If you feared more of the same when Bob Goldberg was named CEO of NAR, take heart. The rhetoric of our new leadership is focused on engagement, openness and transparency — knocking down the façade of the “ivory tower” and facilitating dialogue with members, even those who disagree.
Goldberg has been a senior executive with NAR since 1995, and his accomplishments include the launch of the Realtor Benefits Program, the introduction of the top-level domain initiative, and the expansion of NAR’s technology partnerships via Second City Ventures and its REach Technology Accelerator.
Prior to NAR, Goldberg served as senior vice president with PRC Realty Systems, the national’s leading provider of online multiple listing systems.
Goldberg is lauded for his leadership and has forged his career on designing programs and partnerships to strengthen the Realtor organization and drive success for its 1.2 million members.
Today, he explains his approach to ushering in a new era at NAR, discussing his pursuit of transparency through social media and interviews.
He also addresses his intention to serve members via a “flipping the pyramid” model of leadership and how he plans to empower his team with the authority to drive change.
Listen to understand why Goldberg is an advocate of tech initiative partnerships and how NAR can tackle the issue of professionalism among its members — with both consumers and fellow agents.
What’s discussed:
- Goldberg’s pursuit of openness and transparency
- How Goldberg plans to connect directly with NAR members
- Goldberg’s interview with Andrew Flachner of RealScout
- How Goldberg and the panel approached Q&A at the NAR Leadership Summit
- Goldberg’s intention to facilitate honest discussion about industry issues
- Goldberg’s mission to break down the façade of the “ivory tower”
- Message was controlled in past
- Initiate dialogue with dissenting voices
- Goldberg’s “flipping the pyramid” concept
- Think from member perspective first
- Encourage member engagement
- The upcoming NAR organizational design study
- Robertson’s characterization of Goldberg as having a “vibe of inclusiveness”
- Goldberg’s aim to be a different kind of leader
- Visionary
- Empower team with authority to drive change
- Goldberg’s background in MLS technology with PRC
- How Goldberg plans to assess the value prop of tech initiatives
- Cost of product
- Member use
- The NAR budget process
- How NAR decides to sunset a program that’s run its course
- Why Goldberg does not advocate for a national MLS
- Not NAR’s core competency
- NAR doesn’t have funding to compete
- Better to seek partnerships with experts
- Goldberg’s take on NAR’s role in raising the bar for agents
- Professionalism with consumers and fellow members
- The complexity of addressing professionalism in the industry
- Goldberg’s willingness to be embrace social media
- The world-class talent at NAR
- The network effect of engagement
Greg Robertson is the co-founder of W+R Studios a privately-held software company, located in Huntington Beach, California. Greg also publishes the popular real estate technology/industry blog, Vendor Alley, and hosts the podcasts Listing Bits and Industry Relations.