GET IT DONE: Bouncing Back

BY BARBARA BALLINGER

Lessons learned

Tough situations raise feelings of doubt, angst, and stress. But mining something meaningful from those painful moments is what helps you grow. Take a cue from colleagues who’ve gracefully turned their frustrations into learning experiences.

1. Arguments with a family member led broker-owner Pam Beard, CRB, CRS®, of BrokerSouth GMAC Real Estate in Vicksburg, Miss., to take a class on how to work smarter with angry folks.
Lesson learned: Don’t argue back. Ask a series of questions to better understand the other person’s point of view and engage in a conversation rather than a disagreement. “It takes more control,” Beard says, “but using the technique in business has helped me close transactions.”

2. Spending too much money monthly on ads, promotions, and an assistant put intense pressure on Don Magalhaes, a salesperson with RE/MAX Accord in San Ramon, Calif., to list and sell at a too-rapid pace.

Lesson learned: Analyze expenses to see where you can cut without hurting sales. “I cut some monthly ads and switched my assistant to part-time status. I’m doing better and feel less pressure,” he says.

3. Taking a long-term relationship for granted by not returning a call right away allowed another salesperson to step in and grab the deal, says salesperson Randy Dix, CRS®, with Prudential California Realty in Bellflower, Calif.

Lesson learned: Never rest on past performance. “Treat every deal and relationship as if it were a one-time shot and you give your best,” says Dix.

4. Working with salespeople in Florida where legal requirements differ from those in his state complicated a closing, led to delays, and strained communications, says Anthony C. Agurs, ABR®, CRS®, broker, president, and CEO of The Agurs Group Inc. in San Diego.

Lesson learned: Do your homework on requirements in the other state. Keep communications smooth throughout the deal by discussing differences in how business is conducted from the get-go so that no surprises arise, says Agurs.

5. Dennis Starr, broker-owner of ERA Starr Realty in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., was surprised—and hurt—when he spotted another company’s For Sale sign on close friends’ property after they’d told him they weren’t selling.

Lesson learned: “Don’t take business transactions personally,” says Starr, or let business affect a friendship. Instead of stewing, he told his friends in a non-confrontational way that he was surprised they weren’t using him. “They explained they hadn’t planned to sell, but a salesperson told them he had a buyer who would pay an exceptional price. The offer was too good to turn down. I understood,” he says.