Learning, Networking, and Leading with Associations with Adorna Carroll

There are so many benefits for real estate agents and REALTOR® members of local associations. Adorna Carroll is on the show to talk about everything that associations have to offer their members. Monica and Adorna share some of the benefits of joining an association, as well as best practices for engaging with your local, state, or national association.

There are several values that associations can bring for agents, especially in the real estate industry where there is a three-way partnership between the local, state, and national association. The local association is the first point of contact for many REALTORS®, helping to orient the members and share industry best practices, ethics, etc. The local association also helps members understand what happens at the state and national levels.

Another huge benefit of associations is networking! The opportunities are abundant both for you as an agent and for your clients. You have the opportunity to connect with people outside of your market, increase your reach, and work with people who are experts in a discipline other than your own. Networking across disciplines also benefits your communities and the populations you serve.

Adorna and Monica talk about some other committees involved in the local, state, or national associations. Many associations have an educational committee, but Adorna views this more as professional and career development; associations should be focusing on getting a variety of people in front of their members who are going to present the best information for growth. Be intentional and pick good courses that are going to further your career.

The Ethics and Arbitration option is a big part of the associations and what they're about. There is a code of ethics in the real estate industry that helps to define the boundaries for REALTORS®. Adorna talks about some policies that help to define how agents should conduct themselves.

The Government Affairs division is important for advocacy across the industry. The RPAC, or REALTORS® Political Action Committee, is an important vehicle for getting funding, strong lobbyists, and unity in the industry. This committee is on all levels, and forming personal relationships or political contacts is where the work can really get done.

Some of the other committees they talk about are the YPN, the Young Professionals Network or Your Professional Network. This was originally created for younger real estate professionals to network and has morphed into a leadership and mentorship program. Most associations also have a finance/budget committee, hopefully with people who have a finance background and good checks and balances in place.

There is a shared relationship between association volunteers and association staff. Annual training is key to establishing a productive relationship between both parties. The association staff manages the business and works for the corporation. The volunteers bring creativity and define the horizon line for the association and the members.

Adorna's last words for listeners are that getting involved in associations makes the most sense for your business. Not only will you get to know the people you will be working with, but you'll learn so much along the way that it is guaranteed to be a great investment for your business.

Tweetables

"Go beyond competency and go for proficiency." — Adorna

"If real estate is your career, politics is your business." — Adorna

"Getting involved makes good sense for their own personal business. It's an incredible opportunity and an investment in your business." — Adorna

Adorna currently owns and runs three real-estate-related businesses and has had a personal team for over 25 years.

As the President of Dynamic Directions, Inc., we are a training and consulting firm that has an extensive faculty of consultants and trainers. Adorna trains REALTORS® all over North America and has authored numerous residential designation and certification courses, the SRS, RENE, several CRB courses, C-RETS, and the new agent training program called The Right Start all part of the REBI — Real Estate Business Institute.

In 1997 she completed her term as the State President for the CT REALTORS®, was the 2001 Region 1 VP, an NAR Liaison in 2002, 2003, and 2007, RPAC Trustee in 2004, the 2005 NAR VP & Liaison to Committees, NAR’s Chief Political Fundraiser in 2006, a member of the RPAC Hall of Fame, the REBAC Hall of Fame, the 2016 President of the REBI — Real Estate Business Institute and is the 79th recipient of NAR’s Distinguished Service Award.