Two successful real estate brokers were having lunch. They were old friends. They were dear friends.

Their luncheon was supposed to be a time to celebrate because they had both been asked to lead the annual Canada Day Bicycle Ride in recognition of their leadership in fund raising and support of community causes. Their pictures would be in all the papers and even on television.

But one of them was not as happy as the other. He confessed to his friend that he had grown up poor and never had a bike. As a result he never learned how to ride a bike. He was too embarrassed to even try, so he would have to miss the parade.

The other broker said she was amazed at the coincidence. She had also grown up poor and never learned to ride a bike. She suggested they hire a teacher and learn together. They still had two months before Canada Day and hopefully in that time they would both become proficient riders and lead the parade. “What have we got to lose?” she said.

Well, they did it.  They learned together and in doing so gave each other confidence to become very good riders. Everything went well at the parade. Both brokers received valuable and well deserved recognition in the media.

A few weeks later, the broker who first confessed that he could not ride a bike discovered that his friend had not been honest with him. She had known how to ride a bike all along. In fact, she was even a champion rider when she was young.

When he confronted his friend, she admitted deceiving him but she said, “I did it because we are friends and I care about you. I wanted to help you. What was the harm? We had a good time.”

In thinking about it, the broker agreed. There was no harm done. He was touched by what his friend had done for him. He recalled that years ago when they were both sales representatives, they were actually rivals. He was, by far, the best salesperson around. Rather than hoard his knowledge, he was pleased to share his sales techniques with her and they became friends.

Now she was pleased to share her skills with him in return.

That fall he was at his brokerage office late one night and noticed a young sales representative clearing out her desk. He approached her and asked, “What are you doing?”

She said she had enough with trying to make it in the real estate business. She was through. She declared that as much as she would love to sell real estate, she just could not do it and was quitting.

The broker thought about it for a moment and then said to her: “You know what? This is a real coincidence because I could never sell either. But I loved the business of real estate and always wanted to be in it. That’s why I bought this brokerage in the first place. So I could be in the business and not actually have to sell much because I never was any good at it.”

He went on: “I tell you what, since you’re quitting, you probably don’t have anything else to do for the next week or two. How about you and I take a sales course together? I have always wanted to but never wanted to go alone. I know of one that is starting on Monday. Would you come with me? What have we got to lose?”

They went on the sales course together. They both enjoyed the course. The young representative decided to give sales another try with the encouragement of her friend.

Would it surprise you to know that she became the best sales representative in the entire office? She also found out that her broker was once an excellent salesperson. Why had he deceived her?

“Well,” said the broker. “I have a story to tell you about how I couldn’t ride a bike.”

Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected]