The Power of Partnership

By Jill Van Dierendonck, JMV Communications

Relationships matter. To thrive in a sales profession, building robust internal relationships (or partnerships) is a key first priority – even before you reach out to prospects and customers.

“I work with many salespeople and sales managers who tend to overlook just how important their internal teams are,” says Charlotte Landram, a highly successful leader of sales organizations, professional coach, and founder of High Impact Training & Coaching Systems in Phoenix. “They fall into a trap of trying to treat their customers better than their co-workers – and trying to do this single-handedly. I emphasize ‘trying’ – because there’s no way anyone can make this work for very long.

“This month we share the sustaining success of two Texas women who really illustrate what so many business leaders talk about with their teams,” Landram continues. “No one succeeds alone – whether you’re working to instill a sense of camaraderie within a work group, putting together a company softball team, or building a network of business suppliers,” Landram adds. “There’s tremendous wisdom in building relationships, or partnerships, to help you achieve your goals – and it’s really the only way I know of to achieve lasting success.”

“I knew I needed Debbie if I was going to make this branch successful,” Rui Cain recalls after being offered a position managing a new First American Title Insurance Company operation in Conroe, Texas, a popular, burgeoning community north of Houston, eight years ago.

“I knew we would work hard together, and we could do something good here,” Debbie Arter, a sales representative Cain recruited to work with her at First American, echoes. “My relationship, faith and trust were in Rui.”

Arter and Cain have turned a friendship filled with mutual respect, commitment and enthusiasm into a meaningful working relationship. Side-by-side, the two have grown professionally, achieved unheard-of results in a relatively new office, and demonstrated the power of partnership.

Landram notes three critical factors to building powerful partnerships.

“One is the triad of respect, trust and likeability,” she says. “Even if peoples’ roles are different or the teams’ day-to-day responsibilities are different, everyone shares a mutual goal. For example, operations staff may not embrace the sales process, but they can respect the validity of the sales role and the critical function it plays in a successful company – and vice versa,” Landram explains.

Landram goes on to say that without trust, a chaotic, dysfunctional work environment immediately develops.

“People spend more time double-checking others’ work and looking behind their own backs than producing,” she notes.

“And, liking everyone on your team isn’t absolutely required – but it naturally follows respect and trust,” Landram says. “If you work at liking your co-workers, you just might be surprised at the rewarding relationships you develop.”

The second factor on Landram’s list for powerful partnerships is communication.

“You’ll see good partners sharing coffee breaks, lunches and impromptu conversations throughout the day,” notes Landram. “Strong partners spend this informal time getting to know work habits and the best ways to share information.”

Strong performing teams also adhere to a schedule of regular, more formal, structured meetings to track progress, review priorities, and set strategies.

The third factor is time, Landram says.

“Meaningful partnerships don’t happen overnight,” she says. “They are built over time. You need time to experience mutual struggles, overcome challenges and win at the game of business,” Landram says. “In time, though – and with trust and communication -- individuals, groups of people, and entire organizations can develop respectful, high-performing relationships.

“You’ll see these all three factors at work in Arter and Cain’s partnership,” Landram adds.

When Cain was selected to start a new First American branch in Montgomery County, Texas, in 2000, she knew she faced some unique challenges – and she hoped she knew who she could turn to.

“Typically, when First American opens a new branch, the company will bring in a manager from another office, and some of the nearby business will migrate over,” Cain explains. “That wasn’t the case for our new branch in Conroe. First American was new to the county at the time. We needed to build an office…staff, a customer base, everything.

“When First American approached me I was in corporate sales and had been out of the title business for two years, and Debbie had just adopted a child and had been out for a year. I knew I had to bring her out of baby retirement to make this thing work,” Cain recalls. “Then we had to go out and get clients. We had to establish relationships with prospects. We had to learn about First American, and mold ourselves into the company’s operations.

“In our first year, Conroe became a $1 million branch,” Cain says. Within three years, First American’s Conroe branch was number one in Montgomery County market share, and since then has been at or near the top.

“Our early success was really unheard of – especially considering we worked from two branches miles apart for part of that year. I remember Debbie making calls and asking for business from another branch for what seemed like months. We definitely had to hurdle some obstacles.”

Cain says Arter shares her drive and competitiveness. “I knew Debbie had a sales background, and she knew both the mortgage and title businesses. I knew we could work together from the ground up and make this operation successful,” she adds.

“Even though I was very much enjoying my mom time, making the decision to again work with Rui was an easy one,” Arter says. “We had worked together for about four years at another company, and I knew her well. I also knew we could do something good here. She gave me a tremendous opportunity to build something with her. I knew it was going to be hard work, but being part of something new was very exciting.

“We definitely didn’t walk into a bulk of business,” Arter recalls. “But I guess we like challenges.”

The partnership shed some “blood, sweat and tears” to secure business for the recently opened branch…but both women say their early efforts are paying huge dividends today.

“We spent time learning all we could about the market,” Arter says. “And, we were out and about trying to meet everyone we could,” Cain echoes.

“Today, we’re situated in the middle of a very competitive market,” Cain adds. “We’re in one of the fastest growing areas of Houston and there’s a lot of opportunity. We serve a very diverse market -- including new construction, ranches, refinancing, commercial, and residential. Marketing to a wide base really helps.

“It can be very stressful on some days,” Cain adds, “but fun, too.”

Having fun is a vital component in Arter and Cain’s partnership. So is communication.

“We tend to find humor in nearly everything,” Arter says, as both women share a laugh. “I think we both love what we do. You have to be passionate about your work,” she adds. “We also like who we work with.”

And, they like talking with one another. Always about work, schedules, meetings and clients. And, always about what’s going on in each other’s day.

“I like to know what Debbie is doing all day,” Cain explains. “I like her to call me from the road; she doesn’t have to wait until the end of the day. I want to know immediately if a meeting has gone well…to share in the excitement or even the disappointment.”

“We are constantly talking,” Arter adds. “Often it’s just a ‘Hey, here’s what’s going on…’”

“For us it’s not a one-a-day meeting or a once-a-week meeting,” Cain says. “That just wouldn’t work. Our communication happens all day long.”

“And, it’s not easy to do,” Arter adds. “We both have a lot to do. Our daily schedule is a series of appointments with clients (closings) and other meetings. But it’s so important to share good news – and know that Rui is there when I need her. I think we just want to communicate so we’re always on the same page – sharing the same aspirations, same plans, same goals.”

“Another reason we talk to each other is this: Everyone needs to be a cheerleader out there,” Cain says. “Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on from time to time. We know about those times immediately because we communicate constantly.”

“The partnership Arter and Cain share has definitely enabled each to grow personally and professionally,” Landram says. “Each has taught the other valuable insights and life lessons.”

“Probably the most valuable lesson I’ve learned about and from Rui is that she doesn’t accept mediocrity. She’s a woman of excellence. She is not going to be a part of anything but success,” Arter says. “She pushes me -- everyone -- to the next level, to new heights – and she’s always there to help you reach your full potential. She really believes in what she’s doing, and she believes in me.”

“I marvel at Debbie’s persistence,” Cain says. “She just doesn’t give up. The word ‘no’ is not in her vocabulary. It’s been extremely rewarding to watch her grow, and to develop our business. She learned the tricks of trade, and she learned not to walk away or stop trying. She keeps working for what she wants.

“As managers, we all know that one of the biggest rewards is watching our staff interact with happy customers. It’s a huge compliment when a client brings repeat business – or says, ‘Your staff is great.’

“That just makes your day – because you know they’re right.”

Debbie Arter earned a prestigious honor from First American Title Insurance Company last year: the 2007 Texas Elite Award

[sidebar]

Overheard in the corner office

Are there ways to quantify the impact of strong business partnerships? How do leaders foster these relationships – both inside and outside their organizations?

Ron Ledbetter, Sales Manager:

Debbie Arter is one of the strongest sales professional we have in Texas. Rui Cain manages her branch very effectively and understands the role of a branch manager. When everyone on the sales team works simpatico, they become extensions of one another. When a customer needs an answer, they can get it from anyone on the team. The sales person becomes the ‘eyes and ears’ on the street for the staff, and the staff is aware of and can deliver on expectations and promises. Goals and expectations are agreed on by sales and service before the customer enters the picture. When it works, it is a thing of beauty – and theirs is beautiful.

A partnership such as theirs transcends market conditions, and it’s able to create the results it requires. It’s not captive to the market.

Throughout our organization, we promote the type of team work Rui and Debbie chose to create. The fact that they started in this way clearly explains their consistent success.

Brian Bowman, Houston Division President

Meaningful, powerful partnerships have significant impacts and benefits to the branch operation. Rui and Debbie epitomize the perfect working relationship: when you have trust for one another like they do you achieve your common goals on a religious basis. All too often, managers hear complaints about market conditions, what the competition is allowed to do, which company is violating what law, etc. We (the title/real estate industry) work in a challenging market today, but Rui and Debbie continue to produce, continue to meet their goals, and continue to exceed budget in the most difficult of markets. Why? Because they begin each day with the end in mind. They know exactly what each other needs to accomplish. They plan their day and work accordingly. They don’t let market conditions define their success. They simply focus on their daily goals which translate into monthly success -- while others struggle and make excuses.

We continually strive for these types of partnerships. In every successful branch, the sales representatives and branch managers have a true partnership and vested interest -- not only in the branch’s success, but each others as well. We encourage this behavior by bringing together sales and escrow in the creation and deployment of budgets and goals each year. We then measure the success of the team, not the individual, and we reward performance and success. Rewarding the behavior we desire translates into huge results as we create positive change throughout the division.