I am an agent in my first year in the business. It is not news that the real estate market is going through tough times. Motivation of agents should be of concern to every broker and I thought about baseball.

It really is a great game of strategy and skill, along with great measurement tools. Am I trying to make an analogy between baseball and real estate? Yes.

What are some of the characteristics of baseball between the game and our real estate brokers?

The Real Estate Broker - In baseball this is the MANAGER of the team. Both on and off the field, the manager makes the tough decisions such as who will play, who will pitch, who needs a rest, who needs to be motivated and who needs to be left alone. Sometimes a player needs to be benched or sent to the minors. Decisions must be made as to when it is appropriate to promote a young, developing player. The same goes for cutting a popular veteran. Getting input from coaches and the front office, the manager sets the strategic direction of the club during a game and during a season. However, a good manager should be given the autonomy to make decisions, for better or for worse.

Are the Broker's out there really being Managers? Are you building pride, loyalty, and a commitment to excellence, both individually and as a team?

Are you dealing with motivation? I am talking about the motivation that builds continuous commitment to success and is found in every successful business.

Here are some tips from a rookie agent that I think are important:

1. Be positive. Don't ever let your agents think that they cannot be successful.
2. Be quick to praise. Let them know when they have done something correct. You must develop a mutual respect for one another. 
3. Be proactive with training and techniques. You'll never be a sound team if you do not have team training.
4. Manage the little things: appearance standards, organizational skills, time management, attitude, networking skills, etc. When all is said and done, it will be the fundamentals that provide the winning edge. 
5. Be thorough in communicating with your agents'. Use e-mail, voice mail, and office meetings. They want to hear from you. They want to be included in what is happening.
6. Instill pride in your agents' ability to get out and build their sphere of influence. 
7. Work with every new agent in the field. Yes.....I think the Broker should spend time with a new agent outside the office. Help them learn how to network for success! 
8. You cannot motivate your team if you cannot motivate yourself. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm. 
9. Strive to make your team the best one in your town. Develop their pride in self and group.

You are the Broker, you supervise agents! Your behavior as a broker has a direct impact on office performance, productivity, satisfaction, and agent turnover. Get out of the same old, same old. Get motivated and execute a plan of action today and make your team better.

Just my opinion for what it is worth.

Brad Snyder - The "45 Day Listings" REALTOR!
www.BradSnyder.com