I have a mantra that I wrote for my teams at Movement Mortgage: “It is our shared sacrifice, as it will be our shared success”. 

This mantra is written in my office in Providence, RI to remind my teams that we are all in this together.  When one of us makes an extra effort; stays later to get a file done and ensure the customer is happy, or goes above and beyond to impress a referral partner, I think the intent is often perceived as stemming from selfish motivation.  After all, Loan Officers look out for their own pipeline and their own customers because that is what they HAVE to do.  However, with a simple readjustment of our perspective, we could see that the extra effort was not ONLY for their own commission check or their own customer.  I like to see that the extra effort makes the whole team (our whole brand) look better, and that level of effort is altruistic in nature.  That customer ends their process by telling someone how great their LO was…but they will likely also tell where their LO works.  That Realtor that was so impressed, will sometimes tell his office-mates about how great his/her LO is…and will likely also tell where that LO works. 

This effect can be called reputational impact or reputational risk.  Reputational impact/risk can work both ways obviously, but positive reputational impact is particularly powerful.  Most people want to be able to say they “know a guy”, and if they’ve had a great experience, they will then “know a guy” they can talk about.  This trickles down in so many ways when we are cognizant of the fact that our efforts (or lack thereof) impact more than just one customer or referral partner.  In building a brand, it is important that we know that our sacrifices to create great experiences will have wave-like impact on others on your team, and even neighboring markets.  So when you are at the office alone late at night, or working on a Sunday, or scrambling to correct a mistake –you must hope and encourage that many others in your work family are doing the same along with you.  Your efforts will help them, and theirs will help you, with overall market reputation.  So continue to work hard, appreciate the sacrifices of each another, and then we will celebrate together.  Or in other words…It is our shared sacrifice, as it will be our shared success…

Ian Aubourg the Regional Director for Movement Mortgage.