"I’ve been a city manager for 30 years, and this is the first time I ever heard from a local REALTOR® association CEO.”
Those were the first words out of a city manager’s mouth on my first visit to the city offices in Grosse Pointe. That statement was often repeated to me while visiting other city and township offices in my first six months as an association executive.
Today, the Grosse Pointe Board of REALTORS® is a valued partner across three counties in Southeast Michigan for four chambers of commerce, eight municipalities, two school districts and six publications that carry GPBR-provided market data, analytics and commentary—all hyperlocal and extolling the value of working with an agent who is a REALTOR®. Also, several municipalities and school districts have become public service affiliate members of the association.
The impact on the REALTOR® brand has been such that our position on real estate–related issues is sought at the beginning of the process, not after an issue is decided and all that remains is to provide public comment.
As readers may suspect, these relationships did not happen overnight, and they were not easy to build, although the recipe is simple.
Ingredient No. 1: Know your “why!” (Hope this sounds familiar!) According to the Preamble to the National Association of REALTORS®’ Code of Ethics, “The interests of the nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership. They require the creation of adequate housing, the building of functioning cities, the development of productive industries and farms, and the preservation of a healthful environment.”
When an organization’s “why” speaks to a higher calling, it cannot be disrupted. For example, nothing in this statement is altered by the Sitzer settlement, Clear Cooperation or privatizing the government-sponsored enterprises.
Ingredient No. 2: Nurture trust. Being trusted requires three components, and you can’t simply turn any of these on or off.
- Are you authentic?
- Are your words and actions logical?
- Are you empathetic?
For more on trust, visit "Three ways of looking at the Trust Triangle"
Ingredient No. 3: Be curious. Doctors prescribe remedies only after they ask questions. Do the same:
- For municipalities: Do they have issues with non-owner–occupied housing?
- For publications: How is readership?
- For school districts: Would a list of residences with a new occupant be of value?
- For chambers of commerce: Do businesses see value in chamber membership?
These relationships did not happen overnight, and they were not easy to build, although the recipe is simple.
Ingredient No. 4: Believe in your value. One of my favorite phrases comes from author and motivational speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer: “You’ll see it when you believe it.”
Only you have control over what you believe. So, for example, if you believe the association’s value is because it is the magic key to the treasure box (aka MLS), you need to retool.
Ingredient No. 5: Be strategic. Anything worth doing takes time. That includes time spent developing relationships. When you are seen as an outsider, you and your opinion are considered only as “one of them.” When you are part of the fabric of the community, you may be a contrarian, but your “different perspective” will be sought.
Ingredient No. 6: Be generous in relationships. If you want to build trust, give something without asking for something in return. Once established, good relationships are reciprocal in their benefits. However, someone has to be first, so be the one who takes the first step.
For example, the REALTORS® Political Action Committee is one of the most important things we do, and while it supports those who’ve championed our advocacy positions, it should never be viewed as a quid pro quo arrangement.