If you’re just starting out, contact your local association and get involved. Then find someone who can mentor you. None of us goes it alone. We all need a strong teacher to guide our steps and encourage us to blaze new trails.

I hope in the coming year we can each find ourselves teaching, learning and improving our businesses one lesson at a time. All my best to you this holiday season! – Elizabeth Mendenhall, 2011 NAR Vice President and Liaison to Committees

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