The course of events that lead to the economic meltdown, shook up the real estate markets, and drove the building industry to its knees has provided a prime opportunity for professionals in the industry to take a hard look at where we are and where we want to be.  Many today are asking, “What will it take to move our strategic results needle?”  While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there are fundamentals that lead to success in any industry.

Commit to evolution and transformation
   Every person in our industry has the opportunity to contribute to the change or transformation required to propel us forward.  It starts with facing reality and by acknowledging that who we are today is not who we need to be to get us going in the right direction.  By indentifying and acknowledging your role in limiting success, you become open to look beyond today and start building for a bright tomorrow.

Envision a bright tomorrow
   We need to stop doom and gloom thinking.  We must start envisioning a future that is defined by a robust and thriving industry.  If we’ve lost sight of the dream, we need to reconnect, reshape, and believe in it.  The concept of homeownership used to be the American Dream.  It can be again if we pull together.

Turn challenge into opportunity
   It’s going to take some innovation and creativity, as we need to realize that the way the business world now operates has changed.  Consumers understand and use the power of the internet and the information at their fingertips to make buying decisions.  We need to create relationships with them and provide value in their decision-making process.

Turn strategy into action
   Most executives believe that if you get the strategy right, the success of that strategy is a foregone conclusion.  While strategy is a fundamental part of creating success, it’s useless without flawless execution and a gauge to measure success along the way.  In reality, any strategy is only as good as the degree to which people are committed to it. 

Developing resilience
   This moment in time provides lessons that will leave us stronger, more vigilant, and determined to achieve success.  A resilient person will transition quickly from “woe is me” to “wow it’s me”! 
   We have a wonderful opportunity before us to make a significant difference and share an amazing story with the world about how we overcome this challenge as an industry.  If we focus on the thousand little things it will take to win this now and use the opportunity to shape markets to our advantage, we can handle this crisis, re-establish the consumer’s trust and brand loyalty, and innovate for a brighter tomorrow.  The bar has just been raised.  Are you up for the challenge?

(Liz Christoffersen is an author, speaker, and business consultant specializing in strategy, sales and leadership development.  She is the founder and CEO of Empower Consulting Group, a global strategy and results company serving the real estate, development, and hospitality industries.  For more information, visit the website at www.go2ecg.com, call 775-853-2530, or email liz@go2ecg.com)

Liz Christofferson
Empower Consulting Group