Lee Ann Roughton, ERA Vice President of Real Estate and new Inman contributor, shares practical ways to help all women in real estate rise together.
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I started my career with ERA Real Estate in 2007 with Brenda Casserly as President. During her tenure at the brand, Sales volume increased by more than 50%, and the domestic and foreign franchise network expanded significantly.
Brenda is recognized as an industry leader and was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Real Estate in 2008. She has been called many things: smart, compassionate, intuitive, wise, a trailblazer, a dedicated mentor, and most of all, a friend.
She had a huge impact on me and played an important role in my development as a leader. She believes that everyone – no matter their role – plays a vital role in the brand’s success and that everyone has something to contribute.
This inspires confidence at all levels of the company. When you talk to Brenda, she always makes you feel like you are the most important to her in that moment. She gives you her full attention. She had such genuine humility and compassion, and it created a sense of unity.
pay it forward
I carry a lot of these with me. I have spent most of my career helping real estate companies grow, serving as an advisor and advocate to broker-owners across the country.
We focus on business planning and strategic growth opportunities to improve profitability through increased participation in corporate services and support. Like Brenda before me, I have a real vested interest in the success of the people I work with.
When I think about supporting the development of female leaders in real estate, I believe having a vested interest is key. But there are other things that I’ve noticed among women in leadership positions, particularly among agent owners, that have really made a difference.
Transparency equals confidence
The first is transparency. Over the past decade or so, I’ve noticed a greater level of transparency from the women I work with. They’re transparent about their business—what’s going well and what’s not. They are not afraid to admit when things are not going well.
In my opinion, this transparency comes from a sense of self-confidence, and I believe that self-confidence among female leaders has grown dramatically as well.
Being transparent requires believing that it’s okay to ask for help. As their business partner, my perspective is that the only way I can help is if I know what’s wrong. Women have been very willing to collaborate with me and others, which I think is a sign of strength.
Don’t act alone
Collaboration has always been a defining characteristic of successful female leaders in our network. By working together, we can better leverage each other’s strengths and insights to achieve growth and success.
We saw this in action at the ERA Hera Association’s recent annual business conferencea brand with a dedicated team dedicated to elevating women’s leadership positions in the affiliate network and industry. We explore the inspiring stories of our own strong female leaders and the challenges they have overcome to not only build a better future in real estate, but to improve everyone Get up around us.
I really like the advice given by Liz Gehringer, President and CEO of Anywhere Franchise Brands. “Be inspired by other women. Purposefully lift each other up instead of putting each other down. Take every opportunity to express gratitude for your female mentors. Help women advance in their careers by bringing attention to issues, successes, and available resources make progress.”
what i learned
So, what advice do I have for women looking to move into leadership roles in real estate?
First, don’t let all the noise distract you from your goals and priorities. It takes discipline and focusing on the things you can control.
Start with yourself; this The first sale you must make is to yourself. In other words, no one will believe in you and your abilities unless you do this.
It is then important to formalize a plan or roadmap to achieve your desired goals and execute on it. Set milestones and thank yourself when you achieve them.
Next, actively seek out a mentor: someone who can support you, someone who can accompany you on your journey and give you the space to fail. This is where we make the most progress.
Then, carefully cultivate those around you.Asking for instant feedback, it is a great way to benefit from learning from others.
Finally, pay it forward. The focus is on creating more leadership pathways to empower and expand growth opportunities for other women.
I wish you good luck on your journey and know that I have your back.
Lee Ann Roughton is national vice president of franchise performance for ERA Real Estate.
