I recently came across this piece written by my good friend Lisa Forss at Team Forss. It's worth reading and being inspired by:
LEANING IN DURING A CRISIS
When Goran and I got into real estate, we never thought about big lofty goals, having lots of agents or even closing a ton of transactions. We loved what we do and we wanted to do it with people who had similar goals and whom we thoroughly enjoyed being around. Period. Nothing crazy.
In 2011, we sold $15m in Real Estate and were so happy about it. Fast Forward to 2019when our Team sold $217m in Real Estate and guess what? We are still so happy about it. We are going through life with some amazing people with similar - and equally as amazing - goals.
Cut to 2020. COVID-19 hits and it is a crazy, off-the-chain crisis that has turned our world on it’s head. It is unequivocally something that can shake the very foundation of small businesses. Crisis can either bring out the absolute BEST, the mediocre or even the worst in people. They will either run from it in fear, avoid it all together or “LEAN IN”. We choose to lean in to it! But then again, this is not Team Forss’ 1st rodeo!
True character shines bright in times of crisis. In 2014, during a team trip to Cabo, our group experienced a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane the very first night of arrival. The airport was destroyed and there was no longer a working control tower. Not only was food rationed daily at our refugee encampment but no flights were moving anywhere for days. The pools were all green with ocean water and filled with everything that flew through the air during the night - roof tiles, refrigerators, kegs, chairs, tables trees, and dirt, just to name a few. Water was being filtered from those pools for our drinking water!
During the night, as this life altering crisis was happening, our team was uplifting & positive while smiling through the fear and frightened for our lives. We were all healthy and strong but worried about the other 280 people in the ballroom sleeping on the floor with us, including some with health issues.
Throughout the night, we were mostly frightened as the walls were breathing in and out with 137 mph winds gusting around us and the rain pouring down the walls from the roof top. Grown men (6 at a time) holding leather belts around the ballroom door handles to try and keep them closed as the Hurricane tried to blow them off.
Needless to say, we survived this ordeal but more than that we rose above it - as a TEAM. We helped clean up the mess and after returning home, we sent food and supplies back to the hotel, that became our official refugee camp for a week. These people we call family stepped up and helped others when they themselves were frightened for their lives. We could not have paid for that team building exercise, even if we wanted to.
With everything happening in the world today it's easy to throw in your hat and succumb to crisis. But this team, OUR TEAM, is doing the same thing they do every time in the face of adversity - leaning in and helping where possible. They stopped selling and started helping. They continue to push through a crisis yet again, except this time it's on our own home front. Their livelihood depends on their sales but they put that aside to help their neighbors, their churches, the hospital staff and each other. They reached out to find out how we could help community and by doing that they help keep our community strong.
I know you will think I'm crazy but our little team has been BLESSED with two huge opportunities in the form of “crisis” and we are so proud of their resilience and character that we just wanted to scream it from the roof tops!
*Thank you* so much work family! It takes a lot of oars to row this large boat forward and there is no one we would rather be in the boat with than you!
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