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“Your true colors are showing.” Too often, this idiom refers to the image of a person when they are mad or challenged. If we demonstrate integrity and congruence within, no matter the circumstances, then our true colors should shine through as a compliment of admirable attributes, not a secret, darker side. A quality leader (person or organization) provides exceptional service, not only in pleasant times but also and especially when times get incredibly tough.
As we continue to deal with a global pandemic and the challenges it imposes on our lives, it is crucial now more than ever to be that support for our clients, our families and our employees and teammates. Communicating our beliefs and finding ways to help those in need is vital. However, such communication equates to more than effective speech. Perhaps more importantly, it equates to attentive listening, too.
Listen For What Clients Are Feeling
Many of my clients have expressed fear about their recently purchased properties and the financial path ahead. Whether contemplating job security or funding for their new home or investment, they feel uncertainty, which is taking its toll on the psyche. Clients in seller positions also worry. Some have purchased a home and are in the midst of selling their existing property, so the potential of not selling in time weighs on them.
As real estate professionals, now is the time to demonstrate our value in every possible aspect. We need to listen to our clients’ concerns and proactively develop plans of action for their peace of mind before they even request the proposals. Proactive anticipation of issues and offering solutions are opportunities to provide real assistance that anyone can create when they listen.
Did you know banks and lenders already have specific policies and procedures in place to address uncommon scenarios? Most people are unaware that they exist. Instead of waiting to communicate special policies when a crisis hits, share these strategies early in client discussions and planning. As you communicate the available options to customers or clients and reassure them of your knowledge and dedication, you can arrange smooth transitions for their personal and corporate hurdles. Revisit these plans with past clients as well, letting them know that you care and are ready to listen to their concerns, anytime.
But this is only one aspect of how we assist.
Offer Employees Encouragement Always And Additional Support As Needed
Our staff members are not immune to the effects of economic backslides. It is discernibly a difficult time in their careers as they have families to provide for. Employees are the backbone of our business, and keeping their minds focused is crucial to their endured success. Continue to encourage them so that they know their employer is there for them, eager to listen and willing to lend a hand.
As a company, strategize ways to incorporate effective communication into the assorted aspects of their current day-to-day duties. Offering open lines of communication with both their clients and loved ones allows staff members, and anyone who needs support, the opportunity to provide and receive comfort along with perspective simultaneously. Openly exchanging ideas and experiences with one another will prepare them for the eventual return to a more typical business environment and help restore post-pandemic personal interactions.
Solidify Personal Relationships With Constant Contact
Daily, I reflect on how experiencing my closest relationships with family and friends has been altered. Social gatherings are always such vital events in our lives. Whether having lunch at my parents’ or passing the time in the company of my cousins, we worked to not take it for granted. That’s why the gravity of our current situation has such a distinct impact. Making an effort to stay in constant contact has been a tremendously useful coping mechanism for our family. For example, we celebrated my birthday differently this year by delivering cake to numerous family households just so we could all sing “Happy Birthday” while safely distanced, together. Undoubtedly, a small gesture became a large memory-maker for this particular milestone, and as the years pass, I’ll surely remember how special it was.
I find it most difficult to refrain from visiting with my grandparents. Older people are the most vulnerable during the pandemic, and they are frequently the most susceptible to our occasional neglect, which necessitates concerted efforts to tend their well-being and see them as the experienced leaders in our lives who have helped us navigate previously uncharted waters. We should not ignore the imprint a simple phone call can leave on their day and the fortuitous joy we will likely receive from connecting with the individuals who love us most. It is a powerful interaction that, before long, we will wish we experienced more frequently.
More applicable today than any time in our past, remaining relevant to our loved ones, clients, customers and co-workers will preserve the bond that took years and sometimes decades to nurture, and reassure us all that those bonds are neither forgotten nor unappreciated. Communicating in our current social climate is more purposeful than ever before. We need to focus on what and who is most valuable and continue to appreciate what we have.
Do not hesitate to connect with those whom you know need you most at this time. These experiences and perspectives propel us toward solutions in a time rife with obstacles. Be the voice of encouragement, exchange positivity and provide the many forms of hope that the people in your lives can utilize. Whether through a phone call, a video chat or a card in the mail, what may seem simple and ordinary can sometimes reverberate for years to come in the lives of those with whom we choose to involve ourselves. Let your true colors show in the small things and the bigger picture will always stay focused.
Stay safe and remain optimistic.