What does good leadership look like in 2022? How can you put your best foot forward where you work, whether you’re managing a team or an entire company? In March, we’ll plumb the topic through Q&As from top-tier industry leaders, contributions from Inman columnists (the leaders in their field) and more. Then we’ll keep the leadership conversation going in person at Inman Disconnect in late March in Palm Springs, California.
Pulse is a recurring column where we ask for readers’ takes on varying topics in a weekly survey and report back with our findings.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, some are born leaders, some achieve leadership, and some have leadership thrust upon them.
Being a leader comes in all kinds of styles, from the strong silent type to those who lead out loud. This week, we wanted to know about experiences Inman readers have had as leaders. What happened, and what did you learn? Did it spur you to look for other leadership opportunities?
Here are your answers:
- In my pre-real estate life, I was a human resources manager in an industry suffering a swift and massive decline. We were closing factories and laying off employees by the thousands. It felt like I was ruining people’s lives, and was incredibly painful. What I learned was listening skills and being able to display genuine empathy goes a long way when leading through rough times. It made me a better agent, which I became when the HR dirty work was done and we all got laid off.
- This is just a general practice with our small real estate group. It is analogous to what happens in a sports team, depending upon how the game is going. In a tight game, when the outcome is in doubt, you put in your best players. Conversely, when you are far ahead, and you know that you are going to win, you give those who are up and coming a chance to score. When we are on a tough listing pitch, my teammates know to follow my lead with whether to speak. But when a pitch is going well, I will signal them to jump in, so that they get the practice and the thrill of making the close. Part of being a leader is keeping your ego under control so that everybody can participate in the win.
- Leadership means: Being responsible for the conversation and keeping the conversation alive. It doesn’t mean that you know everything.
We want to hear from you. What was your most memorable leadership experience, and what did you learn from it? Comment below.
Editor’s note: These responses were given anonymously and, therefore, are not attributed to anyone specifically. Responses were also edited for grammar and clarity. Inman doesn’t endorse any specific method and regulations may vary from state to state.