IN THIS ISSUE:
Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes
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*** Editor's Comments - by Lisa Nirell ***
I'm training for two big open water swims this summer in
Sand Point, Idaho and Elk Lake, Oregon.
It's tiresome.
I wake up early on Saturdays. I often swim outdoors in a
cold pool. In the rain.
Driving to the pool-even when I have a full workload-often
feels self-indulgent.
And many women in the 45-49 age group can beat my times.
Without even trying.
But guess what?
If I don't work out, I don't achieve my dreams of breaking
the 30 minute
mile time.
When I avoid conditioning, I get cranky, and my dear husband
literally BEGS me to leave the office to get to practice
on time!
How well conditioned are you and your business?
Do you and your team often over-work one muscle at the expense
of another?
Much like swimming, growing your business is a series of
physical, intellectual, skills-based, and endurance drills.
All four areas are important.
Read on for a great article from one of my clients, Jeld-Wen
Development.
CEO Jerry Andres reminds us of the four qualities each of
us needs to create an energized company and marketing plan.
Our companies, after all, are a reflection of our own conditioning
and vitality.
-- Jerry Andres, CEO, Jeld-Wen Development
Creating
a great real estate development is very much like developing
a great athlete.
All great athletes have four common qualities just as all
great real estate developments have these same four common
qualities. These common qualities are: 1. Physique, 2. Skills,
3. Intellect/Instincts and 4. Conditioning/Heart.
First, great athletes have a physique that is unique to
their respective sport. Football players, look like football
players as basketball players look like basketball players
and so forth.
The same goes for real estate developments. A great real
estate development has to have a great physique which is
appropriate for its location and market. This begins with
the land and then is enhanced by a development team which
creates a flexible master plan for the land. The master
plan will make the land come to life and enhance its character.
Environmental, social and cultural values will be embraced
in the master plan which gives the development its own personality.
Athletes also have their own personalities which have been
developed through their family environment, culture and
social values.
Secondly, great athletes have exceptional skills. Great
football players know how to block and tackle as great basketball
players know how to shoot and play defense. In the real
estate development business, this quality is represented
by the operations side of the business which is responsible
for delivering services. I like to call this part of the
business, "putting
smiles on people's faces."
Great real estate development companies know how to build
affordable quality products and they also know how to back
these products up with quality people and services. In both
cases, great athletes and great real estate development
companies are continually practicing, practicing and practicing.
Third, all great athletes have the intellect/instincts and
experience to play the game successfully. On the game field,
they know where to go, when to go there and what to do when
they get there. They often are referred to as having natural
instincts for the game.
In the real estate development business this quality is
represented by the company's leaders. They are the ones
who are calling the shots regarding when to do something,
how to do that something, which should be doing that something,
and how much they need to pay for that something. Great
athletes have a great head on their shoulders and great
development companies have great leaders.
Finally, all great athletes have great conditioning habits
and great hearts which allow them to be in peak physical
condition at all times. Regardless of the time of the year,
they are continually working on their conditioning and they
are living healthy lives. In the real estate development
business this quality is represented by the sales and marketing
team.
The sales and marketing team are those individuals who are
responsible for the conditioning of the organization. They
are the ones who bring the dollars into the company which
is the life blood of any organization. With great athletes,
the entire body is constantly involved in the health of
the athlete and the same goes for great real estate development
companies.
Every employee is also constantly involved in the health
and well being of the company.
In summary, all great athletes may sustain a physical injury
(quality 1) and/or may have a bad game of executing their
skills (quality 2) and/or may make a mental mistake (quality
3). In all three examples, the great athlete will correct
the condition and ultimately get back into the game.
However, the fourth quality of conditioning and having a
great heart is much less forgiving. If you get out of condition
or if you have a heart problem, this could ultimately lead
to the death of the great athlete. When facing conditioning
or heart problems, the great athlete will no longer be able
to play the game.
The same goes for great real estate development companies.
If their sales and marketing organization gets out of condition
and/or sustains serious problems, it can result in the company
getting out of the game or it can ultimately lead to the
death of the company. Great athletes and great real estate
development companies are in the game to win and they will
always need to be focused on continually improving their
four common qualities.
Special thanks to Jerry
Andres, CEO, Jeld-Wen
Development Inc.
For more information about Jeld-Wen Development, take
a look at this case study.
