The NorCal Chapter of the CCIM is my leadership dojo, and today I had the pleasure of getting some training in before for my second term.
The CCIM Institute hosts an annual Chapter Officer Training to prepare incoming officers for their term of service. It’s a way for the Institute to communicate its strategic plan to local chapter leadership so local strategies are formed in alignment with national goals. It’s also a way to make sure these volunteer promoters of the Designation know how to access resources that the Chapter can look to. There is a lot of brainstorming that happens too, in discussions about events, membership, sponsorship, marketing, and education. But to me, the greatest preparation is in the leadership modeling the regional and national volunteer leaders show putting on such a great training event.
When my friend Helen Chong asked that I sit on a panel discussing Membership I immediately said yes before I could think it through and decline. This, perhaps, is the first lesson I learned in the leadership dojo:
DO IT, BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO, AND IT MIGHT AS WELL BE YOU.
A couple of days ago I received an email with the slides that would be shown during our panel, and the questions we would be asked. True to my habit, I spent hours rolling the questions over in my head. “What is the best way to answer these questions? Is there something I can say in response to each one that would inspire the audience? Are the answers I’m inclined to give adding value to these other Chapter Officers?”
I mentioned this to our President-Elect Maxim Shapiro at dinner the night before the panel. He also had the chance to participate. He immediately called me out for overthinking it.
“When we’re at home, and I get to speak in front of our members and attendees, I hope people come away inspired and motivated. I guess I want the same thing here.”
Maxim gave me his characteristic hard-eyed glance. “It’s not about inspiring and motivating. It’s about culture. In NorCal we’ve been reshaping the culture.”
BOOM!
With that Max elevated my perspective and reminded me of all of my prep work for our NorCal Strategic Planning Session in November 2023. I based much of my effort there on the book Legacy by James Kerr. And, I was immediately reminded of Peter Drucker’s famous quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
My thoughts fell into place and I scribbled some notes down. Of course, as I have found with these Q&A panel opportunities, I overprepared and didn’t share all that I pulled together.
Here, in summarized form, are some of the questions asked and the elements of my responses:
VOLUNTEERISM
What strategies have you found most effective in encouraging members to volunteer?
I believe that strategy arises out of culture. Good leaders build strategies on core values and essential purposes. These cornerstones are cut and shaped through organizational practice and ritual. Shifting metaphor, it might be better to say they are, like river rock, shaped by the persistent flow of luncheons, board meetings, infrastructure tours, governance meetings, educational offerings, pinning ceremonies and dinners, holiday celebrations, and countless member coffees. Ritual manifests culture for an organization, just like habits manifest character for an individual.
MY SECRET SAUCE
What is your secret sauce with volunteerism?
I firmly believe that we are all anointed with gifts that can be used to change the world. We all have a purpose. My secret sauce is to discover what members of the chapter see as their gift, their calling, their purpose. If they aren’t sure, I take time with them to try to help them discover it. Once it’s named, I encourage members to tie their personal purpose to the purpose of the Chapter. The NorCal Chapter exists to educate, designate, and elevate commercial real estate professionals. What is your mission? What have you been gifted? What do you enjoy doing?
If there’s someone that loves writing, it would be great for that member to write for the Chapter. If they love greeting people, then helping at the check-in table is welcomed. If they are passionate about education, then I encourage them to join or lead our education committee, where they can coordinate Core and Ward Center courses.
I tell my people all the time that they should enjoy their volunteerism.
INCLUSIVITY
How has the Northern California Chapter been so successful at creating an inclusive environment?
We are fortunate to have a very diverse community of members of the Chapter relative to demographics like race and gender. This naturally shapes a culture of acceptance and inclusion. But inclusivity goes beyond census groups. For example, we want to be inclusive of all types of professionals connected to commercial real estate. We’re not just an organization for brokers, focused on transactions. We welcome appraisers, bankers, accountants, asset managers, lenders, environmental consultants, mediators, developers, trust officers. We appreciate diverse career backgrounds.
Close to my heart during this presidency has been finding ways to include past presidents and CCIMs that have retired, while at the same time making sure younger volunteers have the liberty to take the Chapter in new directions and make their own mistakes. We are honoring the legacy of our past presidents and members with The Legacy Project (www.ccimlegacy.com). We want this to be a place for CCIMs of all ages to contribute stories, video, and photos reflecting our Chapter history. My hope is to have an annual reunion to promote the Project, and extend our welcoming hand to past members.
Another project I am working on in this regard is the institution of a President Advisory Council. This is a list of past presidents, and perhaps long-time members, that would volunteer to be available by phone or zoom to advise the current Board and Officers. Again, this gives older members and volunteers a way to remain connected and influence the direction of the Chapter.
SHOW THEM YOU CARE
What is a best practice for creating a sense of belonging in your Chapter?
Just smile and say hi! Especially to new guests or people you don’t know, or people you see standing on the sideline not really engaging.
Just a couple of weeks ago, at our July luncheon, I came walking up the steps to the Sequoia Country Club and met a couple of very young men standing just outside of the door. They must have been in high school, but they were dressed to the nines. I mean, way better than me in my $100 Men’s Wearhouse wool jacket with elbow patches.
Anyway, I stopped and said hi. I shook their hands and treated them like any other professional that I haven’t met. How are you? What company are you with? What business are you in? I lit up when they told me they were interns waiting for their boss, and made a point to mention how a past luncheon related to their business, and how an upcoming luncheon will relate to their business.
“Tell your boss that you got the inside scoop on this place,” I said.
After the event their boss singled me out to express her gratitude that I would be so welcoming to the interns. As they approached, she mentioned that they want to be investment bankers. I turned to them and suggested they consider taking CCIM courses to learn financial analysis. I use our DCF tools to study the financials of small businesses as much as real estate.
In short, the best way to create a sense of belonging for someone is to smile, say hi, and give them your attention.
Show them you care.