If you want to succeed in real estate, or sports, you need to focus on finding your purpose and meaning.
That was the message from gold medal swimmer and businessman Grant Hackett at the Ray White Commercial Conference this week.
Mr Hackett has been in business now longer than he was an athlete, after he became chief executive officer of the Generation Development Group & Generation Life in 2018.
He has moved the company from about number 3000 on the ASX to a top 300 company.
Mr Hackett said he always wanted to be the best in everything he does.
“You get one day every four years to win an Olympic gold medal,” Mr Hackett said.
“I love to be number one in whatever I am doing; I look at my silver Olympic medals and feel down about them.”
Mr Hackett said he had three high performance principles that he lives his life by, including having a clear definition of success and failure.
“Sport success is very black and white, with times and places; It is your job as a leader within your field to define what the ‘grey’ of success looks like,” he said.
He said you also need to have a purpose or understand ‘the meaning’ behind why you do what you do.
“Your purpose and meaning gets you up everyday, gets you focused and helps you get through all the boring tasks of every day,” he said.
Finally, Mr Hackett said that commitment and the ability to show up every for the ‘day-to-day grind’ was what sets people apart.
“It doesn’t matter what you are doing, commit to it 100 per cent,” he said.
“Be the very best in the world at what you are doing, and it will take you places.”
Mr Hackett spoke about the hardest period of his swimming career, when he suffered from severe pneumonia, but refused to take time off from training in order to meet his goals for the Athens Olympics.
Between March and August of 2004, he had 17 rounds of antibiotics to treat a chronic lung infection.
Mr Hackett left those Olympics with two silvers and one gold.
“I wasn’t there for those silver medals,” he said.
“As humans we are really good at beating ourselves up; we have seven negative thoughts per every positive thought.
“There is no such thing as balance; you chose to be a high performer.
“Balance is a false expectation leaving you deflated.”
RWC head James Linacre also spoke at the event and said the group has had a great year, despite challenging conditions.
“When reflecting on how to outline what I felt was a way to best describe the attitude of our members, a quote that I have heard a number of times in the past came to mind for me,” Mr Linacre said.
“In the words of one of Australia’s most esteemed statesmen, Robert Menzies: ‘We must encourage and inspire the desire for high adventure, instead of giving way to timid expediency.’
“It is my belief that it is with this spirit of high adventure and bold aspiration that we gather today, ready to tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunity that is presented by these unique market circumstances.
“Resilience isn’t just adapting to change and challenge – it’s embracing that change and getting excited about the opportunities that it presents.”
RWC Western Sydney Principal, Ruby Rozental, and RWC WA Joint Managing Director, Stephen Harrison, leaders of two of RWC’s most successful businesses delved into the secrets behind building and managing high-performing teams.
Ms Rozental grew up on a commune in Mullumbimby, and in a past career she was a lawyer working in mergers and acquisitions, prior to opening RWC Western Sydney with her husband Peter Vines.
“I was raised by parents who are all about challenging the norms, and this has been instilled in me and plays a huge part in how I run my business,” Ms Rozental said.
“Authenticity is a key part of my personality and leadership style.
“Potential recruits can have all the skills in the world, but if they don’t fit within our team, which is our most precious asset, it won’t work.
“If they do fit within the culture, the skills can be taught.”
Ms Rozental said celebrating successes was one of the most important parts of their business, running regular awards dinners and team retreats.
She also emphasised the importance of making sure recruits can see a clear pathway to progression.
Mr Harrison started his real estate career in residential, before joining smaller and mid-tier commercial agencies.
“In some businesses I have worked in, I have found it difficult to step out of the shadow of a high fee-writing business owner,” Mr Harrison said.
“I endeavour to be a leader that is collaborative and develops talent
“One of the lessons I have learnt recently on recruitment, is to not try and jam square pegs into round holes.
“You need to accept people as they are, or accept that they are not the right fit for your business.”
