Dan Plowman is the team leader of 17 real estate professionals with Re/Max Rouge River, serving Toronto, Pickering and Ajax. He is also a team systems trainer, showing other successful sales reps how they can build their own successful teams. We recently sat down for a conversation about teams.
Stan Albert: Dan, the two things that have shaken our industry in the past decade or so are T and T – technology and teams.
Dan Plowman: Technology and teams are very important. I also believe advanced marketing techniques and having the right people are equally important. The real power comes from understanding how to leverage people, technology and marketing. Our team systems provide a clear path, sharing proven results with other team leaders so they too can excel their business.
Albert: I’ve addressed this subject in the past, but I see what tremendous success you are having, sharing the ideas of forming teams and the mechanics necessary to do so.
Plowman: I know that as we continue to grow, a large reason for our success is quite simply that we share with others. The more we give – the more we get back. I love seeing people grow and succeed.
Albert: What made you decide to go into real estate in the first place? What was your business background? Were you a success as an individual agent?
Plowman: I had a successful heating and air conditioning company and was able to understand the power of leverage at a young age. I loved the sales part of that business. This is why I had an interest in real estate. I did very well as an individual sales rep but found little time left for a life. This balance was created after developing the proper team model.
Albert: What format did you take on at first? Was it 2-3, buyer’s agent?
Plowman: I believe hiring buyer’s agents or licensed assistants does not make sense. A licensed sales rep should be able to focus on Realtor activities and the more we are able to put sales reps in front of clients and eliminate a lot of the tasks that disallow time spent with people, the more a licensed sales rep will achieve. A team leader’s focus should be to maximize Realtor/client opportunities.
Albert: Why did you decide to do this? It’s not a novel idea, others have tried it and been successful and yet others have failed at it.
Plowman: I believe it is easy to fail when starting to build a team. You can streamline success in any aspect of life by following other causes that lead to a desired effect…it is that old law of cause and effect. If you desire an outcome, find another person who has consistently been successful and you too can expect a similar outcome if you follow the same steps. Many of our coaching clients are following our team building systems and experiencing drastic growth while avoiding costly mistakes.
Albert: Do you hold regular meetings?
Plowman: Yes – meetings with focus and purpose are important. Without them we tend not to communicate as one cohesive unit and therefore fail to take advantage of the strength in our numbers.
Albert: I’ve found that most great agents don’t make good managers of teams. What’s the basis of your success?
Plowman: The spirit of a great agent can be summarized as a great entrepreneur… and entrepreneurs, in general, do not make great managers. Management is an art. Managers are charged with the tasks of attending to details and accountability. A good manager has a strong focus on where waste is occurring and is best described as a bottom line thinker, whereas entrepreneurs are sales driven. Entrepreneurs are driven by their own vision and goals and are most often great leaders as a result. The acceptance of this led me to understand the need for a strong office manager. But more importantly, it led me to understand the importance of allowing myself to be held accountable to this person… my son, Michael.
Albert: How hard was it to find the “right mix” of agents?
Plowman: It is and should be a constant focus of a team leader. We are always looking for great talent.
Albert: Whose help did you enlist, or did you have prior experience in building a business, which essentially is what team leaders do, right?
Plowman: I have a strong background in business, but to further myself these days, I find only the very best people. To some, it is intimidating to hire or recruit someone with greater skills in a certain area but the truth is that you prove that you are smarter than someone when you hire or recruit them. I have also found great success in hiring and recruiting the best and getting out of their way!
Albert: What was the most difficult task in building the team?
Plowman: Staying far enough ahead to motivate but close enough to the front lines to relate with them.
Albert: How do you keep them motivated in an economy that’s not exactly coming out of the doldrums right now?
Plowman: 1. Overwhelm them with opportunities and new business with strong lead generation.
2. Remind them to stop watching the news.
Albert: Do you find that the consumer wants to talk only to you, and when that happens, which I’m sure it does, and you’re busy, how do you handle this challenge?
Plowman: This is a very common challenge for a team leader. I can remember asking myself, “Why will they not deal with my assistants?” And in time, it became clear – my clients use me because they trust me and they trust my judgment. The very term, assistant, denotes “less than.” I was telling my clients that I have someone less than me for them to use, then trying to convince them to work with them. It was ridiculous – would you let your lawyer’s assistant defend you in court? Nor would your clients accept any less than the standard that you represent. They are not your assistants, buyer agents or employees. They are your partners. If you expect them to perform as an equal they must be treated as an equal – they are your partners! Once I started communicating this to team members and clients, it was amazing how quickly the issue was solved.
Albert: Are consumers totally happy that they may not see you from beginning to end? Is that is the case at times?
Plowman: This is one of the greatest team building myths. The truth is that your clients are not loyal to you. They are loyal to the standards of service that you represent. As long as my partners are communicating that standard of service, my clients are just as happy… this is why training is such a constant focus for a good team leader. Proper training not only offers me a sense of extreme fulfillment, it also ensures that my partners are reading out of the same playbook.
Albert: How many of your team are licensed and how many are admin people? Can you give me a breakdown of how you pay them?
Plowman: We have 16 licensed team members and 10 of them are selling in the field… we also have another five unlicensed staff members to make a total of 21 team members. Our system of paying and compensating is considered to be one of our secrets to success. I can tell you it involves profit sharing and bonuses above and beyond commission and regular wages.
Albert: I am sure you set goals each year as you expand your team, so do you offer any incentives if they reach your mutual goals?
Plowman: Profit sharing is the big one but we also offer a monthly lunch that we pay for if the team hits the monthly goals.
Albert: Why are you now offering courses on how to develop teams? Have you ever thought to put your seminar before RECO for a credit course? I feel that this seminar has real “meat on the bones” for agents to increase their incomes.
Plowman: We are trying to create a more professional environment for Realtors and yes we are looking into offering credits.
Albert: Would the team format be a good place for newcomers to the business to join up with?
Plowman: Yes. Team systems combined with training streamlines one’s ability to accelerate their learning curve and also provides continued support. A good team model also eliminates a lot of the risks they would otherwise face on their own.
Albert: What is your credo for success in your venture into team building if you’d like to share it?
Plowman: “In the future, every Realtor will have to make a decision – do you want to start a team, or do you want to join a team? This is the future of real estate.”
Albert: Last but not least, how do you make time for family and what’s your best advice?
Plowman: My daily commitment is to family first. I make time for business.
Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com. Stan is now celebrating 40 years as an active real estate professional.
Stan Albert, ABR, ASA is a consultant with Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. He can be reached for consultation by email. Stan is now celebrating his 45th year as an active real estate professional.
