There are many factors that determine the success of a real estate agent and in turn the success of the real estate transaction. Some of the obvious internal forces are charisma, professionalism, emotional intelligence (EQ), negotiating acumen and overall real estate knowledge. And of course the obvious external factors are the tools and support provided by the agent’s firm. But many agents and consumers alike underestimate the role that company culture plays in the nurturing, support and success of the real estate business.
Think about your favorite job for a moment. Perhaps it was last year or maybe even decades ago? Perhaps it is the job you currently hold? Now consider what makes/made the experience so positive. A proper culture fit is likely to blame. I can tell you from 25 years of experience in the NYC real estate business that when the culture of a company matches that of the real estate agent, the results are astounding and resonate beyond the agent’s business into every aspect of the real estate transaction. Imagine the real estate agent who is happy, positive, feels supported and nurtured and has an overall optimistic outlook of their business and the upshot of that on each and every real estate transaction that he or she touches.
In an effort to determine if a culture is the right fit for you as an agent, consider asking yourself these questions (via Katie Bouton of Harvard Business Review):
- What type of culture do you thrive in?
- What values are you drawn to and what’s your ideal workplace?
- Why do you want to work here?
- How would you describe the company’s culture based on what you’ve seen? Is this something that works for you?
- What best practices would you bring with you from your previous organization? Do you see yourself being able to implement these best practices in this new environment?
- Think about a time when you worked with/for an organization where you felt you were not a strong culture fit. Why was it a bad fit?
Finding a good culture fit is key to business success, and agents who love the culture in which they work are more successful and better equipped to serve their buyers and sellers.
