The best agents in the business didn’t ask this year for less problems, they asked for better skills. So in your real estate career less problems or better skills, one of those is in your control. Not less problems, but better skills.

Topic – Michaels 2018 takeaways

Mentor – Michael Sheargold

• The focus and the energy
• Get back to basics
• What the market will NOT reward

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Transcript:

Kevin:   Well here it is, quite a momentous day actually. This is the last day of 2018 and I couldn’t think of a person I’d much rather share this bridge between 2018 and 2019 with other than Michael Sheargold. Good day Michael, how are you?

Michael:   Kevin, I’m doing remarkably well. What an opportunity, that reflection and heading into the new year.

Kevin:   Yeah, we normally don’t do a show at this time of the year but I thought, well you know … We sort of say to people, you’ve got to take a breather. But this is a really good time for reflection, and that’s particularly why I chose you to talk to this week, Michael. Here it is at the end of 2018, we take a bit of a breather and we look ahead to 2019. I just wanted to ask you today what were the big takeaways for you? What did you notice the top agents doing in 2018 that made them stand out?

Michael:   Well I think there’s two parts to this Kevin, before we get to that … I think this is that sort of line in the sand. And look, I know a lot of people don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions anymore, but I think the real key about it is that as we head from this year into next year, it’s a fantastic time to say, “What am I taking with me and what am I also leaving behind?” And in doing that I think the best agents in the business didn’t this year ask for less problems, they asked for better skills. So in your real estate career less problems or better skills, one of those is in your control. Not less problems, but better skills.

Michael:   So, therefore the focus and the energy, it would be so neat to the people listening in today, is to really focus in saying what are the three skills that I know I need to work on that I know I need to improve? I talk about can you hire that skill, or do you need to acquire the skill? Once again, I think in 2018 it hasn’t been about order taking and I believe 2019 won’t be about order taking. Order taking is when someone walks up and says, “I want to buy this property.” Okay, let me actually take your order. No, no, no. It’s going to be about matchmaking and deal making. If that’s an area that even as you’re listening in right now and you say, “I need to upgrade my matchmaking and my deal making,” how often have you gone through and listened to negotiation books? Influencing books? Selling books?

Michael:   Really getting back to the absolute basics. In December, we did a programme called Getting Set for 2019 with all of our clients. I talked about the Jenga blocks, and the Jenga blocks game is when you pull the blocks out, and the market in many markets has allowed agents to leave certain pieces out of the actual blocks and still get the job done.

Michael:   I believe, as we head into 2019, the market will not reward someone who’s leaving pieces out of the Jenga blocks. This is the time to get clear on your non-negotiables, look at what skills I need to put into place and make sure every single one of those is being implemented, incredibly strongly so your structure is solid, you’re hitting the marketplace well. Yes, you bring the energy side of you as an agent together, but you’re also bringing some really great process in that’s gonna actually make a huge difference in where you’re heading in 2019.

Kevin:   Okay, bottom line, the message for the end of 2018 is don’t ask for, don’t look for less problems. Try and seek out better skills, Michael.

Michael:   Absolutely.

Kevin:   Good stuff, mate. We’ll talk to you tomorrow. It will be New Years Day tomorrow.

Michael:   Absolutely.

Kevin:   So, yeah, celebrate hard tonight, guys. And we’ll be back with you tomorrow morning and Micheal Sheargold will be our guest then. Thank you Micheal.

Michael:   Thanks Kevin.