Never Guess!!!

Never guess...

This is a very important philosophy to adopt, and it served me well over my career in the real estate industry.

When asked a question at my companies over the years, my guidance and instruction to my staff and employees has always been to "never guess."

If you don't know the answer to a question, admit it and find the correct answer for the person asking the question.

How did this become part of the way I operated?

It is about taking responsibility and understanding accountability.

In the summer of 1968 as a Fourth Class Midshipman (plebe) at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, one of the important lessons we were taught was to never guess (more like NEVER GUESS!!!).

It was impressed upon us that as leaders in the future, people's lives could depend upon information provided by us.

"Are they shooting live ammo?"

"Does the aircraft have enough fuel to fly the mission?"

The answers to these questions require certainty. Guessing could result in death as these are examples with zero tolerance for error. If you don't know or aren't sure about the answer to any question and offer an answer anyway, you are guessing. Remember the rule...Never Guess!

As plebes we were only allowed five "basic responses" when asked a question by an upper classman. They were:

1. Yes sir
2. No sir
3. Aye Aye sir (I understand and will obey)
4. I'll find out sir.
5. No excuse sir.

If you were not 100% sure, then you were guessing and "I think" was not an allowed response...it was a guess. Guessing was absolutely forbidden.

"I believe" was another improper response (as in "I believe the correct answer is...") and beginning the answer to a question with the words "I believe" would result in your standing on your chair in the mess hall in front of 4000 young men singing the song "I Believe."

I believe for every drop of rain that falls

A flower grows.

I believe that somewhere in the darkest night

A candle glows.

I believe for everyone who goes astray,

Someone will come to show the way.

I believe, Oh, I believe..."

And yes, I had to sing it a few times before it sunk it. I think we were told at the time that we believed in our country, we believed in the navy, we believed in ourselves and if we chose, in our god.

To make sure we were inculcated with this "value" and to make it a habit never to guess, on many occasions, after a question was asked and responded to, the upper classman asking the question might ask the following follow up question:

"bet your ass?"

If you weren't willing to "bet your ass," then obviously you weren't sure and if you were not sure and answered anyway, you were guessing.

If you didn't know something, the proper response was "I'll find out sir."

Whenever an upper classman asked you if you were willing to "bet your ass" it made you think about your response...if you were sure, you would reply affirmatively, "yes sir," If not it was simple, "I'll find out sir."

OK...I know you are wondering, what happened if you "bet your ass" and lost?

Simple...You bent over, grabbed you ankles and waited for the upper classman to take the biggest book he could find (usually your book of Navy Fight Songs)...and with a running start down the corridor, swat you smack dab in the fleshy area. It didn't take many times witnessing (or experiencing) this to understand the importance of being sure and the significance of "betting your ass."

What significance does this have for us as real estate professionals and service providers to our clients and customers?

They expect us not to guess. If you don't know the answer to a question, say you don't know and take responsibility to find out.