I am a real estate agent. Recently, I read Joe Rand's book How to be a Great Real Estate Agent (2019). Towards the end of the book, Joe goes through the ten elements of a great client experience.

Number 8 on Joe Rand's list is EMPOWERMENT.

"Great client experience organizations," writes Rand, "empower their front-line personnel, the people who actually work with clients every day in the field, with the authority to make exceptions to standard operating procedure...." Amen to that.

As Rand goes on to say, "You need rules, but you also need to know when to relax them."

My new real estate listings are typically posted for sale on Wednesday, with the first open house on Thursday. Except when they are not. Sometimes you post on Friday and first showings are at the open house on Sunday. Hard and fast rules are a fast way to failure. I've learned to go with the flow. To adapt. I've empowered myself to meet the moment in the moment and adjust as needed. Same is true for my team. We have rules. We realize their value. But we are not rigid about them. We adjust as need be. We're empowered.