I know the statement that professional real estate services is a team sport may sound strange but just like professional basketball, hockey and baseball require a skilled team of professionals to be successful, quality real estate services requires a team of skilled practitioners. Taking this analogy a little further take a look at basketball where there are players who have a specific role they take within the overall team … forward, center and guard. While these individuals may specialize in one of the positions they are capable of playing any of the positions. Real estate services is no different … practitioners may specialize in brokerage, property management, development or even less obvious areas as construction oversight and maintenance, but they still must have the knowledge and capability to help in any other area of real estate when needed.
In recent weeks and days the sports news has been filled with information about Carmelo Anthony’s trade from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Nicks. While Anthony is a skilled basketball player with a high scoring average he didn’t seem to function as part of the team with neither a high number of rebounds or assists. Because of this attitude Denver struggled as a team and was never able to achieve its full potential, thus disappointing its fans. The same is true for real estate services where brokers have the potential to individually receive large commissions and press recognition in the business section of the local paper. However, if they are not willing to contribute to other aspects of the real estate firms operations the firm fails to meet it full potential and overall service to its customer base suffers.
In my firm, Katchen Company, as a boutique real estate firm we have always operated under the team concept. Even though each individual has a specific role that they play in the company’s overall operation they also must have the knowledge, capability and desire to assume other roles within the company when necessary. This team concept has allowed the company to succeed during the current economic downturn and for customers to receive consistent quality services.
Whether basketball, hockey, baseball or real estate services, individuals may stand out but it is their participation as part of a team that will allow the organization to meet its full potential.
