In the hectic, everyday hustle and bustle of the mortgage industry, it can be easy to lose sight of the big picture. We have jobs to do and deadlines to meet. As leaders in our organizations, understanding our corporate philosophy can easily be put on the back burner. After all, we may reason, that is business is all about getting results, do we really need to focus on more high-minded ideas like philosophy and mission?
Of course, I would argue that, yes, we do. The problem with ignoring the philosophy that is driving your company is that it is affecting the way you do business—whether your realize it or not. Just because you don't deliberately develop a philosophy or a mission for your organization, that doesn't mean you don't have one. It just means that the one you do have has developed on accident—driven by the whims of everyday activities rather than by conscious decision and intention.
On the June 20 episode of my Lykken on Lending podcast, we invited industry expert Dale Vermillion to discuss various leadership issues in the mortgage industry. The first thing Dale always starts with is the organization's philosophy. According to Dale, the most successful organizations develop an intentional "others first" philosophy. The leadership puts its employees first and the employees, in turn, put their customers first.
Does that sound like your organization? If you haven't deliberately decided to operate your business in that manner, chances are that it isn't. Your organizational philosophy isn't something to shrug off as insignificant … it's the guiding force that affects everything you do. Philosophy matters. Have you been intentional about it?
David Lykken, a 43-year veteran of the mortgage industry, is president of Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), a management consulting firm that provides transformative business strategies to owners and “C-Level” executives via consulting, executive coaching and various communications strategies. He is a frequent guest on FOX Business News and hosts his own weekly podcast called “Lykken On Lending” heard Monday’s at 1:00 p.m. ET at LykkenOnLending.com. David’s phone number is (512) 759-0999 and his e-mail is [email protected].
