As part of a panel at Inman Connect Las Vegas, WomanUp! co-founders Debra Trappen and Sara Sutachan shared takeaways from their survey of hundreds of women in real estate leadership.
WomanUp!, an extension of the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), has built a national movement over the past few years.
Their mission is “to identify, develop, and connect women in this industry. We identify the tools and strategies you need to make bold moves in real estate. We provide you with resources and events to develop your skills as a leader. We create opportunities to connect with other amazing leaders in the national brokerage community.”
“I love empowering women,” co-founder Debra Trappen said on stage at Inman Connect Las Vegas on Thursday, as part of the WomanUp! panel where she was joined by co-founder Sara Sutachan. Through the unprecedented times of COVID-19 lockdowns, WomanUp! went to work, spotlighting female leaders to share what they’ve been doing to get through the tough times. As a result, they’ve captured some 500-plus video interviews with female leaders all over the country.
After reviewing the footage, Trappen and Sutachan discovered six recurring themes that you, too, can apply to your business.
- Resiliency: In times of uncertainty, flip the switch from fear to excitement. Resilient leaders know how to adapt. Instead of fear, they turn to strength.
- Emotional intelligence: When a shift is imminent, there’s no time for a leader to be frantic. In the moderators’ experience, women know how to assess things quickly and keep things flowing. It’s that self-control that keeps a lot of leaders from panicking. They turn to one another to get past the obstacles. These boss ladies communicate and are clear with everyone in their ecosphere.
- Collaboration: “Creating the deep connection in a mutually supportive environment is so key to being a good leader,” Sutachan said. Try to let go a little bit. Don’t swim against the current amid rapids, go with it. Empathetic leadership has big returns for the team, and for the leader, too.
- Creativity: Leaders encourage themselves and others to look at things from another perspective. It helps to quell the fear.
- Empowerment: You need to empower your team to make responsible, data-driven decisions. When you empower your team, agents, and clients, it’s magic, Sutachan said.
- Communication: It’s the foundation. It’s the most important skill for a leader to master.
As we face yet another shift in the market, Sutachan and Trappen recommend thinking about one of these six areas to focus on. And if you need a little she-spiration, check out the replays of these interviews.
