How do you fix something that’s broken—and make it stronger in the process? That’s the work that National Association of REALTORS® CEO, Nykia Wright, and her executive team are undertaking as they embark on a new three-year Strategic Plan for the association. The ultimate goal: to bring financial and career value that members can feel in their day-to-day business.
In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, Wright joined James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson for their latest episode of the “Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered” podcast. She talked about the dramatic human resources changes she’s made—not just at the executive level but throughout the organization; the intense challenges that remain with building trust, even after a year of listening; and the excitement she feels about moving forward with purpose and accountability on the 24 initiatives mapped out in the Strategic Plan.
The plan was unveiled to stakeholders in the weeks leading up to NAR’s annual conference—NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience—and it was unanimously approved by NAR’s Executive Committee on Sunday.
“When I’ve told people that we are comparing ourselves to a publicly traded company and showing up that way, what do I mean by that? We have a milestone for every single quarter,” Wright said. “Every quarter, when we meet with our Executive Committee, we are giving them a status report on where things are, what our challenges are, where we need their help ….”
The plan spells out the who, what, when, where and why. But that’s all just “lip service,” she said, without three foundational changes:
- Building a transparent budget that members can look at and understand the association’s priorities—even without reading the Strategic Plan
- Understanding and managing legal risk in NAR’s rulemaking
- Having the best data available to guide decision-making
Listen in to the “Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered” podcast interview with NAR CEO Nykia Wright.
