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“People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.” – John C. Maxwell

As real estate leaders, your words carry weight. But what makes a real impact goes beyond verbal communication. How you deliver feedback shapes your team’s morale, productivity, and overall growth. It’s not just about pointing out what went wrong or offering praise; it’s about creating a culture of continuous improvement and motivation. By mastering the art of giving feedback, you can transform potential challenges into opportunities for development, ensuring your team thrives in an ever-evolving market.

Related reading: Empowering Real Estate Leadership: Practical Steps to Motivating Your Team

Keys to Constructive Criticism: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities

As a real estate leader, offering constructive criticism is an invaluable tool that can transform potential problems into growth opportunities. The way you approach this task can make all the difference. Start by focusing on the behavior and the impact it has, rather than making it personal. For example, instead of saying, “You are always late with reports,” try providing context and a more constructive angle: “I’ve noticed that reports have often been submitted after the deadline, which affects our ability to make timely decisions. What can we do to ensure these deadlines are met in the future?”

Be Specific and Actionable: Specificity is key when providing feedback. Instead of vague comments, delve into the specifics of what needs improvement. This helps your team member understand exactly what actions they need to take. For instance, if an agent is struggling with client follow-ups, a general statement like, “You need to follow up better,” isn’t helpful. Instead, offer specific advice: “I suggest setting aside 30 minutes at the end of each day to review and follow up on all potential client communications.”

Timing Matters: Choosing the right time for delivering feedback is crucial. It’s best to avoid moments of high stress or just after an incident. Instead, select a time when both you and the team member can have a calm, uninterrupted conversation. This approach ensures that the feedback is received with an open mind, rather than a defensive one.

Always leave room for dialogue: Encourage your team members to ask questions and express their thoughts. This not only makes the feedback session more interactive but also ensures they are fully understood and on board with the plan for improvement. Constructive criticism, when skillfully delivered, can foster a culture of continuous improvement and resilience within your real estate team.

• 70% of employees say they would work harder if they were better recognized
• Employees who receive regular feedback are 3.6 times more likely to be motivated to do outstanding work

Balancing Praise and Critique for Optimal Team Growth

Striking the right balance between praise and critique can be a game-changer for your team’s development. It’s important to recognize that while praise boosts morale and confidence, constructive criticism enables your team to identify areas for improvement and grow professionally.

Praise with Purpose: When offering praise, ensure it’s genuine and specific. Highlight the precise actions or behaviors that contributed to a successful outcome. For example, rather than saying, “Great job on the project,” try, “Your ability to manage client expectations and deliver the project on time was outstanding.”

Constructive Critique: On the flip side, critique should be handled with care. Focus on behaviors and provide actionable suggestions. Instead of criticizing someone’s personality or character, address the specific behaviors that need improvement. Use ‘I’ statements to frame your feedback, such as, “I noticed that the reports were often submitted late; I believe setting earlier internal deadlines could help manage this.”

Remember, the end goal is to build a culture where feedback is seen as a positive and integral part of the workplace. By balancing praise with constructive feedback, you not only acknowledge your team’s achievements but also pave the way for their continuous growth.

• 92% of employees believe constructive feedback, when delivered appropriately, is effective
• 72% of employees believe their performance would improve with more frequent feedback

Future-Proofing Your Team: Feedback for Long-Term Success

When it comes to preparing your team for future challenges, continuous and forward-thinking feedback is key. Start by recognizing the unique strengths of each team member and demonstrate how these strengths can be leveraged for future projects. This not only boosts individual confidence but also aligns their development with the organization’s long-term goals.

Moreover, don’t shy away from asking for feedback yourself. When leaders seek constructive criticism from their teams, it not only models the behavior but also demonstrates a commitment to collective improvement. This inclusive approach fosters a culture of open communication and continuous development, crucial for adapting to future market trends and challenges.

Lastly, remember that today’s feedback can have a long-term impact. When team members understand that their contributions are valued and see a clear path for advancing their skills and careers, their motivation and loyalty to the organization grow. Equip your team with the insights and tools they need now, and you’ll be investing in the long-term success of both your people and your business.

Related reading: Leadership Succession Planning: Identifying and Developing Future Leaders

The Takeaway

Mastering the art of delivering feedback and conducting performance reviews can transform your real estate team from merely functional to exceptionally high-performing. Armed with timely, specific, and actionable feedback, you not only address current performance issues but also pave the way for future success. It’s a skill that, when honed, yields an engaged, motivated, and future-ready team. Incorporate these practices, and you’ll foster an environment where your team members feel valued, understood, and primed for growth, driving your entire team towards unprecedented achievements.

For Your Agent…

Each of you plays a vital role in our success, and your hard work does not go unnoticed. Remember, feedback is not just a tool for growth—it’s an opportunity for us to support one another and strive for excellence together. Embrace the journey of continuous improvement by actively giving and receiving feedback. This process allows us to leverage our unique strengths and learn from each challenge. Your dedication and commitment are the foundation of our shared achievements. Keep pushing boundaries, stay motivated, and together, we’ll reach new heights through our collective insights and efforts.

Darryl Davis is an award-winning international speaker, real estate and business coach, and best-selling author of three books, all published by McGraw Hill Publishers.

For more than 35 years, Darryl has spoken to and trained more than 100,000 sales professionals around the globe to more than double their production year after year. His book,  How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate, tops Amazon’s charts for one of the most sold books to real estate agents.

He was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speaker’s Association, which is given to less than 2% of all speakers worldwide.

Whether from a stage or Zooming into a virtual room, Darryl’s extraordinary humor, relatability, and natural gift for teaching real-world, results-producing skills and mindsets to audiences have made him a client favorite throughout his career.

Audiences will laugh, learn, and ultimately walk away better prepared for a changing world, with the tools, skills, and training they need to build their businesses with more ease and less stress and to design lives and careers worth smiling about.

Bring One of Darryl’s W.O.R.K. Topics to Your Organization! 

By providing your agents with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the game, you can ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that comes their way!  Contact us here to learn more!