Managing a team well is not easy in any industry but it is particularly tricky in the property industry.
With the launch of the New Able Agent training program, I thought it a good time to look at management in the world of estate agency.
With a landscape of high staff turnover, changing legislation, not to mention the fact that we deal with customers at their most stressed and vulnerable during house moves, plus the fact the fact that all teams are made up of a mix of skills and personalities and you will quickly understand the importance of managers being taught to manage.
Many people (myself included) have left jobs; not because they didn’t like the company or the role but that they found their direct line manager poor. An inexperienced or even bad manager can cause untold damage to a business.
If you are currently or have been a manager in agency you will be familiar with the (general) norm that means if you are a successful negotiator or lister, you will be promoted to manager. However, if you really think about it, the skills of a good negotiator or a good lister and the relevant personality types are very different from those needed by a good manager.
So why is there a lack of management training available for trainee’s or recently appointed managers and does recruitment really consider these factors, namely getting the right team with a mix of skills and personalities and a manager with the skills to drive business objectives?
Management training courses can be hugely expensive and require a lot of away day time and are often aimed at business owners or at the other end of the scale there are funded apprenticeships in leadership & management which also require a huge time commitment. The industry norm is to learn on the job or from immediate senior team members.
The secret of a winning team is more than just skill, it’s team cohesion, rapport and the manager’s skill driving them to achieve their goals.
Creating a cohesive and successful team starts with the right recruitment. Consider your own team dynamics. Too many alpha personalities may result in an overly competitive environment with less confident personalities left behind or keen to leave. Conversely a quiet team lacking confidence in a sales environment will have a negative impact on results. Skill is also key. An inexperienced team in a letting’s environment can mean too much pressure on a manager.
Understanding the team and allocating goals to the right person in the right way makes it much easier to achieve the necessary results. Delegating, time management and how to set and monitor smart goals are however only a small section of the skills required to drive a successful team.
So business owners should consider whether they have a cohesive team, sharing common goals with manager able to support and drive them to success and managers should consider whether you have the necessary skills.
Find out about our new Management training program here
We are also hosting a live webinar on Wed 12th June at 930 – register here
Introduction to The Able Agent Management Training – Wednesday 12th June 9:30am