Style: July 01, 2019

Starting.
Getting to the top.
Staying there.
In a month that has seen our company
acknowledged for excellence and for being
the No. 1 business in our brand across the
real estate spectrum – for performance
as a franchise, for auction excellence, for
having the No. 1 Office in New Zealand
and Internationally (out of over 900 offices)
and for having two consultants in the top
ten – I’m reminded of what it takes to
reach these challenging heights and to
stay there. It’s not only the journey and the
accolades that are worthy of consideration,
it’s also about where and how you started.
Over the years, one of the questions I’m
repeatedly asked is: “How do you identify
someone who is going to excel in real estate?”
To be fair, it’s neither straightforward nor easy.
No-one truly knows exactly who will flourish
and who will falter, and occasionally you can be
blindsided by the most unlikely of applicants.
After many interviews, too many to count,
and with 22 years of experience, I’ve learnt to
apply all my senses to the task of determining
if someone has the attributes required to
succeed.
At these meetings I’m looking, listening,
assessing and hoping that the story I’m hearing
is true and the attributes I’m seeking are
present. I’ve met individuals who have turned
up wearing ripped jeans and an attitude (that’s
a ‘no’ from me!), who have borrowed a mate’s
suit and car (points for trying), and everyone in
between, including academic theorists (who are
busier thinking than doing). I’ve worked with
people who spent their entire (short) careers
looking for overseas buyers when the actual
buyer was the neighbor next-door. Individuals
who can’t engage as part of a team can also
struggle to get the leverage or support they
need, as teamwork and teams are now an
established prerequisite within the industry.
I’ve met amazing people from every walk
of life and with every qualification, and I’ve
distilled all this history into the following:
You will succeed if you want to, if you are
deeply passionate about the opportunity and
if you do the work required. And ‘doing’ is not
sitting, waiting, thinking and overthinking,
drinking coffee, avoiding making the calls or
spending endless time on social media. Real
estate success, contrary to popular belief, is not
a part-time job nor is it something you ‘fall into’
– because you can just as easily fall out.
The individuals I’ve seen succeed at the highest
levels have incredible resilience, an astonishing
work ethic and deliver year after year. The
common thread that binds them is their
persistent consistency, ability to think out of the
square, care for others and high energy. When
you look at it, that’s the real secret to success in
every field. To the group of professionals that I
have the privilege of working with, I’d like to say,
well done! You truly are champions – and world
champions at that!
Lynette McFadden
HARCOURTS GOLD BUSINESS OWNER
HARCOURTS NZ INSPIRATIONAL
WOMENS AMBASSADOR
Papanui Number.1
International Office for Harcourts
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