Leadership

Market center administrators and the MCA Support division are driving growth and agent production through their leadership.

Since the launch of the Keller Williams Growth Initiative in 2011, Market center administrators (MCAs) have expanded their leadership role and made a direct impact on the bottom line. Now, with the Career Growth Initiative (CGI) tools, MCAs are helping associates increase production and build businesses that fund lives worth living.

Each market center is unique with its own personalities and styles, but in every one of these successful offices, a market center administrator (MCA) is impacting the bottom line. ­ The MCA is responsible for the operational and financial stability of the market center and for keeping the office and the team leader on track and productive.

Stacia Thompson, in a newly created role as MCA driver, says that MCAs have a mindset of  servitude and are servant leaders whose support is critical to the success of the market center.
“MCAs are phenomenal leaders,” Keller Williams President John Davis says. “­They bring unique skills, knowledge and perspective to agents and to fellow local leaders.”

The First MCA
In the late 1980s, Sharon Gibbons, now vice president of philanthropic administration, was the first MCA – today there are more than 800. Gibbons launched the MCA division, building the models and systems that fueled the company’s growth. Now Thompson is continuing to grow what Gibbons built by driving the growth of all MCAs in the Keller Williams system, as well as the 25 MCA support analysts – known as the MCAngels.

­Thompson is focused on helping MCAs increase their impact in the market center by ensuring full utilization of the Growth Initiative tools and resources available to them. “MCAs work with a lot of heart and care and concern to help others succeed in their businesses,” she says. “­ The Career Growth Initiative (CGI) is the next evolution of value our MCAs will provide to each and every one of our agents.”

Market Center Influence
When Brad Warriner of the Overland Park (Kan.) market center was asked what he loved most about his role as an MCA, he replied, “I love the way it forced me to grow. I’m a systems person and my office grew from 200 to over 400 agents. I was constantly looking at our various systems for ways to make things run more smoothly. I love the leadership aspect of the role: understanding what’s happening in our market and learning where to direct eff orts to achieve better results.”

Maria Gallelli, of the Washington Township (N.J.) market center, says that from profit share distributions to monthly transmittals, the MCAs are the closest leaders to the agents’ financials. “Whether it’s helping get agents into production, suggesting new hires or explaining how BOLD can change their lives, we bring value to their business.”

Jude Pascua, of the Carmel Valley/Del Mar (Calif.) market center, says that by communicating the story of their market center through statistics, numbers and trends, they are communicating value.  “We are the keeper of the numbers and report reality, which helps agents refocus and realize their goals,” she says. “We hire a strong support team that authentically cares and provides great service to our entire organization.”

CGI Pioneers
Saundra Kandler, of the Fort Mill (S.C.) market center, saw early on how the Growth Initiative tools are a proven system that when used regularly will make any real estate business a success. “Listing management has helped my agents focus on the lead generation activities necessary to take the seasonality out of their businesses and get off the real estate roller coaster, similar to what Cap Management is doing for market centers,” she says. “Training Tracking helps us best choose learning events to fit every level of production. It helps associates understand the effect attending training has on their businesses and income. Creating the LORE (Language of Real Estate) is a game changer and gives exact numbers and graphics for use in their conversations regarding the local real estate market,” she adds.

Warriner uses the LORE to understand what is happening in his market in order to communicate that to his agents. “Knowing the market helps you understand where your growth opportunities are and where you should focus your effort.” “The agents are aware that the GI tools are a part of a market center that has been in business for less than three years and has already become number one in their local board and number 10 in the entire MLS out of over 2,500 offices. ­They are learning how to utilize the Language of Real Estate to tell their story – our story – to their clients to earn their business,” Gallelli says.

Beyond awareness, the Growth Initiative tools are showing agents what is working. “Agents who attend two or more trainings make significantly more in income than those who don’t,” she adds.  “And now, through the CGI, they will use these same proven tools to power their business to new heights.” “We are encouraging the MCAs to raise the bar on their leadership this year,” ­ Thompson says. “­The MCAs are there every day and will be an integral part of the CGI by helping associates find and use the tools that will grow their business to levels they never imagined. It is really exciting to see the opportunities and achievements.”