Ops Bosses® come in all shapes and forms. There’s no one-size-fits all. That said, there are MANY real estate assistants and Directors of Operations who would call themselves introverts. Here are seven reasons you might want to hire one:
1. You’re An Extrovert
Many successful REALTORS® are extroverts. If you’re one of them, it might be wise to hire someone who balances you. Someone who can be the Yin to your Yang. You’ll excel at and like different parts of the business. (You might love hosting open houses. While they may love creating your open house follow up system.) And you will each “click” with different clients.
2. They Listen Well
Introverts spend much more time listening than they do talking. If your Ops Boss® is the one handling client care on your team, this could be a great fit. Your clients will feel heard and cared for. Introverts may pick up on client concerns that an extrovert could miss. They are perfect to handle listing and transaction coordination for example.
3. They Like To Be Behind The Scenes
The person who rides “shotgun” prefers the leader to stand out. They would much rather help someone else shine, than to be the center of attention themselves. When you are the face and brand of your company, this is ideal. An introvert usually has little ego and is very team oriented. This creates great harmony & synergy.
Introverts also often LOVE social media. Many introverts are actually “social media extroverts”. So it can be a great fit if your assistant is going to be the “behind-the-scenes voice” of your business’ social media accounts. They’ll have fun making it come to life, and they will attract business to you.
4. If You Exclude Introverts, You Might Miss The Next Bill Gates or J.K. Rowling
There are a LOT of famous introverts: Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft), J.K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter series), Ben Silbermann (co-founder of Pinterest), Jack Dorsey (found of Twitter, now known as “X”), Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook).
Depending on the source, it’s reported that somewhere between 30-50% of our population are introverts. If you exclude introverts from your search (whether subconsciously because they don’t present well in an interview, or consciously) – you could eliminate GREAT talent and a substantial part of the population. This is the LAST thing you want to do!
5. They Are Often Creative
Introverts spend a LOT of time thinking. They are also frequently avid readers. This means they are great problem solvers and will think outside the box – bringing you new ideas and new strategies. Creativity also requires mental space. Because introverts love solitude, they are able to focus and work creatively in a way that extroverts don’t. In a world where the public perceives all REALTORS® to be “the same”, this can be a HUGE advantage. An introvert can help you stand out from the crowd.
6. Risk Is Not Attractive
Introverts are often more risk averse than extroverts. This means they might stay with you longer. They will also do a great job of protecting you and protecting your business. They’ll read your contracts, check the details, and make sure all your t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted.
7. Persistence & Focus
Introverts like to limit distraction. They are able to focus in a deep way. This means they are fantastic at creating systems & plans, and following each detail through. They will stick with something long after an extrovert has lost interest. This makes them perfect project managers.
Now, there are exceptions to every rule. 75% of our coaches at Ops Boss® Coaching are introverts. That means 25% are extroverts! And our coaching clients fall across that same spectrum.
Bottom Line: There are great reasons to hire both introverts AND extroverts. Make sure whomever you hire is the right fit for YOU, your team AND your clients!
PS- One of coaches who is an introvert will be teaching our BRAND NEW CLASS called “Practically A Boss” on Jan 10th. Check it out if you are a newer admin and/or an Ops Boss® who needs a re-set and re-boot for the New Year!