Protect your peace.
It is probably one of the most important things you can do, not just this season but throughout the year. You need to protect your peace with your clients, vendors, other agents, and all the other professionals we deal with.
When I say “protect your peace,” here’s what I’m talking about: If you are communicating with a client, a vendor, or someone on a transaction, and that communication is giving you an uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach, then you need to find a way to step back. Your peace is being disrupted. Moving forward at that point will only make things worse. Many times, I recommend people put a little space and time between them and that tension.
That space and time will give you a chance to martial your thoughts, process your emotions, and come back with a little calmer and with more clarity. You also may need to adjust the tone of your communication to get things back on track. For example, if someone sends you an email with a lot of drama dialogue before they get to the point, you need to bypass the drama, get to the facts, and take a moment to send a more positive and professional response.
You might feel like they didn’t communicate in the best way, but understand that you don’t know what people are up against at any given moment. Be patient with them, and be patient with yourself. A really important part of protecting your piece is giving other people grace.
Another way to protect your peace is to avoid spending time with people who create those levels of stress. It’s important to be a professional and do your job, but that doesn’t mean you have to be subject to other peoples’ drama. To protect your peace, I always recommend you stick to the facts, be the best professional you can be, and don’t take things personally.
If someone is calling you and just the thought of answering makes you sick to your stomach, then don’t answer it. Let it go to voicemail. Listen to the message and take some time to respond in a calm manner. If calling back makes you feel anxious, then send them an email and start the solution that way.
When protecting your peace, it’s really about being aware of what destroys your peace and then not walking into it. Don’t go near it. Provide yourself with peace you need. Take the peace back for you in your world.
Finally, it is the Holiday season. There’s a lot of emotions circulating out there. People can’t spend time with their loved ones. Lots of people are stressed or burned out. Unfortunately, some people don’t handle it well. Extend grace and forgiveness to them. Do your best that you can for your clients and the people you work with that may be taking some of their stress out on you.
Take care of yourself, protect your peace, and have a great week.
By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI – The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings nearly three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.
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