Balancing Politics and Business - yes, the two actually go together…

I have been involved for over a decade and a half or so on the legislative side of our real estate industry. Having had the privilege of serving as legislative chair for several years of our NC CCIM Chapter, serving on the national level, doing the same in our local associations and continuing to be a long time and proud major donor and participant for our bi-partisan Realtor Political Action Committee (RPAC) which helps protect private property owner rights for all property owners through education and proactive involvement and in the presence of either honest legislative “mistakes” or legislative malfeasance, I have experienced quite a bit during that time frame.

I have found it interesting over the years, that at times when I voice my opinion openly (e.g. social media) I occasionally receive a “hey Pete, social media is no place for politics“. Normally I stay away from the topic and I’m cautious not to push my specific views or positions with an eye on helping present information I deem helpful or to inform and educate (often educating myself more than anyone!).

During this election cycle, I weighed in more than I have in the past at the national, state and local level because I felt obligated to do so. To me, it makes sense and its just business. We should be involved and in the arena, having a voice. I recognized a long time ago that there is no true separation between business and politics. In my opinion, the two go hand in hand. As I mention in my upcoming book Endurance Real Estate, if you proclaim you are “not into politics” I think there are three questions you should ask yourself:

1)    Are you in business (working for a company included of course)?

2)    Are you interested in feeding yourself or your family?

3)    Are you breathing?  

If you answer “yes” to any of these three questions then you are into politics. Of course, in our current day, some argue one does not have to be breathing to be into politics but that is another topic altogether.

My point here: if you play ostrich in this business and stick your head in the sand, prepare to get run over by a freight train. I always encourage my colleagues, friends and family who are not involved, whether they feel they are a Democrat, Republican or an Independent to get involved in whatever way that suits them and make a difference. Though a few on the extreme fringe of either side would have you believe otherwise, I strongly believe it is our earned right as an American citizen to have a point of view and a voice on all matters concerning politics, our constitution, our country, all of it. Many have fought and died to give us this right, and it is a right I believe we should all exercise with enthusiasm and civility.

For me, its country above party.

To point out a few brief examples of politics in business:

1) If you are working through a municipal rezoning than you have been in the middle of politics. (Whew! If you don’t think that’s politics and business combined, call me and let’s chat!)

2) If you are winding your way through the bureaucracy of a target company you are working to sell your product to, you are in politics.

3) If you are discussing building upfit with your local building inspector, you are in politics.

4) If you are a member of your local Board for Dixie Youth Baseball, yes, there is even a bit of politics there…

Some friends have also said to me: “Pete, I don’t talk about politics because it’s bad for business…”

Well I would agree that if you are incapable of putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, or are lacking in the ability to attempt a reasonable semblance of understanding of their point of view and refuse to engage in a civil productive dialogue (some call it “debate”), then yes, then I would agree, it is very bad for business and relationships. However, if you can actually have an intelligent discussion without getting up and charging out of the room because someone disagrees with your opinion, or shouting down your “opponent”, well then I actually believe politics and the art of dialogue and debate can be very good for business, can help us cross finish lines and doesn’t have to be a room clearing event.

On rare occasion I will encounter the person who sends me a private message that goes something like this: ‘Pete, I enjoy your real estate or business related posts but I don’t like your political posts so please cease and desist on those…’ To those good folks I respectfully retort ‘hey, it’s my social media platform, my opinion, and I’m doing so with respect. If you do not like or enjoy it, please feel free to skip it…”

One of the many great things about our country: we get to choose where we invest our time, resources, and energy.

If you do happen to feel that way about my message, as Seth Godin says in his latest book This is Marketing: You can’t be Seen until you Learn to See  “it’s not for you…” (Thank you to my 21 year old son John for turning me onto Seth’s latest outstanding work. I was a student of Seth’s original great work “Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers”  back in the late 90’s while in evening B-school at Wake Forest).

On a personal voting note, I have crossed the line several times in my life and voted for the other side. (I just lost some cool points with some, I know). My vote always has to be earned. To that end, I feel our legislative leaders can certainly learn something from our real estate industry in that most of us understand the art of negotiation, how important it is and the concept of ‘win-win’. There are many times we have to reach across the proverbial aisle, work together and get a deal done. Yes, of course we compete and compete hard, but we also work together to cross finish lines.

When you do a deal with me, I would prefer for you to be “whole” at the end of that deal, that is, I’m going for a win-win, primarily for two important reasons: 1) I feel like it’s the right thing to do and 2) I want to do business with you again and should I employ scorched earth policy, the likelihood of you wanting to do a deal with me again is probably very low. I realize this is at odds and a different line of thinking than those who come at life, business, politics as a zero sum game. Four quarters on the table, I want them all! Vs. Four quarters on the table. I would rather have one than none, lets work together and then do another deal together.

I would like to highlight an excellent Op/Ed written recently by Karl Rove and published in the Wall Street Journal (November 11, 2020). With regard to this current Presidential race, I agree with Karl and his usual excellent and insightful analysis that once the President and team have done their legal due diligence, if in the end, they find there is ‘no there, there’, it’s time to move on for the good of the country. Country over party. A few excerpts:

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It has been an eventful, unsettling year: A deadly virus struck without warning and claimed almost a quarter-million American lives; a lockdown demolished personal routines and left us gasping for normality; a sudden, deep recession snatched newfound prosperity from many families;  So why not finish out 2020 with a misforecast election as the finale?

Pundits predicted a blue tsunami of historic proportions that would carry Democrats into the White House, flip the U.S. Senate, increase Speaker Pelosi’s caucus by as many as 20 seats, and transform a basketful of red-state legislatures into blue ones just in time for redistricting in 2021. Well, the White House changed hands. But none of the rest happened... Still, enough voters wanted change. Mr. Biden maneuvered successfully to make the election a referendum on the president’s personality and his handling of Covid... the president’s efforts are unlikely to move a single state from Mr. Biden’s column, and certainly they’re not enough to change the final outcome.

To win, Mr. Trump must prove systemic fraud, with illegal votes in the tens of thousands. There is no evidence of that so far. Unless some emerges quickly, the president’s chances in court will decline precipitously when states start certifying results... TV networks showed jubilant crowds in major cities celebrating Mr. Biden’s victory; they didn’t show the nearly equal number of people who mourned Mr. Trump’s defeat. U.S. politics remains polarized and venomous. Once his days in court are over, the president should do his part to unite the country by leading a peaceful transition and letting grievances go.

https://apple.news/AGT_Rs7VFQVaQf_MI7VU1qg

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Once this especially overheated and contentious election season is behind us, I will lean once again toward avoiding most things political online (most, never all); I will always reserve the right to comment or voice my opinion in what I feel to be a civil or constructive way, hopefully to help educate or move a ball along as again, I say our business and our politics are inextricably connected and we should all voice our opinion, weigh in and be involved.

During this latest election cycle, I have tried to do my best to keep things civil, reasonable, positive, somewhat objective (of course, I have my bias) and have tried to do my small part to tamp down some of the venom at play from both sides. We have seen in this election that there is no ‘mandate’ other than a mandate for positive change. As the numbers appear to be shaking out, approximately slightly above 1 in 2 voters will have voted for Joe Biden and approximately just below 1 in 2 voters will have voted for Donald Trump.

Keep that in mind when you are in a restaurant again at some point, eating with your family (remember those days?). Chances are particularly good that the person sitting next to you is a good, intelligent American who cares about his or her family just like you do and chances are they voted for the “other guy”.

So yes, in my humble opinion, politics and business can be balanced and I think the two are forever tied together.

From here, as always, I’m doing my best to continue to focus on my circle of influence and control. Onward, looking up and forward. I know God will continue to bless our great country...

A wise man once said a long, long time ago:

‘Come now, and let us reason together...’

Thanks for taking time to read this!

Pete Frandano, CCIM, MBA is a real estate and supply chain expert and lifelong student, small business owner, endurance sport veteran & enthusiast, coach, proud Dad and author of the upcoming book, Endurance Real Estate.

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