I wanted to share some thoughts sparked by a video I saw in a class earlier today. This is being shot in the afternoon, so my energy might be a little different, but the message is crucial. The video featured Kara Lawson, the women's basketball coach at Duke University. It was a clip they showed on SportsCenter, where she talks to her female athletes about handling hardship better. Her insights resonated deeply with me.
When I was in college, I was a student-athlete too. Back then, I didn't fully grasp what hardship meant for me. My experiences at that time shaped my perspective, but as years passed, my understanding of handling difficult situations evolved. Now, I constantly strive to handle hard things better than I did before. It's not about perfection but about improvement—responding to challenges in a way that makes me proud of my reactions and how I managed my emotions.
Handling hard better means maintaining control of myself and my responses. It also involves ensuring that my relationships with people and situations remain intact after the difficulty has passed. This approach is especially relevant now, as our industry is about to undergo significant changes.
In a few days, we will experience a major shift in our industry. Despite all the preparation—company policies, training sessions, updated processes—the real test comes when the switch is flicked. It's like asking our entire industry to switch from putting their left thumb on top to putting their right thumb on top. Practice is essential, but execution in the heat of the moment is the true challenge.
As a broker, manager and leader, preparation is my first step in handling hard. Am I ready to answer questions from buyers or sellers who might not be as informed as we'd like them to be? Handling these calls requires patience and consistency, ensuring that every person I talk to gets the best version of me, no matter how repetitive the conversation feels.
Another crucial aspect is ensuring that our office, accounting, and closing departments are prepared. Agents need their settlement statements well in advance, similar to the early days of TRID when documents had to be provided three to four days before loan funding. This preparation ensures that everyone gets the compensation they expect, especially since title companies and closing attorneys might be looking in new places for this information.
Moreover, as broker/managers, we've conducted workshops and training sessions for our agents. But inevitably, there will be an agent who missed all the training and calls in a panic while heading to a listing presentation. In these moments, it's essential not to get flustered but to provide the support they need, even if it’s last minute.
So, how do you handle hard? How do you prepare yourself to be the best version of you when challenges arise? I'd love to hear your strategies for managing difficult situations. And if you haven't seen Kara's video yet, I'll drop the link below. It's definitely worth the 3 minutes of your time.
Stay strong and handle hard better!
#DES
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