Sharpening Situational Awareness: Key to Safety and Success for Real Estate Agents

Situational awareness is a crucial real estate agent skill that can significantly enhance personal safety and professional performance. By staying alert to their surroundings, agents can:

• Identify potential risks during open houses and showings, improving safety.
• Notice key details about properties and neighborhoods, impressing clients and boosting service quality.
• Detect non-verbal cues, leading to improved communication and negotiations.
• Identify potential deal issues early, which can save time, reduce stress, and lead to smoother transactions for everyone involved.

As a manager, you play a crucial role in developing your team’s situational awareness. Here are two 15-minute activities you can incorporate into your next sales meeting to help sharpen these skills:

Activity 1: The Observation Game (15 minutes)

1. Divide your team into pairs.
2. Have one person from each pair leave the room for 2 minutes.
3. While they’re gone, have the remaining team members change 5-7 small things about their appearance or the room (e.g., removing a watch, switching seats, moving a plant).
4. When the partners return, give them 3 minutes to identify as many changes as possible.
5. Switch roles and repeat the process.
6. Conclude with a 5-minute discussion on what people noticed, what they missed, and how this relates to being observant during property showings or client meetings.

Activity 2: Virtual Property Assessment (15 minutes)

1. Select a property listing with a virtual tour or extensive photo gallery.
2. Show the listing to your team for 5 minutes, asking them to pay attention to details.
3. Remove the listing from view and give team members 5 minutes to write down everything they remember about the property, including potential selling points and areas of concern.
4. Spend the final 5 minutes discussing observations as a group, highlighting unique insights and how being observant can benefit client interactions and property marketing.

Regularly incorporating exercises like these into your sales meetings will help your team develop a sharper eye for detail and a greater awareness of their surroundings. This enhanced situational awareness will contribute to their safety and elevate their professional performance, ultimately leading to greater success for your agency.

Remember, in real estate, the devil is in the details. Encouraging your team to stay alert and observant can make all the difference in safety, closing deals, and ensuring client satisfaction.