Many in the real estate industry have moved towards the team model. This is one of the best ways for experienced agents to share their knowledge, while at the same time learning from young agents that may bring something new and exciting to the table. As the average age of a real estate agent hovers around fifty or so, an infusion of youth can be positive for the overall industry. The inspiration for this thought did not come from real estate, but rather from the world of professional sports, more specifically, the NFL.
Fans of the game know that football is a game that cannot be played for a "long" time by most players due to the physical demands and punishment that each player experiences. Players in their mid thirties are usually considered to be at, or near, retirement age. Clearly, this is not the case with REALTORS®, but a parallel exists just the same, which you will be able to see as this story develops.
One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game is Brett Favre, of the Green Bay Packers. In recent years, there has been serious discussion of retirement during the off-season for Brett Favre. He has achieved so many great things, that the only reason for him to continue playing is for a chance at winning the Super Bowl one more time. Prognosticators may not have expected the success that Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers are experiencing so far this year, but he obviously saw enough talent on the team to decide to return for another season.
As a younger quarterback, Brett Favre offered everything that a team could want from the position, although he was sometimes criticized by the press for his "gunslinger" approach to the game, which resulted in many great plays, but also many miscues. Now as he approaches the twilight of his career, he is considered the elder statesman of his team. His experience in virtually every possible situation is something that the younger players can learn from. This is similar to the lessons that experienced agents can teach to young agents just entering the business.
Many of the players that Brett Favre won the Super Bowl with years ago are either out of the league all together or no longer with the team. The graying quarterback that is definitely a step or two slower than he was in his prime, now must rely upon players that grew up watching and idolizing him to achieve his goal of winning another Super Bowl.
No matter what team you are a fan of, if you're a real football fan, you must at least respect the career of this great player. You can only imagine what his young teammates think of him, in particular, one of his young wide receivers named Greg Jennings.
Greg Jennings is in his second season in the NFL, and he was on the receiving end of one of the greatest plays of Brett Favre's illustrious career in their game Monday night against the Denver Broncos. After the Broncos kicked a game-tying field goal with no time left on the clock, a game that was once in the Packer's grasp could now possibly have been decided by the flip of a coin. The Packers won the coin toss and had a below average kickoff return which brought them to their own 18-yard line, not exactly an ideal way to start off sudden-death overtime. Normally in this situation, teams will try to work their way methodically down the field to get close enough to attempt a game-winning field goal. But not this time!
The savvy veteran stepped back in the pocket and threw the ball 50-yards in the air into the awaiting arms of his second year wide receiver, Greg Jennings, who proceeded to run an additional 32 yards for the game-winning touchdown. One play, against the odds, in a hostile environment, on National TV, and magic happened because a seasoned veteran with no fear threw the ball to an up-and-coming wide receiver with no "big-game" experience resulting in a touchdown that neither one will forget anytime soon. It all happened because of TRUST.
So, how does this relate to real estate? It all comes back to teamwork, and having a team of people that complement each other to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
Experienced agents can make themselves more well-rounded by tapping into the youthful exuberance and skills of a young agent. Young agents can learn to master their trade by learning at the hand of someone that has seen it all and done it all, or at the very least, has seen and done enough to know how to handle situations "on the fly."
You also have to have the right people in the right position. The Packers made this magic play happen because the experienced quarterback had the know-how to get the job done and the wide receiver had the speed and skills to make the play. Had this been a second year quarterback throwing the ball to a wide receiver that had lost a step or two, this story would likely not have been written.
The savvy veteran and the enthusiastic rookie can do great things if they team up to complement each other's talents. Sports is just a microcosm of life and business, and the real estate profession is no exception to this rule.
If you're thinking about building a team, or even joining a team, you should be looking for someone that has strength where you have weakness. True teamwork is about trust and making each other better.

2-4-6-8...Adam Waldman sure is GREAT! I love your posts. Supposed to have been at a game tonight but we weren't able to drive up due to our sitter having a bad cold. Don't like NFL much. Just college football. Sure hope my Noles can pull off the upset tonight. Fingers crossed, knocking on wood, got a horse shoe and a four leaf clover. I will need all that and more....=[
You make great points and I've been trying my best to get RE/MAX to offer a special rate for newer agents working with a more experienced partner and learn how to build their business properly.
Adam,
Nice post! We can learn a lot from the NFL and 'teams'...what I like about the 'team model' in real estate is the mentoring aspects and the 'diversity of age' influence! Really, the family structure should be our first ecperience of how to operate as a team! Thanks, Fran
Hi Adam,
Team work and sharing are so important in this business. We all have different talents and if we recognize what each "player" can contribute most effectively, our team will be successful.
I now have a new pre-game ritual: COMMENT ON YOUR BLOG!!!!! IT WORKED!!!!!
BOOOYAHHHH! My Noles won! Beat the #2 team in the country. A few years ago that wouldn't have been a big deal. Now, I am happy when they beat a directional school!
MISSY: You and I are totally in synch with this thought. While the temptation may be to surround yourself with others that have the same skills, it makes much more sense to do it your way. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Missy.
JASON: I've given up on trying to find players in the league that are older than I am, although there are still a handful of them. That is a whole other blog for another day though. Not surprisingly, we've found some more common ground. Thanks for commenting, buddy.
JESSICA: This would be funny if this was a video message. I can see you now, wearing your red, white and blue RE/MAX cheerleader outfit! I believe that we belong to the mutual admiration society, because your posts are something that I look forward to as well. Glad to see that your Noles pulled off the upset. If one more number 2 loses, they will probably be considered automatic underdogs, no matter who they play. If anyone can get something done with RE/MAX, I'm quite sure that it's you! Thanks for the great comment, Jessica.
FRAN: Your points are the reason that I love using sports analogies when it comes to real estate. Nice touch with the family structure analogy as well. Thanks for your comment, Fran.
CAROLE: I never really thought about the line that you liked outside of real estate, but from what I've learned about Feng Shui through your blogs, it seems that you can make the same argument that this is exactly about your line of work. It's all about balance. Thanks for commenting, Carole.
DEZ: Knowing you, I know that I can count on your support when it comes to football, as long as I keep it non-Cowboys centric. I agree that Favre is a great role model in a world that has seen so many athletes become anything but a role model. Thanks for commenting, Dez.
KATERINA: I'm glad that you enjoy these posts and the analogies, as I really enjoy using them. There is a great synergy between veterans and young agents, as long as each is willing to learn from the other. Thanks for your comment, Katerina.
ROBERTA: It is great to see when people work together instead of working against each other. It's not an easy dynamic to find. Thanks for your comment, Roberta.
CYNTHIA: I like your idea of thinking as each person as one of the players. In sports today, like in real estate, it has become all about the specialist. I'm glad that you're in agreement with me on this. Thanks for your comments, Cynthia.
WES: Thank you for your very supportive and complimentary words. I really appreciate it. It's nice to see that others out there are doing unique things to show teamwork. Yours is definitely an approach that I've never seen. Thanks again for your comments, Wes.
JESSICA: What am I going to do once the bowl games are over? I can't wait until September to see your comments again. You are too funny ("when the beat a directional school). I'm glad that your Noles won. There's nothing more fun around here than a psyched up Jessica Horton!
JOHN: Thank you for adding some great points to this post, that can also tie in to real estate. It kind of goes along the line of thinking that Brian Buffini preaches, which is...there is a lot of losing in winning (a/k/a "Winning Ugly"). Thanks for your comments, John.
I will start building up momentum for next season! However, I will definately comment prior to any game starting!
As you know, Adam, I work with my father. We make a formidable tandem with his 34 years of experience and success, and my youthful exuberance. I'm an industry veteran at this point, but the pairing was a tremendous boon for both of us those first few years. He would refer to me as his computer guy, and I'd point to his success. Liked this post a lot because it hit so close to home.
PAUL: You and your Dad are a great example of how this can work. Even though you are now a seasoned veteran, I'm sure that you both complement each other's skills very well. Thanks for commenting, Paul.
Hi Adam,
As a former athlete, teamwork is instilled in me. I can honestly say that as a new agent I would not be where I am today without the help of my more seasoned associates. This post hit close to home as I did not start out in a team environment. I am so glad to have made the change to working within a team environment. Not only have I learned from veteran agents, I have made lifelong friends!!
Best,
Lacey