Steady Conscientiousness

Why are you a commercial appraiser? Most people do not realize the extensive effort, skill and judgment it takes to create a great commercial appraisal. Part of the problem is we tend to have low “D” and “I” in our personality traits. DiSC stands for dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness.

Most commercial appraisers solidly have “S” and “C” traits. This person places emphasis on cooperation, sincerity and dependability. This personality does not like to be rushed, tends to value a calm manner, predictable and consistent. The flipside of this personality can result in indecisiveness, overly accommodating and a tendency to avoid change. Their priority is the maintenance of the status quo within a controlled environment.

An ”S” person has to expend a ton of energy to quickly adapt to change or unclear expectations. They also shy away from multitasking, promoting themselves and confronting others. Their leadership style is often inclusive, affirming and humble. A “C” person is motivated to show their expertise, gain knowledge, produce quality and accuracy.

I think the “S” and “C” personality traits are perfect for commercial appraisers. A dose of skepticism is helpful discerning when a property owner is making things up or P&L statements by the Gambino’s accountant, unreliable. We tend to be autonomous, a loner-mindset. That said, I think that’s our Achilles’ heel. No promotion as a professional industry, little advancement, and ultimately boxed into a corner.

Ironically, as objective thinkers and perfectionists, we avoid viewing appraising as a business. We feel uncomfortable spending money (and time to implement) on software solutions that can obviously substantively increase our productivity (and accuracy). Skepticism, while very helpful for valuation analysis, is a detriment to our success. The fear of being wrong often results in inaction.

Tap into your steady conscientiousness and objectively look for productivity solutions. A comp database, report writing and appraisal workflow software is just a start to facilitate your expertise and continue to produce quality work. Still copying and pasting from old Word docs? What’s that status quo costing you?

Is it time for some “D” (dominance) – see the big picture, accept challenges and get straight to the point? Maybe a dose of “I” (influence) – show enthusiasm, be optimistic and collaborate. Stretch yourself to get all the letters. Your steady conscientiousness unconsciously knows it’s in your best interest. Where are you?

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