I have a fun test for you. This test will give you an idea of your ability to think through situations. Believe it or not, no matter how fun it is to answer these questions, this exercise is still relevant to generating realtor business. Are you ready for this? Here we go: Question #1 There are 6 eggs in a basket. 6 people each take 1 egg. How can it be that 1 egg is left in the basket? Question #2 Acting on an anonymous phone call, police raid a house to arrest a suspected murderer. They dont know what he looks like, but they do know that his name is John. Inside, they find a carpenter, a cab driver, a mechanic and fireman playing cards. Without asking his name, they arrest the fireman on the spot. How did they know they had their man? Question #3 A man escaped from prison and is making his way home on foot. After walking about 2 miles from the prison on a rural country road, he notices a police car coming towards him. Despite knowing that all squads will be looking for him, he ran towards the car. Only when he was about 10 feet away did he turn and run into the woods. Why did he run towards the police car? You will find the answers to these questions at the end of this article. So what is the point of presenting you with these questions? The above scenarios were designed to test an individuals lateral thinking ability. What exactly is lateral thinking? Lateral thinking is approaching a problem from diverse angles instead of focusing on one approach at length. All of the above questions had relatively simple answers to them, but when presented in the context that they were, the scenarios can seem confusing. I used these scenarios to demonstrate the way we as loan officers approach our own business. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where there seems to be no easy answer. In fact, many loan officers are feeling downright confused about what to do in todays market condition. Many originators look at their options, and they find 1 or 2 recommended solutions that may or may not work as advertised. What happens when the marketing approach doesnt bring in the desired results? They give up! Why resign yourself to mediocre results or to a less than fulfilling career when there are so many solutions still out there? By using our own brainpower and the mountain of information available to us, there are simple solutions available at our finger-tips just waiting for us to implement. The problem is that a fine balance needs to be struck between creative lateral thinking while adhering to sound and proven business truths. Try approaching your challenges from a different angle. Apply critical and lateral thinking to the hurdles that you face to find solutions where previously there seemed to be none. As long as originators continue to implement the same strategies and approaches that everyone else is using, they will continue to get the same results they always have. Its amazing what a little brain power and creative thinking can accomplish. Take a look at the answers to the questions above to find out what the answers were. I think youll be amazed at how simple the solutions were. Yet due to our own limited view of situations and the world around us, many times we create our own mental prison. Free the creativity within yourself, and apply these principals to some of your most pressing challenges. I think you just may surprise yourself. Answers Key: #1 The last person to take an egg took the basket with him. #2 John was the only man in the room. #3 The criminal was on a bridge, and was much closer to one side than the other. Written By: Chad Weber http://www.averagejoelo.com |
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