Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #106 with Clint Skutchan

Clint Skutchan, recovering association CEO, consultant, and
podcast show host, digs deep into the struggles of association
life, including having to deal with people who seem to just be
“riding it out.” Whether it be unmotivated volunteer leaders or
members that fear change and use their power for the not-so-good,
Clint seems to have dealt with it all. Tune in to hear what it
takes to create real change and shift the minds of the people who
have the power to make it.


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Time Stamped Show Notes:

01:15 – Clint’s background



01:20 – He was an association CEO for 10 years, spent 10
years in talk radio, and he now consults

01:45 – He combines his association and media skills to
nationally consult and speak



02:11 – Why should people be interested in association life?



02:19 – If you aren’t paying attention, others can take
advantage of leadership roles and relationships

02:52 – Local, state, and national associations leadership
tips; a woman called Leigh to ask for advice on her incoming
local presidential role



03:50 – Leadership is all about what you can do for the
association and its members; it is about serving and
understanding your role and process



04:45 – Leigh asked the woman how the CEO/association
executive is, because that’ll give insight into what advice to
give

05:22 – Leigh asked why the woman labeled the person as “bad
to medium;” they don’t communicate, value the members, or have a
clear and positive view of the future



05:58 – What would Clint tell an incoming leader who’s
dealing with a staff person who isn’t energetic or
shoulder-to-shoulder with their volunteer leaders?



06:07 – Asking the question: “Why are you here?”

06:20 – What is their motivation? Are they just riding it
out?

06:45 – Figure out how to manage that or how to move away
from that kind of executive



07:00 – If you are an executive that has lost your
motivation, you should change personnel or change your
perspective



07:21 – “My Year:” One person’s legacy that may not encompass
the whole

07:52 – Ask the staff what they need; sometimes it’s the
volunteer’s problem



08:09 – Some volunteers are used to running their own
business; an association is very different because it is a
collective experience



08:43 – There isn’t any real formal training in most cases
for association leadership

09:02 – When you rise to leadership you are no longer just
focusing on one thing; you must oversee it all and the whole team



09:20 – Are volunteer leaders provided the correct education
to succeed and understand what they’ve said “yes” to, since the
role is entirely different than their day-to-day life? Does Clint
think that realtors are responding to threats in a personal way
because they must move fast in their business life and
associations typically move slowly? Have associations failed to
respond because they don’t educate their volunteer leaders
correctly?



10:18 – The good organizations are doing it right; there is a
big difference between those and the ones just finding their way
through

10:33 – The ones geared towards flexibility and change work
in a change-based world; the ones stuck on status quo get stuck



11:02 – How can volunteer leaders push their associations to
have a mindset that embraces change rather than resists it?



11:28 – It comes down to the association’s culture which
consists of strategic focus, repeatable processes, consistent
outcomes, and mutual passion

12:15 – With those things, you’ll identify the self as an
entity; it starts with a good staff and good leadership



12:47 – If you have a forward-thinking leader in an
association but the volunteer leaders fear change, resist
listening, and eliminate staff, how do you get past that?



14:00 – When you are an executive you hire and fire
volunteers that make decisions based on whims, are too
comfortable, don’t want to follow processes

14:53 – Ultimately it’s a matter of how much attention the
general membership pays to those who are their leaders and their
decisions

15:00 – Their actions show if the leadership is ready to lead
and represent



15:35 – What Clint thinks will happen in real estate life
within the next 3-5 years



15:55 – He looks through the lens of the association

16:08 – 5 trends he sees in the association world: leadership
shift impacts will find their way to the local organizations

16:50 – Consolidation shifts will continue (regionalization)
and will impact day-to-day agents

17:28 – Advocacy must start to adapt; the way advocacy is
approached and delivered needs to shift; if you aren’t going to
adapt you are going to struggle

18:00 – As markets settle in, we are going to see agents have
extra time on their hands; there will be more volunteers coming
back to the association



18:50 – Even new realtors can have the knowledge and
expertise to make good positive changes in the association world

20:00 – When does Clint think we will see a National Multiple
Listing service that is backed by realtors?



20:19 – He doesn’t see a national one happening, he thinks
regional ones that revolve around true markets are more likely

21:54 – You can read Clint’s columns on Inman or listen to
his podcast called The Association  

3 Key Points Leadership is about serving and understanding
your role and processes; know what you can do for your team and
members. Get involved in association life but be adaptable and
accepting of positive change and future-driven leaders. Both in
association life and in your own business, the keys to a solid
culture are strategic focus, repeatable processes, consistent
outcomes, mutual passion, and identifying the self as the entity.
Credits

Audio Production by Chris Mottram

Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder