Tiger leads his teammates with a kind and steady hand. He does whatever he can to help his teammates excel and rise to lead. By providing timely market insights and unwavering support, he has built a springboard from which his teammates have catapulted to success.
Here’s how Tiger approaches his role as a leader:
What does being a good leader mean to you?
Tiger Ng: To me, a leader is someone who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way. You have to lead by example. You have to practise what you preach.
How do you maintain good performance despite having to lead such a big group of people?
Tiger Ng: I’m always on the ground and keeping up with the market fluctuations. I will do my best in educating and updating my teammates on market conditions, as well as providing them with direction based on the market intelligence I have gathered through my research too.
To inspire people, you need to show them how to progress. If the leader performs well, it proves the method works. Besides, you have to show consistency in different market conditions so your downlines can be convinced of your ability to lead.
As busy as you are, how do you find time to coach and care for your people?
Tiger Ng: Prioritising is the key element for me. My people are one of my top priorities. If you treat your team as part of your family, you will naturally find time to care about them regardless of your hectic schedule.
What is the biggest obstacle you had to conquer when you lead your team? Is there anything you would do differently?
Tiger Ng: It is important to teach your people how to fish rather than simply spoon feeding them. Initially, I spent a lot of my time guiding my team. Over time, they found their footing and can now operate independently. We only meet occasionally for reviews and to examine the market outlook so everyone is on the right track and on the same page.
What’s the best advice you’d give to someone who wants to rise up and lead?
Tiger Ng: I think some teammates take on the leadership role without understanding the vast responsibility it entails. They don’t realise that human relations can be complex and you need to serve with heart. Being a leader is never easy, but you have to remember why you wanted to be a leader in the first place.
Working in the real estate industry often comes with uncertainties and challenges. But with a tireless leader like Tiger, no obstacle is too big. Tanya, James and Wendy are tremendously grateful for Tiger’s tenacity. Read on to find out how Tiger helped his teammates weather the trials and tribulations in their careers.
What attracted you to join Tiger’s team in the beginning?
Tanya Yang: I’ve known Tiger for more than a decade from when we worked in the same engineering field. I could see his relentless dedication; he is absolutely serious in everything he does.
Unlike other leaders I have spoken to, Tiger didn’t sugar coat his words when he was convincing me to join the industry. He told me very plainly it was not going to be easy to succeed in real estate. And then he added, “But it will be worth it.”
James Tan: I got acquainted Tiger when I was in another agency. He would always respond to my last minute requests to co-broke projects. What impressed me the most was how he helped me resolve the countless queries I had while working on the cases together. I was blown away by his ability to remain cool-headed regardless of the situation.
I was at a point when I was beginning to do recruitment. However, my previous company didn’t have the right platform for me to grow as a leader nor provided a proper roadmap for new agents to succeed.
After I realised Tiger’s remarkable leadership ability, I knew joining his team would be the right step for me to master team management. In addition, ERA is the largest international real estate agency in Asia Pacific and has the platform and resources to support team leaders to grow.
Wendy Soh: I was impressed with how he grew the team from a handful of members to a division of 60 in just a few years. It’s definitely not easy and requires a lot of passion. That’s why I wanted to join Tiger’s team; because I could see his relentless dedication to his job.
What do you think is Tiger’s best leadership quality?
Tanya Yang: Everyone can be a leader, but only a handful are great leaders. His best quality is his confidence. As a leader, he made it his responsibility to maintain the team’s morale and momentum. I feel the team is inspired to exceed expectations because of Tiger’s conviction of the team’s potential.
He takes responsibility for everyone’s performance as well as his own. When problems arise, he identifies them quickly, seeks solutions and gets the team back on track.
James Tan: I’m impressed with Tiger’s ability to inspire and motivate everyone around him. His approach is always constructive; his aim is to help you step up as a well-rounded real estate professional.
Wendy Soh: Even though he has a lot on his plate, Tiger doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities as a leader. He’s always organising team bonding sessions or celebrating our achievements. Despite his dedication to his team, he finds time to care for his family. The team respects him for that.
Tiger has shown us it is possible to balance sales, leadership, and family. I’m inspired to follow in his footsteps and embrace the leadership role as well.
What was the most impactful advice or gesture that Tiger has ever given or done for you?
Tanya Yang: I’ll quote his favourite soccer team – Liverpool Football Club: “You Will Never Walk Alone”. He assures us we will never be left alone in this industry. Even as he rises through the ranks, he takes the time to help us to realise our goals. He’s always encouraging us to maximise our potential.
James Tan: I was co-broking a difficult resale case with Tiger before I joined his team. He could have just given up. Instead, he stood by me, and we overcame one obstacle after another. From these personal encounters, I knew this is someone I can trust.
Wendy Soh: When I first worked in the real estate industry, I started with zero experience. Everything was foreign to me. In the beginning, I often hesitated on my decisions and doubted my own abilities. Tiger was always there for me during my lowest points. He is always right behind me whenever I need help. That encouraged me to rise to the occasion when I was faced with difficult situations.
With his leadership and guidance, I managed to achieve a 6-figure income in May 2018 within my first year in real estate, and I ranked in the Top 600 achiever in the 2019 Asia Pacific Business Conference. The journey has just begun and I’m looking forward to an even more fulfilling 2019 with Tiger!
This is merely a glimpse of one of the most respected leaders in ERA, Tiger Ng. Stick around for more great stories about the exceptional leaders in our midst.
We’d also love to hear your take on what makes a good leader, or if you have a great leader that you’d like for us to feature.
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