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Operating on the belief that “your business plan is only as good as your people”, this business leader enumerates the five “must-haves” for a sales agent to create a top-notch team.
Sunil Kumar, the chief executive and founder of Reliance Real Estate, underlined that people are the “first and most important” part of a business — a vital portion of the entrepreneurial equation he claimed is often “undervalued”.
While many leaders settle for hiring “anybody who comes their way”, Mr Kumar advised against onboarding people whose values and mentality do not align with that of their business.
“[Make] sure you have the right people joining you in your business from the start. You need both growth-oriented and process- or task-driven people in your business,” he stated.
He acknowledged that adding experienced people comes with a high price tag and may not be a financially viable option for businesses just starting out.
Mr Kumar recommended having a combination of new, energetic team members along with a few experienced ones.
“The new ones can help with training and learn from the more experienced team members. Your experienced team members can manage responsibilities, so you can devote your time to your strengths,” he explained.
Drawing from his personal experience, Mr Kumar shared that while he was still leading the team and responsible for income generation as an agent until mid-2020 — meaning he was only performing his duties as a chief executive on a part-time basis.
This business dynamic changed as Mr Kumar recalled that he eventually had “a support team to take away a lot of his responsibilities”.
From mid-2020, the business leader stated he returned to being a full-time CEO, with his “agent” role taking a back seat and his main focus pivoting towards supporting the teams to perform better.
“This saw a significant shift in positive energy and performance of teams where we can provide extra levels of support and assistance to our team members. If you get this right, the rest will fall into place nicely,” he stated.
He also stressed the importance of business leaders re-evaluating where they are “most effective in the business”.
“One of the most important roles you will play as a leader is putting the right people in the right seats. Most specifically, people who can lead by example and also handle pressure.
“You need individuals to grow. A person who is allied with the company culture is one who is ready to walk the hard path with you. Someone who has proven themselves in their current role and is ready to take on larger responsibilities,” he explained.
When adding a new agent to the team, Mr Kumar recommended looking for these five traits:
- Energetic and driven
According to Mr Kumar, people who are energetic and driven are more important than the skills they bring to the table, as “it takes lots of energy and determination to succeed”.
- Achievers
During the recruitment process, Mr Kumar advised being on the lookout for individuals who are “performing at exceptional levels in the correct role and achieving their goals”.
He explained that people who have this trait could be good role models for other team members. “Only someone who is achieving their goals can teach others how to fulfil theirs,” he said.
- Team players
Mr Kumar believed that great things in business could be achieved by having a great team of people and stressed the importance of being a team player as a must-have trait for agents.
“It’s hardly ever done alone. In business, we need strong team players to build a winning culture and a healthy environment for everyone to perform in,” he stated.
- Willing to learn
According to Mr Kumar, teachability is a value that is often seen at the top level in any sport or business.
“Is the person you’re bringing into your team someone who is open to new learning? This attitude is the key to high performance. Humility means you have a stronger character and demonstrates to others you are not about pride or driven by ego,” he said
- Must be a local
If an agent lives locally, Mr Kumar stated that they know the area their clients are planning to buy or sell like the back of their hands.
“They are more ‘available’ and can meet up physically faster and easier. They know what homes have been sold in the area. But more importantly, they are more likely to have real passion and personal connection with local property buyers or sellers,” he explained.
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