The Power of You

The Mortgage Revolution bills itself as “a grass roots movement by, and for mortgage professionals who truly care about our industry and are not willing to accept anything less than the utmost professionalism and integrity. It is time we did something to stand up for what we as true professionals believe in.”

This week, the Mortgage Revolution—together with the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA)—held events in Calgary and Edmonton. These events brought together like-minded industry professionals to discuss the challenges that mortgage brokerage professionals face, but more than that, they came together to discuss solutions.

The point Mike Cameron, leader of the “Revolution,” made so eloquently at the beginning of the Calgary event was in relation to the “Power of You.” Individual industry professionals need to recognize the role they themselves have in improving their industry. If professionals aren’t personally willing to do anything, they need to stop pointing at others.

And herein is the call to action.

All too often conversations about improving our industry focus more on the challenges than on the opportunities and solutions. At the Mortgage Revolution, though, after discussing the industry challenges, the Calgary attendees turned their attention to discussing the solutions.

Education, standards, and consumer awareness of and understanding of a mortgage brokers’ value proposition were identified by many as being the top challenges. Of course the purpose of the Mortgage Revolution is to look at how individuals can affect change and “be the change they wish to see.” Individual mortgage brokerage professionals can’t control what the industry associations, organizations and regulators do –they can, however, ensure their own professionalism and integrity. But how?

A few of the solutions Mortgage Revolution attendees identified in the Calgary session were:

• Learning to use the tools you already have (both technological and otherwise)
• Having mortgage broker/owners taking greater responsibility for ensuring the competence of their registrants. It can’t be about how much money an individual associate brings in; if he or she isn’t competent and/or professional, get rid of them
• Getting involved in a mentorship program
• Making a commitment to never stop learning

Good ideas all of them, now it’s time to make them happen – and include a commitment to continuing the conversation, particularly in terms of solutions not challenges.

What are you personally doing in your own business to ensure professionalism and integrity? How do you go above and beyond the minimum standards of practice in your pursuit of professionalism and integrity?