One of the things that brokerages brag about most is their training. Rightfully so, because the industry is lacking skilled and capable real estate agents with solid training. Some real estate companies have built their entire business model around development and education.
But simply offering an abundance of training is not the answer, and in many cases, can be detrimental to many real estate agents. So I’m going to make my case here why training is not always the answer.
Lets dive in.
I’ve spent thousands of hours standing in front of thousands of real estate agents training them on how to succeed. What’s became abundantly clear to me is that class training sessions provide diminishing returns.
Most class training sessions aim to address a strategy or tactic. However, in a real estate brokerage where agents on the roster are at all different levels of success in their business, a training session will often simultaneously:
- put some people to sleep because it’s too basic for them
- go over some people’s head’s because they don’t understand it
- make perfect sense to only a small handful of people
It’s not the most efficient way of connecting with everyone, and runs the risk of losing people’s attendance after several sessions if it doesn’t bring them personal value. That’s why many agents will attend a few classes and eventually drop off. Brokerages continue to provide these class training sessions out of necessity rather than productivity.
Further, a trainer could develop the seemingly perfect system for success. They could even prove that it worked for them. But there is no guarantee that it would work for anyone else, because humans aren’t good at replicating, they’re at best only good at imitating.
People aren’t computers. You can’t give them a set of instructions and expect them to execute every time. We have a tendency to interpret things and give our own meaning based on our past experiences and world views. That’s why ten people could look at the same piece of art and fight to the death about what it means.
Computers are also superior to humans in another way – they don’t need motivation like people do. They will always run the program precisely as intended and never complain about doing the work.
Class training sessions are also one-way streets. It’s dissemination of information from one individual to a group of people and pays no regard to the learner’s experience, skill level, core strengths and weaknesses, resources, or motivations.
In many ways, it is someone preaching to a crowd, and if an individual is unable to put the material to good use (no matter what the reason), the trainer often washes their hands of responsibility because they’ve done their part in teaching the material.
In other words, “I’ve shown you what you need to do, it’s not my fault you can’t do it.”
So what is the solution?
Training really is only the first component in the formula.
The purpose of having good training is to learn the systems and tactics so that you understand the mechanics of the business. Like reading a book about scuba diving though, knowledge is useless, and often fleeting, unless it’s put into practice.
Not everyone in real estate does things the same way. What works for one person can certainly be confounding for the next, so once you’ve had a reasonable amount of training, you need to understand how to put it into motion in a way that makes sense for you.
This is where one-on-one mentorship is important, because the right mentor can help you take boat loads of theoretical information and help you develop a business model that best reflects your personality and skill sets. Mentors bring clarity when you are feeling overwhelmed, and you’ll find that the more training you take, the more confusing the business will seem with all kinds of contradictory information. Mentorship will help you cut through that noise and identify the things that will work specifically for you.
Finally, when you’re out there on the streets putting your business into action, you’re going to hit a lot of walls – things you didn’t anticipate or problems well beyond your experience level. This is why having a support system behind you is crucial to help you move past barriers.
In the real estate world, a support system means having a reliable and knowledgeable management team, a rock-solid receptionist and deals processing department, and colleagues you can count on when the going gets tough. The most important pillar in your support system is your Broker, the individual who is responsible for your brokerage and your success. Your Broker needs to be accessible, experienced, ready to help, and patient.
Some brokerages have experienced Brokers that have been in business 40 years, but take a day or two to respond to your messages. Other brokerages have Brokers who are less experienced, but spend all their time in the office being available for their agents. It’s important to understand what level of support you require during this stage of your career in real estate and find a Broker and support system that aligns with your needs.
Regardless of how much training your brokerage offers, remember that training alone will not be enough to ensure your success. Do not succumb to the belief that simply attending tons of training sessions is going to move the needle for you. A brokerage owes you a lot more than just providing classes. You are, after all, paying them for the services they render. You should be expecting a fair level of one-on-one time with your mentors and solid support for when you’re building your business.