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After only 3 weeks, one of my clients had to let one of his staff members go. This staff member came highly recommended and had all of the qualifications for the job; she even had experience in the industry. That didn't mean that she was going to fit. She was a stress case and, in his business he needed someone flexible and adaptable. I understood and wasn't surprised he had to let her go. After having a few conversations with the company's president and getting to know him a little, I got a sense of the TYPE of people that would be a good fit for his organization.

Now, ordinarily my clients don't have much trouble finding the right people once they've got the right system in place. In this client's case, he hadn't installed the System of Hiring the Right People into his company. When I talk with business owners, there are often two primary concerns or frustrations they share with me. Number one is generating more leads and increasing sales. Number two is finding and hiring the right people, not necessarily in that order.

Today I want to talk about finding and keeping the right people for your business. If you have the right people coupled with the best systems, you will be able to deal with concern number one, getting more business more effectively. Having a highly effective people screening and hiring process will greatly enhance your company's ability to produce results throughout your business. When a business hires the wrong person the result of that decision can affect the business in two ways.

#1 - The person is unable to get the results or perform the tasks of the position.

Example: you might have a bookkeeper who is unable to reconcile your books properly, a receptionist who doesn't answer the phone the way you want it answered, or a listing coordinator unable to make changes to a listing on MLS correctly. When you have a systems-driven business, these problems or lack of performance are resolved. When you have quality procedures and documentation in place your people will be more effective at producing the results you want. Example: I have a client that needed some bookkeeping support. They decided to hire an assistant to help the manager of the accounting department. The first thing they did was make sure all the bookkeeping systems were well documented and produced the results they wanted. Once they found the right person, with the minimum requisite skills necessary to operate the bookkeeping software, she was able to follow the system and performed her job beautifully.

The point is that having a good procedure will eliminate many of the performance related frustrations that plague business owners and managers.

#2 - This problem deals more with attitudes and adherence to YOUR predetermined culture and way of doing business.

Let's face it. Virtually every business owner has dealt with team members that were very capable people in terms of producing results and, yet, something about that person just didn't seem to fit the organization. In other words, they weren't the "right person for the bus". What exactly does that mean? It simply means this: the best businesses in the world have their own unique personality. That personality often defines and separates a business from their competition and often from all other businesses. Consider Starbucks, Nordstrom's, Ritz Carlton, Disneyland and Southwest Airlines just to name a few. Each of these companies has a unique personality that separates it from its competition.

The reason these organizations stand out has to do with the conduct of its people. Their employees fit the personality of the business and conduct themselves in accordance with it. I don't believe it was a mistake that Southwest Airlines has a reputation for being friendly, fun and being customer centric. They specifically hire people with those characteristics. They find the right people to be on the bus. Most businesses rarely consider and consciously develop the "personality" or culture. As a result, business owners occasionally find themselves frustrated that their people are not ACTING the way they want them to. Example: I have a client that had a manager that just didn't seem to fit the organization. The manager had a lot of skill and yet his department was suffering. When I asked my client what seemed to be the problem, after some prompting, he discovered the manager was very closed-minded and unwilling to change and grow. He was pretty set in his ways.

My client came to the conclusion that one of the defining characteristic of his business was the fact that the business and the people within it were ALWAYS learning and growing. Both personally and professionally. This manager was not. Because the manager had values in conflict with those of the company he had a negative and adverse effect on the personality of the business.

My client invested time in mentoring and communicating the character of the business he was creating, but the manager simply didn't respond. He ultimately was let go. Ironically, all the people that worked for him in that department heaved a sigh of relief and collectively said, "It's about time." Hiring the wrong people affects your business in two ways. Either you don't get the tangible performance from your people, or it has a negative impact on the differentiating personality of your business.

#1 - Hiring for skill and experience first. When you have a systems driven business, your primary job is to make sure that the people you hire have the ability or minimum requisite skill necessary to operate your systems. Example: Let's pretend that you are looking to hire a bookkeeper and your business runs QuickBooks. Assume your documented systems require that the person has a requisite knowledge or experience with that program, then you would only consider people with that skill, training or experience. At the same time, you don't necessarily need someone who has experience in your type of business. Here is a Real Estate specific example. Often I find realtors make the mistake of limiting their search to people that have previous experience in real estate. They will only hire someone who has specific experience acting as a listing or transaction coordinator. When you have good systems in place, you can open your search to people that have general computer skill and experience.

#2 - Poor Planning or having to rush to a decision. Often business owners don't plan far enough ahead to anticipate when they will need new people to support their growth. That leaves them with very little time to be selective about the candidates they bring in. There is a direct relationship between your sales, capacity to serve and the number of people you have in your business, so let's take a look at a typical scenario in real estate. You should have a pretty good idea of how many transactions a Listing Coordinator can effectively manage per month before their quality of service and performance drops dramatically. If you don't know, than I highly recommend you find out. Now let's say that you plan to grow your business by 25% this year. This will add 25% more transactions. At this point you might realize that your Listing Coordinator is going to be at capacity in about 2 months at the rate of growth you are experiencing. So start the recruiting and hiring process NOW. That way you will have plenty of time to find the right person for the business. Don't wait until your Listing Coordinator is pulling their hair out or you see drops in quality and service.

# 3 - Not listening to real life examples of how the candidate really behaves at work. Past behavior is usually a good indicator of future performance. Let's say part of the culture or personality you are striving to create in your business is a strong team oriented, where people stop to serve and support each other even in the midst of their own busyness. In your pursuit of finding the right person, you carefully craft a question that is meant to determine if the candidate is a team player. You might ask the question, "Give me an example of how you've responded to a situation where you were under pressure to get a task completed and at the same time a staff member asked for your help because they were really behind on a project." Now if the candidate says, "Well if something like that happened I would..." This particular response is based on theory. In other words, they haven't had that situation so you really don't know how they would handle it. Now if a candidate says, "Well I had something like that happen at another company and this is what I did..." Now you have a response based on past behavior. They may not give the answer that suggests that they are a team player but at least you know how they would handle future situations.

#4 - Not being objective in your evaluation and assessment of candidates. The hiring process is one that tends to be very intuitive in the first place, but we can't leave the decision entirely up to our gut. There are people out there that are great at interviewing. If you don't specifically score the responses and qualities you look for objectively, you might be wowed into hiring someone that really doesn't fit your organization. I call it "Happy Ears" and it could cost you a lot of money in a poor hiring decision. Keep it objective, and if possible, involve people that are not emotionally involved in the hiring and interviewing process.

#1 - Hire for personality and fit first. Look for people who will fit into the organization. In the Level Seven System we help our clients identify the personality or culture they want to create. Then we help them describe what we refer to as the Characteristics of the Ideal Team Member. We encourage them to look for people that match the personality of the business first.

#2 - Know that your "documented systems and procedures" will make up for any deficiencies in previous experience and skill. In some cases, hiring someone from outside your industry can actually be more beneficial to your business.

#3 - Always be recruiting. I didn't say always be hiring, but you should always be on the lookout for quality people that will fit your business. I have a client that refers to the recruiting and hiring process as "weed and seed." It was a little cold hearted but he realized that his standards for performance and expectations for his people where always going up. The reality for him was that a person that served as a great employee today may not be able to keep up with the growth of the business and the people within it. They may eventually need to be replaced. He was always on the lookout for better people and was willing to replace those that weren't adding great value to the business. I know that might sound harsh, but it is a fact of life for businesses that are continually growing.

#4 - Be slow to hire, fast to fire. Companies like Proctor and Gamble, Microsoft, Google and others have tremendous resources and information available to them to aid in the hiring decision process, but they still make mistakes. However they are able to identify the people that slipped through the cracks very quickly and get rid of them. They know the potential costs associated with having the wrong people around. Companies like Proctor and Gamble and GE have cult like cultures and "internal personalities" and when someone doesn't fit they often stand out like a sore thumb.

#5 - Have a documented system or procedure that walks you and your people through the hiring process. Don't wing it. Know what you are looking for. Ask great questions and take your time screening a candidate. As I mentioned previously, conduct multiple interviews and get other more objective team members involved.

I recommend to many of our clients to conduct a three, four or five step interview and candidate screening process. That might sound like a lot but it will save you headaches and money in the long run. Even though having a systems-driven environment is key to a well run business, having the right people to operate those systems separates the average companies from the truly awesome.

To see more on Systems and The Hiring Process Watch and Learn at CKGTV.com  Real Estates Premier Free Resource of Online Learning

If you consider what makes someone attractive compared to someone who is unattractive, it doesn't always pertain to their outside appearance. Most people are drawn, or attracted, to people who have inner strength that is projected outwards.

We want to become someone who people are naturally attracted to, but sometimes others can see our attitudes, character and negative approach to life without our knowledge and we wonder why we are either alone or surrounded by people who always seem to drain our energy.

In order to attract the right people in our lives, we need to learn some basic attributes that can help us become more attractive, so-to-speak. The "principles" of attraction are skill sets that help you to attract the right people, ideas and opportunities for you.." By incorporating these ideas in your life you will:

Have more free time

Have less stress in your life

Have more energy

Take better care of your body

Nourish your spirit

Eliminate the things or people who are zapping the energy out of you

These ideas are based on the concepts of Thomas Leonard who wrote the book, University Coach.

Keep in mind that when you ponder these ideas they strictly pertain to attraction. Consider then what makes you attracted to someone else; what draws you to them, what is it about them that makes you want to have them in your life? If you can look at people who inspire you, or people you consider to be "heroes," you'll notice that these people generally carry and apply all of the above traits in their lives. Now you have the opportunity to begin drawing the right people and the right things into your life as well.

Watch Jon Assaraf on mindset and Laws of Attraction Here on CKGTV.com Watch and Learn

In the business of real estate, it's sometimes hard to get individual agents to feel like, or participate as a team member. As a team leader, how to get your agents to think with and act with a team mentality is not always cut and dry. So how do you develop a team from the group of agents you already have? Better yet, how do you get these individuals to do what you need and want them to do in order for your business - or team -  to be successful?
 
There are three basic elements that need to be in place for any change to happen within your organization:

The desire to change: The individual must be motivated to create new behavior, or have a compelling reason to do so. If they think that what they are doing is fine, they won't feel a need to make any changes. To create the desire for change, a good leader must provide an awareness of the need to change. They should have a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished. This means showing the individual the benefits of leaving their comfort zone, discussing why the change is required, and making them aware of what the consequences are if they don't make the appropriate changes. You can do this through training, open dialog sessions, and by providing examples of what their competitors are doing.

The ability to change: Knowing your team, you should be able to determine whether or not your team member has the ability to make the required changes. If the motivation is there, but the skill level is not, the skill can then be taught. But if there isn't any motivation, it's highly doubtful the skill will be adapted. A team member should have a clear understanding of their own role within the company, and know that their ideas and thoughts make a valuable contribution to the success of the company. Never underestimate the basic help or assistance an employee may require. Although you may know a lot about the business, someone fresh in the industry will need a mentor to show them the ropes.
The permission to change: The change must then come from within. The individual must allow himself the permission to make the changes and they have to agree to those changes. If there's no desire, then time is truly being wasted.

The True Meaning of a Team

A team is a group of people that all function together as one, while each individual contributes their own talent towards a common goal. They recognize they are independent, but understand that the goals of the team are accomplished with mutual support. There's no time wasted struggling over turf, or attempting personal gain at the expense of others.
 
A group, on the other hand, consists of individuals who work with an administrative purpose. There is a huge difference in what can be considered a team, vs merely a "group." Here are some detailed examples of how a team interacts in different situations vs how a group interacts:

Ownership

o Group: Individuals focus on themselves and are not involved in the unit's objective because they are not a part of any planning.
o Team: They claim ownership of the job and unit and are committed to the values of the common goal they help to establish. They are brought in on the planning process.

Creativity

o Group: They are told what to do.
o Team: They contribute to the organization's success by applying their unique talents.

Trust

o Group: Individuals trust only themselves.
o Team: There is a climate of trust because they are encouraged to use their ideas.

Common Understanding

o Group: They are cautious in what they say.
o Team: They have open and honest communication.

Personal Development

o Group: They receive good training, but are limited to applying those newfound skills in their jobs because of the restrictions put on them by their manager or group members.
o Team: They are encouraged to continue developing their skills and to apply those new skills in their jobs, which are supported by management.

Conflict Resolution

o Group: They are unable to resolve conflict situations and the manager typically puts it off until serious damage has been done; creating a "fend for your own life" environment.
o Team: They understand that conflict is a normal aspect of human interaction and see it as an opportunity to explore new ideas and creativity. They work to resolve conflicts quickly and constructively.

Decision Making

o Group: They may or may not participate in the decisions that affect the group. Conformity becomes more important than results due to control issues.
o Team: They participate in decisions that affect the team and understand that the leader must make the final decision whenever the team can't decide. Positive, win-win results are the goal at all times.

Clear Leadership

o Group: They work in an unstructured environment with undetermined standards of performance. Their leaders don't walk the walk, but simply lead by the seat of their pants.
o Team: They have a structured environment and know the boundaries and who has the final authority. Their leader sets the agreed high performance standards and is respected by the team that is willing to participate.

Commitment
o Group: They are uncommitted towards excellence and personal pride because their personal expectations are not fulfilled and they are not learning or growing. This creates mediocre performance, or worse yet, high staff turnover.
o Team: They are determined to work together towards their goals and the goals of the team, since they were involved in the planning process. They also believe that their team leader is committed to their success.
 
So if you want a team, rather than a group of people working for you, it's important to create structure, accountability, standards, commitment and an involvement of ideas. To sell the team concept you have to involve the team.

Creating a Team

Now that you understand how a team works, it's time to start building your team. That means asking the critical question: Who should be on your team?
 Envision the outcome of your team and company and fill positions based on talents, goals and the ability to reach those goals. Then make sure to have these three strategies in place:

1. Expectations of the team members: The perception of a new team member's role should be clear and concise. Explain to them what needs to be done and what is expected of them right from the get-go. Without that valuable information, your employee will have limited goals and low standards.

2. Accountability of team members: How can you hold someone accountable for their job or the work they produce if they are unaware of the expectations? Each team member should be held accountable for what is required of him or her. It's important to meet with your team and individual team members frequently to make sure they are on the right track and review what they've done versus what they haven't done.

3. The Right People in the Right Places: Little mistakes can add up and eventually become costly. When selecting employees, determine what their strengths and weaknesses are and build their role from there. Empower their strengths and delegate the weaknesses. The wrong person in the wrong place causes a loss of productivity and income, so sometimes changes in duties or responsibilities need to be made.

The type of team you build is relevant to the amount of success your company will achieve. Developing a strong team isn't hard work, but as mentioned earlier, a change also needs to take place within the leader of the team. Once you apply these basic principles, you will quickly begin to notice how well your team works together.

Watch and Learn with Real Estate's Premier Resource for Online Learning at CKGTV.com

While there are many variations of how to acheive goals this process has help me over the years.  After attending conferences or seminars it is always amazing to me how excited everyone is! Then they get back to thier routine and never incorporate any of the ideas that stimulated them! 

It is important to visualize and prioritize your goals, I tend to write down all the things I want to accomplish each day at a conference and then at night debrief and prioritize for the day.  At the end of a conference I do the same thing and try to have no more than 10 things to accomplish but I really focus on my top 3 to ensure I get implementation!

Once I am clear I go through the following 8 Steps.

1. Identify the goal in detail
2. Due Diligence (SMART GOALS)
3. Commitment to the Goal
4. Write out detailed action plan
5. Identify Mooring Lines
6. Have Written Solutions for the mooring lines
7. Begin the Plan
8. CELEBRATE SUCCESS.

Check out The Inside a Mastermind Series on CKGTV.com for more great tips from Bill Renaud on

Real Estates Premier Free resource for online Learning at CKGTV.com

.

OTTAWA, January 1, 2008 -- Real Estate coaching was revolutionized when CKG International created the first 100% customizable program for top producing agents. Today, CKG International continues to the development of realtor training by launching a new venture, CKG TV.com.

To further its stance on training the real estate industry, CKG International will launch the first online network that is solely dedicated to providing realtors with cutting edge industry leading information and training this month. www.ckgtv.com. Realtors will have the ability to Watch and Learn from several different channels like:

an interview Channel featuring the best top producers sharing their success stories.

: A Channel that brings experts from across different industry to provide out of the box thinking.

: Marketing, Luxury, Technology, HR, Archived, Foreclosures and Short Sales and Hispanic.

CKG TV also features an Expert Series that will provide you ongoing updates from several different industry experts like Michael Russer, Eden Sunshine, Raleigh Pinskey and Brad Carroll just to name a few.

"For the past couple of years realtors have been struggling with finding a way to get the training required to stay competitive in the industry. They are tried of attending seminars that are time consuming and that often happen during the work week. Now with the help of CKG TV they will be able to get that training at their convenience and from the comfort of their home or office," said Scott

Goodfellow president of CKG International.

About CKG International

CKG International is an Ottawa based real estate training firm that deals exclusively with the top 5% of the agents in the real estate industry. For more information on CKG International, please visit our website at http://www.ckginternational.com/.

OTTAWA, January 1, 2008 -- Real Estate coaching was revolutionized when CKG International created the first 100% customizable program for top producing agents. Today, CKG International continues to the development of realtor training by launching a new venture, CKGTV.com.

To further its stance on training the real estate industry, CKG International will launch the first online network that is solely dedicated to providing realtors with cutting edge industry leading information and training this month. http://www.ckgtv.com/. Realtors will have the ability to Watch and Learn from several different channels like:

Inside A Mastermind: an interview Channel featuring the best top producers sharing their success stories.

Special Feature:  A Channel that brings experts from across different industry to provide out of the box thinking.

Other Channels include: Marketing, Luxury, Technology, HR, Archived, Foreclosures and Short Sales and Hispanic.

CKG TV also features an Expert Series that will provide you ongoing updates from several different industry experts like  Michael Russer, Eden Sunshine, Raleigh Pinskey and  Brad Carroll just to name a few.

"For the past couple of years realtors have been struggling with finding a way to get the training required to stay competitive in the industry. They are tried of attending seminars that are time consuming and that often happen during the work week. Now with the help of CKG TV they will be able to get that training at their convenience and from the comfort of their home or office," said Scott

Goodfellow president of CKG International.

About CKG International

CKG International is an Ottawa based real estate training firm that deals exclusively with the top 5% of the agents in the real estate industry. For more information on CKG International, please visit our website at http://www.ckginternational.com/.