It’s always amazing to me to read quotes, like the one below, from ancient geniuses like Aristotle and to realize how many ideas remain true throughout all of time. Over 2,000 years ago, Aristotle already understood that systems inherently help groups of people to reach their goals more quickly, more easily and with less stress. He wrote:
“Systems are inherently more efficient than non systems” – Aristotle
As a real estate leader, think about all of the systems that you employ on a daily basis.
a. Recruiting
b. Interviewing
c. Retention
d. Marketing
e. Finance
f. Online services
g. Lead generation
h. Referrals
i. Legal
j. Advertising
k. Communications
l. Public relations
m. Seller services
n. Buyer services
o. Coaching
This list goes on forever, so complete it for yourself as it relates to your specific situation.
A real estate operation is essentially nothing more than an amalgamation of ‘systems’ which can be developed, underdeveloped, or completely undeveloped by leadership. So, if you find yourself having difficulty achieving a specific goal, or dealing with a persistent cultural problem in your organization, look for ‘gaps’ in your systems.
“A system is perfectly designed to get the results that it gets” – Outward Bound
This is an absolutely fascinating concept. Consider the example that follows, but keep in mind that this idea applies to virtually everything that we do.
If you have hired three (or whatever number) agents per year for the past three years or more, your system is perfectly designed to achieve that result!
Sometimes people feel that they ‘just don’t have the knack,’ or ‘It’s not their style’… when in reality it is an “undeveloped system” that is causing the problem. This is GREAT NEWS, because systems are within our control and can be changed, improved and even replaced!
“We are all either the beneficiaries of, or the slaves to our systems (habits),
which are changeable” – Bob Albanese
But why don’t people change their systems? Most often it is because we rely upon our habits, likes and dislikes when it comes to choosing how to approach our daily leadership activities.
Please read the statement below out loud, slowly, and allow it to ‘sink in’.
“We have systems…either by design, or by default!” – Bob Albanese
This concept is really a break through when you consider it! There is really no choice about our having systems. The only real choice is whether we are going take control of them, or abdicate control to unconscious chance. If we do not take control, whatever happens by default becomes our system.
So, we can create systems by conscious design or forfeit control of them to fate. Which one makes more sense to you?
