You’re a Commercial Real Estate professional. How can diversity help you win more business?

When I first got started, the head underwriter told me that he would never vouch for my promotion because, "Nobody in this industry will want to do business with a black woman." Turns out, people value integrity, competence, and experience over what they believe a mortgage banker should look like. There weren't a lot of people who looked like me as I was coming up, so it's been rewarding to be able to provide an example and a truly safe space for the next generation of ambitious young professionals.

In 1996 when I founded my firm, the things that were being said and done about women and minorities in our industry were in a word, disgusting! For 'most' of the time, I was the only white male in the 'office'. The misogynistic and racist things that were said and done concerning my teammates and I, only fueled our growth. The "right" people saw and appreciated what we were doing, and even if they didn't, it wouldn't have mattered. We weren't going to be stopped, we were "that" good!! Thanks ladies! You know who you are!

Diversity is one of the most important factors in our industry. Potential clients embrace and engage with professionals they they relate to, trust and are knowledgeable.

What I think is few points are important,1.Understanding Client Diversity: Diverse teams empathize better with varied client needs. 2.Innovative Solutions: Diversity sparks creativity, leading to fresh problem-solving approaches. 3.Wider Market Reach: Diverse representation connects with a broader client base. 4.Cultural Sensitivity: Diversity fosters understanding, minimizing conflicts and building stronger relationships. 5.Talent Attraction: Commitment to diversity attracts skilled professionals seeking inclusive workplaces.

Diversity in CRE refers to the representation and inclusion of individuals from various backgrounds, including race, gender, ethnicity, culture, and professional experiences, across different roles within the commercial real estate sector.

Personally for me, growth and success are a direct result of diversity in CRE. A diverse team with varied perspectives, ideas and backgrounds come together to form innovative and path-breaking solutions. Backgrounds, experiences and upbringings formulate thought processes. It makes perspective and opinions unique - which makes you think beyond and out of the box; widens your perspective. Diversity also helps you give your client the best possible experience and service. It helps build strong and lasting relationships with them over simple anecdotes that resonate with them as a result of diverse experiences. The CRE industry must definitely leverage their diversity which will have a positive impact on their growth and success.

Diversity in commercial real estate is crucial for understanding diverse client needs, accessing new markets, and fostering innovation. By leveraging diverse perspectives and networks, businesses can enhance performance, adaptability, and reputation, ultimately driving growth and success in the industry.

Diversity of thought in commercial real estate is crucial for fostering innovation and enhancing decision-making. When you think about it, the built environment is real estate and the commercial part of it plays a crucial role in our every day lives. Our built environment in the United States has been shaped by white men. We need diversity of thought in helping to inspire our future and that comes from breaking bread with one another, learning from our neighbors and bringing new ideas to the table. I have a friend who would not buy property that didn't have sidewalks. Why? Because sidewalks tell us so much about how a community cares for its residents. No sidewalks says people who live there don't want visitors. WE are better together.

Diversity is crucial for CRE because it fosters innovation, enhances decision-making, expands networks, and reflects the diverse needs and perspectives of clients and communities, ultimately driving business success and sustainable growth.

When people see others in the business, it lets them know that they can make it in this space. It lets them know this is not off-limits or an "old-boys club" only. Many teams are working to break down that old foundation and by having more diversity serving clients, it naturally supports diversity in the ownership side. Having an understanding of the culture has been a major benefit when addressing issues and creating solutions for clients.

To measure diversity within your CRE team, gather and analyze data on demographics, roles, and satisfaction levels. Utilize both quantitative metrics and qualitative assessments to understand representation and inclusion, comparing with industry standards for actionable insights and continuous improvement.

Measure diversity in CRE team by assessing demographics, including race, gender, ethnicity, and age, as well as considering diverse perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets among team members.

Most important to measure diversity is to know your team not just on documentation but on a personal level, family background, their strengths, weaknesses an various other aspects related to them, we will then be able to add variety to the diverse team.

Increase diversity in your CRE team by implementing inclusive hiring practices, promoting diversity in leadership roles, providing training, fostering a supportive and inclusive work culture, and actively seeking out diverse candidates through targeted recruitment efforts.

The best way to increase diversity is to hire inclusively. Your team should adequately represent diverse cultures and traditions. Use best practice, industry norms Make your HR team inclusive Remove any selection bias

We need to talk about how as an organization we encourage and welcome diversity, talk to people who can spread the word about the way we feel about diversity. Identify candidates who can strengthen your team and add value in terms of diversity.

People with different backgrounds, upbringing, and education have different perspectives and different solutions to solving problems. CRE is a problem-solving business bringing two parties to a common a goal, and the best way to assist a client is with more unique brain power to create common ground.

We need to inculcate the importance of diversity in every team member and hence build it into our USP. A diverse team will bring in thoughts and perpectives from various experiences, will help you as a team to think out of box, handle challenges.

Hire and train diverse candidates from the entry level positions. Develop strategic relationships with diverse owner/operators of CRE.

Wow. Loaded question today! How do you become more diverse? Simply be more intentional. Diversity doesn’t just happen. Diversity happens when you decide to be more intentional to being more diverse. And being intentional means that you consider diversity in all parts of your everyday life, including your career. And how does diversity help you from a competitive standpoint? It’s not about checking the box, it’s about appreciating the benefits of having diverse personalities, diverse backgrounds, and diverse opinions in your company, on your team, and at the table. Whether that’s the table at your company meetings, at a client negotiation or presentation. Diverse opinions provide diverse points of view and far better decisions.

If you're supporting diversity 'to win more business' you've got it wrong. Do the right thing, and do busines with those that share that. I really don't like the undertone to this question, intended or not - would businesses stop supporting if they thought they could get more business... do the right thing because it is right. Is it not as simple as that?

Exactly what Kevin Rogers said ... you've got to support diversity for the right reasons not simply to win work. Do things because they are the right things to do. Simple