Authors Donna Brooks and Lynn Brooks have pieced together an excellent book on the successful strategies of women who have made it to the top. Seven Secrets of Successful Women: Success Strategies of the Women Who Have Made It - And How You Can Follow Their Lead, McGraw-Hill outlines issues that affect women's ability to be successful and how to overcome cultural messages, character flaws and multiple responsibilities to reach personal and business goals.

Although the information in the book can be utilized by both men and women, the strategies are geared to overcome gender differences that have been created by the culture, the workplace and documented psychological and personality traits inherent in women that may be productive in other environments but are detrimental in the working environment.

The relevance of the book to REALTORS^® is that the nature of the real estate professional is that of a self-starter and the conditions of employment are either self-employment or broker/management. The successful Realtor must employ a number of traits to reach his or her goals including but not limited to assertiveness, the ability to change, and the four p's - performance, perseverance, practice and patience. What is missing for many women (and some men) are early role models of success.

"Today, dual wage earners or single-parent breadwinners are the norm, not the exception," write the authors. "Our mothers didn't have to be risk-takers, worrying about balancing home and work, understanding the politics of the organization, or finding a mentor. So they didn't- and indeed couldn't - prepare us for the workplace and life that was facing us (as working women.)"

Consequently, many women feel uncomfortable in a competitive environment - which is at the heart of the real estate industry. It is this feeling that may be most responsible for the high degree of turnover in the profession -especially among women.

Although males make up 43% of the residential work force in the real estate industry, they out-earn female agents by as much as 14 per cent.

The point, though, is not to pit women and men against each other in competition for higher earnings, but to learn what subtle differences in approach and execution lead to higher earnings.

According to the Brooks sisters, successful women share seven secrets in common - all of which can be applied to the real estate professional:

• Successful people realize the importance of a mentor or an advocate.
• Successful people know how to increase their visibility.
• Successful people know how to develop an effective network.
• Successful people have learned to communicate effectively.
• Successful people can balance home and work.
• Successful people know when to take smart risks.
• Successful people understand the politics of the organization.

In her book, Games Mother Never Taught You, written in 1977, author Betty Harragan predicted the future of female leadership with uncanny accuracy. She wrote, "It will take at least twenty years before significant numbers of women begin to reach the higher echelons of business, but they will come from today's expeditionary forces of working women. It is important that volunteers in this force don't get deflected, distracted or discouraged."

Published: July 31, 2000

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.