Successful Behavior: It All Boils Down to Focus
I spend a lot of time thinking and studying about what makes people successful. My very livelihood centers around how mortgage leaders can steer their companies toward success, so it's a very important...
View ArticleEvery Event is a Networking Event
I was recently reminded of the fascinating story of Joe Girard. Decades ago, Joe was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the greatest car salesman in the world. What was the secret of Joe's...
View ArticleEvery Company is a Marketing Company
Management guru Peter Drucker is famous for dividing every business into two essential functions: Innovation and marketing.First, there is innovation. That is what the company makes, and how and why it...
View ArticleIs All Conflict Bad?
We typically see conflict as a bad thing. When employees are fighting with one another, whether it's about a personal disagreement or something to do with their work, it can be quite an obstacle....
View ArticleAccountability in Leadership
I speak and write a lot about the "softer" side of leadership—developing the right characteristics and attitudes that make you a better leader in the mortgage industry. And, as I shift more of my focus...
View ArticleGreat Leaders Need Great Coaches
The quest to become a better leader never ends. Those who want to be at the top of their game will never stop improving. We often think of leaders as the people who teach us and serve as a model for us...
View ArticleFight Uncertainty With Clarification
The future of the mortgage industry, as with many others, has never been more uncertain. I always liked the story about the guy looking for his lost car keys in the dark. He heads out of the darkness...
View ArticleChasing Lions: Leadership and Risk-Taking
In our industry, risk is often perceived as a bad thing. Indeed, the misapplication of risk in our industry has caused a lot of problems for the economy in recent years. But risk isn't just about...
View ArticleHow Automation Can Keep You in Compliance
For some people, automation is a dirty word in business. Sure, most business leaders are well aware of the benefits of automation in keeping costs down and creating efficient processes. But many people...
View ArticleAutomation: The Key to a Competitive Edge
Just like in any other business, leaders in the mortgage industry are often wary of embracing new technologies. It's human nature to want to do things the way they've always been done. "If it worked...
View ArticleWhy We Succeed: Leadership and Luck
Sometimes, people get lucky. We all know the person who just ends up being in the right place at the right time. We've all heard of the person who strikes it rich overnight with some obscure invention....
View ArticleThe Importance of Meetings
Meeting get a bad wrap sometimes in our society. Especially in the age of Silicon Valley startups, where people are expected to get things done quickly without spending much time in discussion,...
View ArticleHow Clarity Changes Everything
Have you ever spoken to someone who has gotten glasses for the first time? Or, maybe it's someone who has gotten an eye surgery and can see again. When people are able to see things clearly, they're...
View ArticleInnovation in the Mortgage Industry: Where Will It Come From?
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion about the future of innovation in the mortgage industry. The general consensus was that innovation is occurring and will...
View ArticleLOs Aren't Analysts; They're Salespeople
Lately, I've noticed quite a disturbing trend in the industry among loan originators. Many LOs seem to have forgotten their primary function within the organization. Getting lost in number-crunching...
View ArticleMarkets Don't Sleep: The Importance of Paying Attention
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Mortgage Banker's Association (MBA) Annual Convention in Las Vegas. It was a great time, and there was just so much information thrown at me all at once. I...
View ArticleThe Job Market and the Mortgage Industry
Recent reports that the jobless claims have been declining significantly have got me thinking about the job market and its impact on the mortgage industry. Of course, the low number of jobless claims...
View ArticleWhat a Republican Majority Means for the Mortgage Industry
Before the elections this past Tuesday, most analysts were predicting that Republicans would likely win the majority of Congress. When the time came, those projections did not disappoint. With 53 seats...
View ArticleHow Mortgage Professionals Can Get Involved in the Political Process
Politics can be a difficult subject to discuss in a professional setting. Even people in the mortgage industry have deeply held ideological beliefs that influence what they believe about their own...
View ArticlePersonal Service: The Broker Advantage
Last week, on my Lykken on Lending radio show, I got the opportunity to discuss the future of mortgage brokers with John Councilman, presClick to continue
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