TIPSS – How to Avoid Convention Letdown

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“Knowledge is nothing without action. Nothing changes until you do something.”

– James A. Belasco

Tomorrow, we kick off our 2023 Keller Williams Family Reunion in Anaheim, CA.  It’s our annual convention. Over the course of five days, we’ll showcase multiple keynote speakers, a dozen mainstage presentations, and over 180 breakout sessions led by our top agents and faculty. It can be the ultimate opportunity to level up as a real estate professional — provided you take the right approach. 

Early in my career, I attended a conference where a trainer introduced me to “convention letdown.” The speaker explained that people invest time and money in professional development, fill hotel notepads with ideas, but rarely do anything with the knowledge. They may have fun, feel inspired, and connect with colleagues, but they fail to get a return on the conference. 

To help you avoid convention letdown, I’m sharing the framework I use called  “TIPPS.” Use it and get more out of the training events you attend. 

Step 1 – Take Notes

Taking notes increases retention, even if you never consult them afterward. It’s the easiest way to shift from passive to active learning. People take notes in lots of ways. Most real estate agents take notes on their phones. They either type into a notes app, snap photos of the slides, or some combination of the two. Others type notes on laptops or tablets. Students who type can capture more of the content, often verbatim. Research shows neither approach is ideal. Handwritten notes are superior. It’s not just about avoiding all the distractions electronic devices provide.  Taking notes by hand forces us to synthesize and summarize the material. This requires more focus. Our brains engage in a different, better way, and we learn more.

Step 2 – Identify Key Takeaways

Create a simple system for highlighting key learnings. You can’t implement it all. And we rarely have the time to sift through our notes after the fact. So identify key takeaways as you go.

One simple approach is to add stars in the margins. You can also create the equivalent of hashtags for different kinds of takeaways: #M for marketing ideas, #O and objection handlers, #T for tech, apps and software, etc. If you have a team and plan to delegate, you might simply write the team member’s initials.

Step 3 – Prioritize Action Items

After the class or event, set aside a few minutes to consolidate key takeaways in a separate document. You should do this right away. I enjoy doing this on the plane ride home. Few distractions and free snacks.
Next, turn your to-do list into a success list like we teach in The ONE Thing. Of all the things you “could do,” identify the few you “should do.”

I ask myself this simple question: “If I could only implement one item on this list, which one would I choose?” The answer becomes my #1. I then ask, “If after doing #1, I could do one more, which would I choose?” That becomes my #2. Repeat. Usually, your long list will be reduced to a handful of truly important items. This process can be quite therapeutic, if long to-do lists stress you out.

Step 4 – Schedule Your #1 Priority

As quickly as possible, open up your calendar and time block your top priority. You don’t have to complete the first item, just get started. In my experience, 99% of procrastination is washed away by 1% of progress. It’s far easier to finish something than it is to start it.

Step 5 – Seek Accountability

Whenever possible, seek accountability for your follow-up items. At your next team meeting, invite team members to share their #1 commitment and share your own. Make a note to follow-up at the next meeting. Give your success list to your coach or peer partner and invite them to hold you accountable. We’re all adults here. We don’t have parents to turn off the WIFI and make us do our homework. No one can hold you accountable. But you can choose to be accountable to someone and to your goals. 

Ideally, you’ll go into every learning event with your own learning objectives. If you go in with clear intentions, everything about TIPPS is easier. You attend the sessions that align with your goals. You’re actively listening for tips and tools that further those goals. Learning objectives streamline the process. 

Hopefully, you’ll take my TIPPS and avoid convention letdown next time you attend a training event. If that event happens to be KW Family Reunion, please say hi! 

One question to ponder in your thinking time: Where are my biggest opportunities to level up at my next learning event?

Make an impact!
Jay Papasan

Co-author of The One Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent ​

PS – This will be my 23rd KW Family Reunion. My wife, Wendy, has been attending with me since 2009 when she started her team. Each year, her parents would come to watch our boys while we were away. When our oldest was about eight years old, Gus asked when he’d be old enough to go, too. It took us a moment to realize that we’d never explained to our kids that KW Family Reunion wasn’t an actual “family reunion.” Oops. Hopefully, our oversight won’t require therapy.