Learning from Leaders Promotes Leadership in Real Estate

WASHINGTON, DC – (RealEstateRama) — “Learning from Leaders in the Year of the Fire Rooster” last Friday aimed at encouraging real estate professionals to be leaders in organized real estate. The event, hosted by the SILVAR’s Global Business Council and Young Professionals Network (YPN), attracted over 100 members from SILVAR and other real estate associations.

Partially funded by a National Association of REALTORS®® Diversity Initiative grant, the event included a session on feng shui for leaders by Linda Lenore, a session on leadership skills conducted by Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) National Chair Emeritus Jim Park, another on how to conduct meetings and communicate professionally by 2005 California Association of REALTORS®® President Jim Hamilton, and a panel of past and current leaders of the different real estate associations. The leaders included Thomas Duong, 2017 AREAA Silicon Valley chapter president; Dexter Lat, past president and current board director of the Chinese American Real Estate Association; Sheryl Martinez, past president and current board director of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®® Silicon Valley Network; Mark Wong, past chair of the SILVAR Global Business Council and current SILVAR board director, and Ryan Nunnally, past YPN chair and current SILVAR board director. Tess Crescini, Global Business Council chair and founder of the Filipino American Real Estate Professionals Association, and YPN chair Jose Padilla served as moderators.

Lenore said the “Year of the Fire Rooster” is the year of the individual, of self-exploration and self-improvement, a good year for leaders. She added this is a “year of feathering your nest,” of learning values, integrity and achievement.

Park said leadership has to have a purpose and gave examples of achievements by AREAA, like the “No Other” campaign, which last year resulted in the US Census Quarterly Housing Report listing Asian American and Pacific Islander homeowners as a category. Before that, the census housing report classified all Asian Americans under the “Other” category.

Hamilton said inviting members to join a committee is an important step into leadership. He said leaders are confronted with many issues and have differing opinions, which at meetings can ultimately lead to conflict with one another. He stressed the importance of conducting meetings in a professional manner based on the Robert’s Rules of Order. When members are in conflict, Hamilton said, “Don’t take it personal and always end the meeting with a handshake.”

Crescini said she sees real estate associations representing REALTORS®® from other cultures as satellites and Associations of REALTORS®®, like SILVAR, as the flagship. “REALTORS®® from different cultures join the association representing their culture because they feel more comfortable making mistakes with protocol at meetings among their own people,” explained Crescini. She added once they gain more confidence, they are likely to step up to leadership positions in organized real estate.

Martinez noted REALTORS®® are independent business professionals. When she became a leader of WCR, she learned to consider opinions of others, to compromise and work as a team for the good of a cause.

The panelists agreed all REALTORS®® have the same goal, that of advocating homeownership for all, regardless of race and religion. As leaders, their business has benefited with referrals and deep friendships, and their professional skills were sharpened to the benefit of their clients.

Toward the end of the event, SILVAR Government Affairs Director Jessica Epstein talked about the importance of the REALTOR® Action Fund (RAF). She said contributing to the RAF and joining Legislative Government Relations (LGR) committees are examples of ways to get involved at SILVAR.

SILVAR thanks the following sponsors for supporting this event. They include smartzip – Stephanie Matsuoka, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage – Eddie Garcia, Onerent, Alliance Lending – Jason Palomino, Tour Factory – Darrell Monda, Prime Lending – Jimmy Kang, Clutterboy – Tom Anderson, Private Mortgage Advisors – Thao Benioff and James Giuffre, Farmers Insurance – Kyle Chuang, and Allstate Insurance – Barbara Kuang and Wilma Baltar.