PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR

By Deb Weidenhamer

There will always be competition in the auction industry.  The day that competition doesn’t exist is the day we are out of business.  So in a world where we bump into competitors, it is important to not only make these encounters cordial but also to make the gatherings professional.

I recently had an opportunity to sit on a panel that was speaking to a group of commercial Realtors.  Three auctioneers were to staff the panel, one from out of state and two regional auctioneers including myself.  I was looking forward to the opportunity to share the auction method of marketing with a group who could utilize its tremendous marketing power.  The coordinator for the panel asked each panelist to send a brief biography, which we all did and the coordinator was nice enough to pass the respective bios onto each panelist so we would be familiar with one another’s background.

One panelist questioned the educational information on another panelist’s information.  A series of emails was exchanged between the inquisitor and the national association confirming the panelist’s education.  On the surface, this detective work sounds harmless.  However the emails were forwarded to the panel’s coordinator.  This exchange not only made the coordinator wonder about the person whose information was being questioned, but about the person asking the question and why he as the coordinator was included in the email exchange.  In the end it came out that the educational background was true and correct.  But the damage had already been done, casting a bad shadow on all the parties involved.

Professional courtesy would have dictated that the inquiring party should have just called the other auctioneer and pleasantly asked a few questions about their education.  That way the issue would have been resolved without making the inquirer look like a petty and insecure competitor.  And even worse having made the panel coordinator aware of the infighting and triviality among some auctioneers.   Amazingly with all of the shenanigans of the event, the panel discussion was still a “go”.

Now in a professional arena, one would have expected that on stage before a group of potential clients that all would have been cordial.  But not in this case, the auctioneer who had been responsible for making the ruckus in front of the panel coordinator totally dominated the group presentation.  When asked by the other auctioneer to allow him to finish a statement, the auctioneer continued to interrupt.  Good turn taking is not only part of good business conversation but is clearly a necessary element of a good panel discussion.  Additionally since auctioneers conduct their business in unique manners, aggressively discussing controversial issues that have little to no interest attendees only serves to confuse the attendees.  And of course if controversy exists it is only fair to allow all opinions and views to be fairly represented.  Unfortunately for the rude auctioneer, he made himself look obnoxious and unprofessional because he didn’t allow other auctioneers to participate in the presentation.

I am afraid that the attendees weren’t impressed by the auction presentation.  And I share this story with you for one reason only.  As a profession, we must appear to have united front to the outside world.  That is that the auction method of marketing is a successful and viable solution for the sale of all kinds of assets.    Inner industry rivalries need to be dealt with in an up front manner – business to business and not fought out in the public arena.  So if we can’t support each other it must be enough to support the industry and the profession with professional behavior.