How to stay motivated during down times

I try to read up on what others in the real estate industry are doing on a daily basis. I check out blogs, I look at industry publications, and I also see what's being said in the mass media. It never ceases to amaze me how many different opinions on the same thing can be found – even when it comes to the economic impact on real estate at the moment. Some say it's booming, others say it's the worst they've seen for years. I suppose everything, even the state of the economy, is relative.

One article I did come across recently that made me ponder for longer than I usually spend on someone else's blog, was about how to keep staff motivated during downtimes. I like to think keeping staff motivated is a priority regardless of whether times are up or down, as our staff are certainly the most important asset that Century 21 has. I wonder do other real estate organisations think differently?

Regardless of whether or not I agree with the reasons for the post, some of the ideas on how to keep people motivated were quite good, but as I said, I think applicable regardless. Here are my favourites:

Encourage creativity. I think this should absolutely be a daily requirement. Encourage and reward people who think outside the square and provide creative input into how things can be done differently, better and smarter. These are the people that are succeeding despite the economy.

Have fun! Century 21 Australia values fun and it's actually part of our organisation's culture and spoken of in our mission statement. If time allows, have some office downtime where people get the chance to connect with each other and talk about things other than work in a relaxed environment.

Remember important dates. I'm talking birthdays, anniversaries of service with the company etc. Make an occasion out of it and let your team members know you value them and what they bring to the company. This will be remembered and appreciated regardless of what the stock exchange is doing.