I Though I Was Going To Die
Ever have a near-miss death experiences?
I’ve had three. Two in the water, one in mid air.
Whistling along at five hundred and fifty miles per hour,two howling jets propelled us, the flight crew, flea sized bags of peanuts, a million pounds of metal, luggage and ridiculous hope, towards Vegas.
It was noisy. Passengers chatted, dozed and laughed while Flight Attendants smiled, slung drinks and served crappy sandwiches. I don’t know what the in-flight movie was, it sucked.
Like a steel wheel hammering an unexpected pothole, the floor beneath my feet banged rudely violent with a flash of vibration. Previous droning blinked silent. A startled hush sucked sound from the cabin. My mouth went instant dry. My skin tingled. I could hear my adrenalin laced blood whoosh through my veins. I fought a primal urge to stand and run or fight or something.
Four feet away, like nothing happened, our Flight Attendants re-assuredly smiled, slung drinks and continued to casually serve those crappy sandwiches I mentioned earlier.
Doubt dissipated, confidence re-inflated and familiar friendly sounds refilled the cabin. We flew on like normal.
What would have happened if the Flight Attendants froze mid pour, broke conversation, flinched and Freaked-Out? Or if the Captain jumped on the intercom and in a breathless panic blurbed, “This is the Captain speaking, all is sorta-safe, fasten your seat belts – super-tight, I hope we make it, please pray for our plane. That is all”?
Flight crews are professionals. They fly millions of miles. Turbulence in all sizes, odd clunks, shrill screeches and the unexpected can un-nerve and Freak-Out untrained eyes and ears. The flight crews know that their behavior influences the confidence and comfort of the passengers.
Wanna know when to panic? Watch the Flight Attendants, listen to the Captain, if they act rattled, surprised or otherwise Freak-Out, it’s time to pull the rip-cord on your personal panic parachute.
I call this safety signal thermometer – The Fight Crew Freak Out Factor.
Real Estate Turbulence and The Freak Out Factor
How much turbulence can your passengers experience in a real estate transaction? Like the weather and nature, there are hundreds of moving parts and dozens of players, all outside your control.
How many wrinkles are ironed, fires quenched, nerves calmed, egos massaged, butts kissed and kicked, emotions soothed and misdirection corrected are there?
As a professional real estate agent you manage details, calmly communicate, assertively advocate, resolve sticky situations and lead for a living. Like passengers’ bulleting through thin air, when scares and surprise arise, your clients look to YOU for the Freak-Out-Factor.
When things escalate wildly, as they often can, if you Cave-In and Freak-Out, everyone panics. Panic is the enemy of goodwill and confidence. Panic sucks the delight out of a positive experience.
Remain Cool and Confident.
When the Fit Hits The Shan, remember the Freak Out Factor. Resolve to solve. Lead with calm-confidence and above all Don’t Freak-Out . Perform!
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Thanks for reading – Rock ON.
PS. I notice in this post I’m using a lot “yous”. “You” should this, “you” should that, etc. I wanted to share that the “yous” I use are writing style related. I wouldn’t presume to tell “you” what “you” should or shouldn’t do. I didn’t want “you” to think I thought I was some kinda of pompous self-appointed authority, know-it-all jerk. I’m just sharing some thoughts and observations. Thanks.
Photo Credit: OMG by ~acupofcoffe on deviantART
Susie Blackmon
May 25, 2009 at 11:37 am
I agree re cool and confident. I was a stew in a previous life. In this market I believe the best thing realtors can project is honesty. None of the chameleon-like tendencies that permeate our ranks. Right now I see agents taking listings with glee when we have so much inventory it will take years to sell it all. Then I see those same agents saying “Oh, the market is changing; there are buyers in town!” Oh, they forgot to mention these are the bottom-feeders who want to buy cheap and flip, give or take a few who just want a fixer-upper for their second home in the mountains. The market is not changing here. We are getting a few doggie bones. The market WILL change, but nor for a while yet. I hope only the honest and legitimate are left standing, and that my efforts to finally follow my passion prevail!
BawldGuy
May 25, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Ken — My assistants used to ask me why I’d become irritated when they’d get upset about a particular escrow situation. Mostly, I said, because their reactions were far more than circumstances dictated. Well, they asked, when should we get excited?
When I do. (Always worked like a charm with both assistants and clients.)
They persisted, saying, that I never got too excited when things went a little south. My answer?
And there ya go. 🙂
Ken Brand
May 26, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Susie, Ups and Downs wash in an out like the tide. I think you’re absolutely on track – effort and passion will prevail. Keep the faith!
BawldGuy – Amen brother – leadership wins the battle and the war and hearts and minds.
Brandie Young
May 27, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Ken – great analogy. You busted me on my secret. I am a nervous flyer during take off (only then) and always try to watch the faces of flight attendants.
That said, great advice. No need to start a chain reaction when it’s not necessary!
Austin Home Search
June 8, 2009 at 10:05 am
In today’s turbulent economy, I think people are more willing to put in the time to make a good real estate purchase rather than rush into something they haven’t thought about. While there is a factor of how much “turbulence” people can take, most families in America understand that something that comes too easy, probably isn’t as good as it appears.