The Real Estate Council always has so much going on, there’s little time for leaning back. We are leaning in all of the time, with a front row seat at many venues. Like FightNight 25 in May, which was full of energy and excitement. It was incredible to see so many commercial real estate industry leaders gathered together in one room. In the weeks leading up to the event, we engaged the former FightNight chairmen of the last 25 years to participate in the celebration of the event, from its humble beginnings to its stature now as one of the largest fundraisers in our city.
It definitely feels like our industry is roaring back in a big way, and making connections and doing deals at our events is part of why we are still here. The Real Estate Council team and membership is fortunate to have such great leaders. This years’ FightNight Chairman Diane Butler continued the legacy with incredible style and grace. She has proven she has the will and the skill to lead, and is one of a handful of women who has risen to the top in an industry still primarily led by men.
We are known for providing leadership development for our young members through our Associate Leadership Council class and Young Guns, but recently we did something a little unusual. We gathered a group of 40 or so women members to have a conversation with some successful women leaders and members of The Real Estate Council—Michele Wheeler, president and chief operating officer of Jackson-Shaw; Patricia Gibson, president and CEO of Hunt Realty Investments Inc.; Sue Ansel, president and CEO of Gables Residential; and Diane Butler, principal and CEO of Butler Burgher Group—to discuss their career trajectory and what has fueled their professional success.
The book Lean In, by Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg, prompted the discussion. Our speakers are well known in the industry, but it was a privilege for those in attendance—many just beginning their careers—to have a chance to ask these leaders how they’ve navigated a mostly male profession.
Sheryl Sandberg says that women need to “lean in” to be successful—lean in and take that new assignment even though you might not know everything about the job. Take a seat at the table, lean in, and lead the discussion. Lean in and focus on results, rather than pleasing others. One of the most compelling takeaways from the book is that most careers navigate a jungle gym, not a ladder. Our speakers were a case in point—they often made lateral moves to take a completely unexpected path of continuous learning. As soon as they got comfortable in a job, they started looking for a new challenge.
Our speakers also talked about mentoring, and, much like the book says, when we think about mentoring, we often think about one person senior to us who we ask to help us with our career advancement. In reality that does not happen much. Instead our mentors are just as often friends and those who work with or for us. Personally I get valuable feedback from my husband, who has helped me improve both my management and communication skills. And my daughters, now successful in their own right in their chosen professions, also provide valuable feedback and a perspective on managing the new generation of leaders.
I was thrilled that this discussion resonated with our women members, and that many of them thought we should invite the guys to the table for the next discussion. I would love to hear what men think on the topic. One of our young members attending told us that she gave her boss the book after her recent performance review. It takes bold action to change attitudes, but, unfortunately women who take initiative are often labeled ”bossy,” as well as other “b” names. This does nothing to further equality and fair treatment for what is now 50 percent of the workforce.
Sheryl Sandberg says she wants every little girl who’s told she’s bossy to be told instead she has leadership skills. Imagine how that kind of basic change in rhetoric could influence a generation?
Sandberg also wrote, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” Well, 25 years ago, a group of guys stepped out and created something special, during one of the most challenging times the industry had ever faced. They were fearless, since all of the tuxedo rentals in the room may have been more valuable than the combined net worth of those attending.
Today, women and men are continuing that great legacy through FightNight, and the funds it raises to strengthen our industry and community. Together may we be fearless in our mission to build a better environment for the commercial real estate industry to succeed, create jobs, generate new tax dollars through commercial growth, strengthen neighborhoods, improve the education of our kids, and develop a community that is great place to live and work. I’m proud to say that women and men involved with The Real Estate Council are leaning in.
Linda McMahon is president of The Real Estate Council. Contact her at [email protected].
