INTERSECTIONS

NAIOP members illustrate how their personal lives, interests, hobbies, and passions impact their career paths and influence their day-to-day business acumen and relationships. 

 Published March 23, 2023

Brandon Kramer: How Lessons Learned From Parenthood Improved Leadership Skills

I have had the honor of being a parent for most of my career in CRE. As my kids have grown, I have found that using a lot of the skills learned in parenting can be applied directly to how I mentor and run my team at Marcus & Millichap. Currently, the Kramer Group consists of five associates that I am actively mentoring and helping grow. The skill levels range from brand new to 5+ years of experience, but the basic lessons I apply to all of them remain constant. There are probably hundreds of micro skills one could write a book on, but I am going to focus on four, Patience, Compassion, Fairness and Discipline. Arguably the most challenging skill any parent needs to learn is patience. This was, and probably still is, one of the most challenging skills to learn and apply to running a team. It takes a lot of time to train and deploy a new associate in the CRE world, and many of the skills that you have honed over the years are not readily obvious to someone just starting out. I find that answering the same questions over and over shouldn’t be met with frustration and annoyance, but with understanding and coaching. Just like a toddler, someone brand new in the business doesn’t know what they don’t know. Having patience in walking them through how to talk to clients and how to approach a deal may be second nature to someone with experience, but just like learning to walk as a baby, it’s going to take some time and some help to get to the point you are running on your own. Approaching the team, and clients, by putting yourself in their shoes by having compassion for their unique position is something I have always tried to do. Losing a deal or having a deal fall out of contract after months of work may not be the end of the world for someone with experience, but to a new associate or a private client with one asset, it may be pretty depressing. Understanding why a person may be coming from their point of view is important and like raising a child, putting yourself in their shoes and trying to see why they feel that way, you are better able to help them learn or grow from a situation. The CRE world, and brokerage specifically, is a type A personality set of people dealing with millions of dollars and any given time. It is inevitable that some disputes will arise when arguing over commissions and clients. As with when my kids are fighting over a toy, I try and approach every deal from a standpoint of what is fair. I always tell my guys that our mindset should never be on how much we make on a deal, but whether a deal gets done and the client is happy. Relationships in this business are far more important than how much money you can make. If you are fair in your dealings, relationships and reputation will be elevated, which will ultimately result in more business! Finally, the obvious one, discipline. There are two types, the reactive and the proactive. I am focused on the proactive. Instilling a disciplined approach to your business will create a much more efficient way to run a team and conduct business. I stress many forms of discipline, from an organized inbox and file system, to a structured day that fits your business the best. Parenting has taught me a lot of good ways to approach business, and as like raising a child, watching my team grow and become better at the business, is the best way to gauge success.

Submitted by Brandon Kramer, First Vice President at Marcus & Millichap

Published November 17, 2022

Brian Dietz Shares In the Groove

For those that know me, they know I’m completely obsessed with the band Phish. It’s an obsession that started when I was 16 and continues to this day. The way my friends and I like to see Phish requires a lot of effort, because we like to be as close to the stage as possible. That means hours of sitting around… sitting on line to get into the concert venue, sitting on the floor for a couple of hours waiting for the show to start, and, of course, sitting down to catch our breath during the 30-45 minute break the band takes between sets. So what does one do with all that time? We make friends with all the new acquaintances around us. It’s important to become friendly with those around you so when you bump into people during the dance party a Phish show can be, everyone is copesetic and there are no issues. 

By now you must be asking yourself “what does this have to do with Commercial Real Estate?” I realized early on in my career that I was very proficient at networking. I’ve never been afraid to walk into a room filled with people I don’t know and strike up conversations. I learned this skill and confidence from going to concerts, specifically Phish shows. My friends will oftentimes remark that, by the end of a show, I’ve collected all the phone numbers of all the people surrounding us. I’ve always felt the trick is to ask people lots of questions. Most people love to talk about themselves. If you give them the opportunity, they will tell you all about their lives and aspirations. As Dale Carnegie points out in “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, make sure you care about the answers to your questions. In other words, don’t be disingenuous, and share in the groove.

Submitted by Brian Dietz, NAIOP Board Member and Vice President, Evergreen Development

James Mansfield aka Manny Furtado Play by Play

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”- Wayne Gretzky 

I remember the day clearly, twelve years ago in the World Arena waiting for my son’s hockey game to begin…

”My announcer didn’t show up.”  Visibly, the cameraman was frustrated. “Do you want to call the game?” 

“What do I do?” My response was honest.

‘’Stand in the corner and talk.” I recall his forced smile—whether one of relief that he’d cornered a quick replacement or anticipating impending disaster. “Here’s a wireless mic.” 

Since that day, I have called over 1,000 hockey games, from U12 youth, sled, junior, all-star, state high school championships, USA Hockey National Championships, D1 college, to the most moving, Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation’s charity Survivor Game. In the early days, I broadcasted from the ice level end-glass, setting up a conference call inviting parents and grandparents to listen in.  

Some players I called are now familiar NHL names—Troy Terry of the Ducks, Jaccob Slavin of the Hurricanes, Cole Caufield of the Canadiens, and my favorite, the Av’s Nathan MacKinnon, then a 15-year-old phenom. Very few players make it to the NHL—the odds are high and the percentages that make it are low. 

Reflecting on Gretzy’s famous quote, I’m glad I took the mic.  I have always enjoyed public speaking, whether showing real estate, presenting at award ceremonies, leading industry panels, or acting as the MC for the Denver Pickle.  Who would have known that my natural banter would transfer to the ice?  Although I study and work hard at my “side hustle”, always seeking improvement, I realize my cadence existed all along.  Taking the mic allowed me to develop a talent and tap into a new passion.  

What continues to fuel the passion? It’s the parents watching from another state, brothers and sisters tuning in from the dorm, grandparents unable to travel, the girlfriend/boyfriend listening, or a sibling serving overseas.  They all have a common bond–cheering for their favorite player and team from afar.  For me, being the familiar voice, the connection and the one who has the honor to witness and call their kid’s game-winning goal or diving glove save…knowing they are cheering…that’s cool.

Take the shot.  Manny Furtado PxP

Click to See Manny in Action!

Submitted by James M. Mansfield, NAIOP Past President and Principal Managing Director at Pinnacle Real Estate Advisors

Shane Mahoney Just Keeps Running

Just keep running.

I ran short distance sprints and pole vaulted in high school along with the occasional burst of speed when being chased, but never considered myself a runner.  In 2005 I signed up for a 2 mile race because my brother in law suggested it.  8 months later, I finished my first marathon.  In 2020, I started running 6 miles almost daily with a neighbor because it was something to do.  In June of 2022, after 10.5 hours of effort, I completed a 50k race in Golden Gate Canyon State Park because my neighbor suggested I try it.

I never would have thought I could run that far or would want to run that far.  Putting one foot in front of the other and just continuing to move I was able to do something I hadn’t before.  Finishing things like these has taught me that I can accomplish great things – but not all at once – it takes lots of small steps.  Understanding this helps me tremendously in all aspects of my personal and professional life.

Submitted by Shane M. Mahoney, NAIOP Board Member and SVP Relationship Manager, Community Banks of Colorado

Developing Leaders Entrepreneur Panel and SoulCycle Event 

Published September 28, 2022

On September 14th, the Developing Leaders Committee and Forum Investment Group hosted a panel discussion focused on teamwork, leadership, entrepreneurship, and corporate growth with esteemed panelists, Darren Fisk, Matt Joblon, and Jay Lambiotte. Following this animated, inspiring, and relatable panel discussion the 40+ attendees migrated to Soul Cycle Denver for a team building cycle class. 

The intention of focusing on team building and getting out of your comfort zone was well received as each NAIOP Member attendee not only tried something new for the first time but did so with a room full of accomplished professionals whom they would normally only socialize with in a formal professional setting. This cycling event following the panel discussion brought the discussion full circle as it was confirmed that at the end of the day, what makes the CRE Industry so special to be a part of is the teamwork, comradery, and creation of community. Every professional in the CRE industry has the dream of creating great places and bringing people together which requires teamwork across all leading firms. 

An aspect of this event that was not within the program but naturally came into discussion was the topic of mental health and how it affects decision-making. In the state of Colorado, we pride ourselves on healthy living whether that be from access to the outdoors, physical fitness, or mental health awareness.  The positive feedback from this event shows that not only does physical fitness serve as a team building mechanism but the open discussions of mental health from our industry leaders serves as an inspirational tool for listeners wishing to follow an equally as successful path.  

The NAIOP Developing Leaders Committee hopes to build upon this event and make physical and mental health a lasting discussion topic for the Mentor/Mentee calendar.