A few years ago, I was invited to serve on the Realtracs Advisory Committee for Greater Nashville Realtors Board of Directors. Greater Nashville Realtors along with 6 other Middle Tennessee Realtor Associations own Realtracs, and certainly have a vested interest in Realtracs building the BEST MLS platform possible for Realtors in Nashville and beyond.
This is NOT an oversight committee – not a Watchdog group poised to catch any signs of malfeasance . . . chomping at the bit to POUNCE! This committee serves as the “eyes & ears” for the Board listening for recommendations from the end users (Realtor members) for fixing things that could be smoother or more intuitive or more convenient.
This committee meets quarterly and provides a written document containing a list of recommendations for tweaks. That document passes to the Board via a designated “Realtracs Liaison” Board member. The boards reviews the recommendations and then connects with Stuart White, Mark Hill, and their merry band of geniuses who are building the BEST MLS on the PLANET . . . and this is the rhythm of healthy, constructive feedback that serves magnificently as a vital tool for prioritizing all of the myriad “To Dos” on the white board in the skunkworks space.
Hmmmmmm . . .
I wonder how many other organizations have an advisory committee?
If not, I’m imagining potential reasons Owners/CEOs do NOT have such an advisory committee?
- Maybe the Leadership don’t know of such thing
- Maybe ego precludes them from permitting such a thing . . . “After all, I’m the LEADER and I KNOW everything I need to know. I don’t need the distractions from my carefully crafted AGENDA.”
- “I can see how this could be beneficial, but I don’t want to change anything I’m doing now . . . It ain’t broken – why rock the boat?”
- “I don’t know how?”
Stagnant ponds deplete the oxygen to the extent that it will not sustain life, so there’s a need to aerate the water with use of a fountain or the simple concept of water in and water out – Fresh water in from a spring or creek.
Same goes with fresh perspectives and ideas in an organization.
Invite new ideas – ALWAYS!