I have always enjoyed the presence of songbirds, and have kept feeders out for them year ‘round for as long as I can remember. It's a lot of fun to see both the regular visitors and the exotic travelers as they migrate though our locale, and it's also a nice distraction for my cats that enjoy stalking the creatures on the other side of the glass.
But there are also problems with regularly feeding wildlife. These creatures become dependent on you for their sustenance, and once they have adapted to your benevolence their lives depend on you. If you stop the feedings, some will perish, and most will seek other sources of food in another location.
The same can be said for offering assistance to those that are new in the workplace. We all want to be considered helpful, but our efforts to train should not encourage dependency. Rather, our instruction should be directed to teaching new ones how to fend for themselves.
If we do the work for them rather that teach them how to do it, and then cease to do so, they will suffer the same fate as the hungry birds. They will either get out of the business, or migrate to a different company.
It's nice to be helpful, but it's better to be instructional! Keeping that in mind, let's teach the new ones to fly on their own!
We'll all be better off in the end!
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Richard, When I was brand new in the business the best advice I was given was to practically glue myself to a top producer and watch and learn. I did just that. I went with her on listing and closing appts. and learned more with her, and learned it quickly, than I did in any classroom.
Richard,
A distinction with substance. I move on quickly from the ones who won't take the time to learn, rather than just having it done for them.
Rich
Amen Richard I willl happily show you how to load a listing . But I will not do it for you.
Its the Teach a Man to fish or give him a fish proverb. Teach and he can eat a lifetime, Give and he eats today. This is a powerful lesson and can be applied to most walks of life. Good post Richard!
Good post Richard! I think in this business it's good to learn from a more experienced agent, but I learn best by doing. Give me some direction and let me go!
Hi Richard:
I'm always happy to lend a quick hand to someone to get them in the right direction, then let them learn the rest on their own...
Barb...
That is always the best way to learn, if you have someone nice enough to let you tag along! Thanks, as always, for the comment.
Rich...
If you let them they will try to take over your life! THX
Charlie...
That seems obvious, but many will fall into the trap of doing everything! Thanks my friend!
Gail...
Exactly! But I had to use this Titmouse photo so I used the birds instead of fish! lol and thanks.
Jared...
Exactly ..."direction"... that's the perfect word! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Toula...
Which I thing is the theoretical position that most of us have, but it's easy to let it get out of hand! Thanks, as always.
Richard, well said! A mentor should be there to assist and provide accountability.
Richard - I love feeding the birds but have found that they do manage to find food elsewhere (unless you get a migrater that decides not to make the journey). But, for you other point, I agree. Give a man a fish......
How true is that! Actually this is my own personal issue right now with beig a new loan officer. I actually want the senior loan officers to be instructional instead of taking over and doing my work for me. If I don't do it then I'll never learn how to do it and thus I'll remain dependent on their help all the time and I will never become self sufficient.
It's amazing how different companies do things differently - some have training and mentoring programs, but it seeems like you're on your own with most companies.
It's also very hard to get help or advice from the people you work with and are competing with for business. I got my license in 2003 and it was hard to get started. But I've learned quickly and have been quite successful!
That's why I'm so happy to be part of Active Rain and Broker Agent Social - finally, some answers and direction, colleagues who will be honest and helpful! Since you're in Georgia, you're not too worried about competing with me for clients!
Richard, the great thing about guidance is I often learn from those I'm helping! Everyone has something unique to add to a situation, and that helps me!
Very well said. Sometimes people who claim to be helping you are not helping you at all...
Richard,
So true that a helping hand can become so much more - one that people don't want to let go of and strike out on their own. :)
Steve
Richard,
My sales training for my new agents includes them shadowing me when showing a buyer I have scheduled to show our properties. Because there is no way to tell them all of the scenarios that can happen, it is the best training I can give them and it is much more memorable than me lecturing them in our conference room.
I don't recall ever seeing this pic and it is one of your best! I live close to a lake so I get exotic birds frequently.
This is what you get for being so smart. If I worked in your office I would bend your ear daily!
Richard,
You are right sir, there are those that would rather sit in the boat and drink beer all day and forget to bait the hook. I say drill a hole in the boat to get them to move.
Richard, really good analogy. I find myself helping out a lot around the office regarding technology and website creation. I really need to be spending more time teaching than doing. Thanks for the reminder.
I'm a very hands on Broker and peek over my agents shoulders often, but I agree 100%, you can't and shouldn't do it for them. They will NEVER get it if they watch me do it. They will get it if they do it and I check over it and correct mistakes. Great post.
Sounds like a good idea to me, but a I'm still going to feed the damn birds.
Brother Richard - Great point (as usual). I'm the computer nerd around here, so I do get asked a lot of questions. Sometimes I hope that I'm teaching them rather than doing it for them. Its hard to explain some of the things I do to their computers, so I know it can be frustrating to them too. I'll keep working at it!
Hi Richard.
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.
Thanks for writing,
Ken
I was fortunate enough to have been recruited into real estate by my dad, who is one of the members of my team. I was able to learn from the best! I watched others in my office receive too much support from our broker and now depend on him for referral business to make a pay check. I also watched a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of new agents come into the office and be practically ignored. They are all with other offices now. We moved on as well, and a few of those other agents have ended up in our new office. Balance is key. You can give a man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach a man to fish and he'll never go hungry!! Great post! ~A:)
Richard: Great photo. What a cutie. The first thing that came to mind reading this post was Gail's mention of the "Teach a Man to Fish" proverb. It's so true. I train many new agents in technological aids for flyers, databases and of course, blogging. The class I HATE to give is Publisher. None of them want to learn how to use it. Inevitably, by the end of the class, the students are asking me to email them my template. I now start my classes telling them to pay attention, I do not email templates. I designed them for my business, they can design their own look.
yep - thought of the same quote from Gail too ! (and Ken :o)
And great pic you took of the birdie !
Loved your presentation as always Richard :o)
Cheers !
Sheldon
Now that is sound advice.
Michael S...
Well stated, I agree!
Big Mike...
Well, let's assume for the sake of argument that there are no other feeders nearby! lol
Christina...
A lot of people don't want to give up control ... but it doesn't help in the long run. THX
Hi Richard good point! I know I always learn better when I can do it myself-- people ususally do not learn if you do it for them. I feel sorry for the birds when their bird feeder is empty though!!
Good post! Thanks!
Marilyn...
I think part of the problem lies in the fact that most new agents don't understand where to get the answers to their questions ... and if the company does not have the procedures in place then it might be time to look for a new company!
Laura G...
That is often the case. great point and thanks for sharing!
C...
That is often all too true! THX!
Steve H...
I think that help has to be tempered with teaching! Thanks, my friend.
Julie...
There is no better classroom than the real world! Thanks, as always.
Just like people Richard. The best way to prosper is to depend on yourself not someone else.
Mel...
I have thousands of pics that I need to resize and logo for AR, so there will always be surprises! Thanks for noticing.
Don...
A lot of brokers used to have production goals, but I wonder now how many "holes" are being drilled in the bottoms of boats?
David...
They will let you "do" it, won't they? lol and thanks.
Tammy...
Excellent thoughts ... let them do it and correct them ... I like it!
JL...
Aw, you're just a sweetheart! lol
Richard, teach them how to fish, don't fish for them.
Very very true statements Richard. I will help teach and one way I get new agents to spread their wings when it's time is to let them know I want half of their deal if I'm going to continue to go through everything with them. Kinda like giving them a little shove out of the nest.