Mentors are trusted advisors who help others grow and develop. The right mentor at the right time can be the difference between so-so performance and stellar results. Mentors support, encourage, and challenge their protégés to achieve their fullest potential. As an real estate mentor, you’ll have the opportunity to directly influence others and positively impact their career trajectory. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out in real estate, a good mentor can accelerate your growth as an agent, broker or investor at any stage in your career. As a real estate mentor, you’ll need to understand how to give effective feedback, provide actionable advice and empower your protégés to achieve beyond what they think is possible for themselves. Here are some powerful coaching tips from top mentors that will help you excel as an advisor:
Be a good listener
The best real estate mentors know how to listen carefully. Good mentors will encourage their protégés to fully explore their goals, ambitions and challenges. By listening attentively and asking follow-up questions, you’ll show your protégés that you’re interested in what they have to say and encourage them to open up and be vulnerable. By fully listening to your protégés, you’ll help them feel heard, understood, and less isolated and alone in their journey. When your protégés feel understood, they’ll feel more motivated to apply what they’ve learned and achieve positive results. A powerful way to be a good listener is to ask open-ended questions that encourage your protégé to unpack the details and flesh out the specifics of his challenges, goals and desired outcomes.
Set clear expectations
It’s important to set clear expectations for your coaching relationship. In the beginning stages of your coaching relationship, you can use a mentor Contract to outline the expectations for both you and your protégé(s). A mentor Contract is a two-way agreement that outlines the specific coaching relationship, what each party hopes to get out of the relationship, and how you will work together. A mentor Contract is a great tool to clarify the expectations of both parties and prevent misunderstandings as you begin working together. You can use a sample mentor Contract or create your own. Whatever method you choose, make sure you and your protégé(s) sign the mentor Contract to officially initiate your coaching relationship.
Establish trust and be trustworthy
Trust is essential in any relationship – but it’s especially important in the coaching relationship. New agents, brokers and investors need to know that you have their best interests at heart and will be there for them when they need you. When you first start coaching others, you might feel a little apprehensive. After all, you don’t know them as well as you know yourself. Still, you can take a few key steps to establish trust quickly:
– Be authentic. Be yourself, and share your own journey, knowledge, and experiences. Remember, you’re not an expert because you have a real estate license – you’re an expert because you’ve done the work.
– Communicate your intentions clearly. Make sure your protégés know what you hope to accomplish together, as well as what they can expect from you.
– Be generous with your time and energy. Offer your support and expertise, and give your protégés plenty of one-on-one time.
Give actionable feedback
As you begin coaching your protégés, you’ll have the opportunity to give actionable feedback. Feedback is the gift that keeps on giving – the more you give, the more you receive. And the more you give actionable feedback to your protégés, the more they’ll build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in real estate. With that in mind, here are some ways you can give actionable feedback to your protégés:
– Offer specific coaching. Instead of generalizing and saying, “You’re great at what you do,” provide specific feedback: “The way you presented this information was clear, concise and very easy to follow. You have excellent presentation skills, and I would love to see you put those skills to use in your next open house.”
– Praise in public, correct in private. Give your feedback in a public setting, but correct your protégé(s) in a private one.
– Practice Active Listening. Active listening is a powerful tool that will help you give your protégés the feedback they need. By using this method, you’ll help your protégés feel heard and receive the guidance they need to improve. Follow these steps to actively listen to your protégé:
– Use reflective and exploratory questions. These types of questions will guide your protégé to dig deeper into their challenges, goals, and desired outcomes.
– Mirror their body language. Mimic their posture and body language as you’re actively listening to them. Doing so will help you to tune in to their feelings and make it easier for them to open up and be vulnerable.
Help others find their purpose
As you coach your protégés, you’ll have the opportunity to help them find their purpose. Finding one’s purpose is an important part of the coaching process. Your protégés need to know why they’re in real estate, what they want to accomplish, and what they hope to get out of their career. Find ways to help your protégés explore their purpose by asking them questions like, “Why did you become a real estate agent?” and “What do you hope to get out of this career?” rather be a traditional agent in specific area like Bahria town property dealer etc. You can also help your protégés discover their purpose by using some powerful coaching tools:
– SWOT Analysis. A SWOT Analysis tool can help your protégés gain a better understanding of where they are and where they want to go in their careers.
– Goals and Outcomes. The other powerful tool to help your protégés understand their purpose and make progress towards their goals is the Goals and Outcomes worksheet.
Help your protégé find the right team
A great mentor will help his or her protégé find the right team. Building a strong support network is essential for any real estate agent, broker or investor. A good mentor will help his or her protégé find the right team to join, including industry organizations, networking groups and coaching programs. Finding the right team is important because it gives your protégés additional resources and support. It also can create positive accountability and help your protégés stay on track towards achieving their goals and objectives. Finding the right team may mean introducing your protégés to other mentors and advisors who can give them additional support. Or it could mean connecting your protégés with other real estate professionals who can serve as mentors for those who don’t have a formal coach.
Conclusion
As a real estate mentor, you’ll have the opportunity to directly influence others and positively impact their career trajectory. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out in real estate, a good mentor can accelerate your growth as an agent, broker or investor at any stage in your career. As a real estate mentor, you’ll need to understand how to give effective feedback, provide actionable advice and empower your protégés to achieve beyond what they think is possible for themselves. By being a good listener, setting clear expectations, establishing trust and being trustworthy, giving actionable feedback, helping your protégés find their purpose, and helping them find the right team, you can excel as an advisor and positively impact the lives of others.
About the Author:
Emily John. I am an amateur astronomer, a writer, and an artist. I love reading and I believe that learning keeps you alive. I am writing blogs for several websites and I enjoy doing it.