What Makes for an Effective REALTOR® Association Leader?

Leadership: What it's Worth, How to Get Started

As you move into local, state, or national leadership, you'll find it useful to keep in mind some general attributes of REALTOR® leaders:

REALTOR® leaders are motivated and consistent. This means staying abreast of changes in the industry, regularly attending REALTOR® events, and helping your fellow members in their efforts to deepen their learning and grow their businesses. You must learn and mentor in equal measure.

They can make executive decisions. REALTOR® leadership calls for quick evaluation of the territory and decision on a course of action. You must understand the most important happenings in the real estate field and have informed opinions about what response to take. Scan headlines to keep apprised of the latest trends in real estate business and policy and learn to respond to changes in the field.

They also listen carefully. Making executive decisions shouldn’t be confused with “giving orders.” Leaders rarely make solo judgments. More often it’s a matter of knowing where to seek help and advice. Next time you’re in a meeting ask yourself: Which colleagues speak most cogently about the issues at hand? Whom would I trust to give me advice?

They are passionate. REALTOR® leadership is intensely rewarding. It can also be intensely demanding. Your work as a leader must engage your passions if you are to keep with it.

Yet our leaders aren’t pigeonholed by their passions. They understand many aspects of the profession.

Although you are likely to have a special interest in two or three issues, there may be a dozen ways to address them; unless you keep yourself broadly informed you may only learn half. For example, you may want to know everything about your local market, but do you understand national regulatory issues affecting the profession as a whole? A good leader needs to know a little bit about everything in the real estate field.

Why a diverse leadership?
How leaders get their start

This material is excerpted from the brochure Leadership: What It's Worth, How to Get Started.

Download the brochure (PDF: 845KB)