Painfully shy with nowhere to hide
Growing up in rural Florence, Alabama near the banks of the Tennessee River, McFall did not seem destined for leadership. Painfully shy and soft spoken, he preferred blending in to standing out. Standing alone, however, was never an option. In a town without a mayor, McFall kidded that his home became a kind of de facto city hall.
“Between my mother, who manages the high school cafeteria, and my dad, who is in the timber industry, they know everybody, and everybody came to our house—all the time. They were like the mayors.”
Whether it was the constant stream of visitors or the simple fact of growing up, by the time McFall reached high school, he was emerging from his shell. And soon, he was a leader. First, he was made drum major of the band, then at the University of Northern Alabama he became president of every club he joined. Eventually, he was elected president of his fraternity. He became a confident public speaker who was comfortable in the spotlight. And though he wasn’t the “mayor of Florence,” bigger possibilities were on the horizon.
Firefighters, family, and organizational psychology
While pursuing his M.A. in Communication at Auburn University, McFall taught public speaking classes, and poured energy into a graduate research project that would shape the way he looked at organizations. Embedding with a crew at a local fire station, he studied the close-knit interactions among firefighters who lived and worked together during their 24-hour shifts. As they did everything from cooking meals together to sharing the dangerous work of their trade, the firefighters developed tight familial bonds.
“In a sense, they became each other’s counselors, talking about experiences that no one outside their group could completely understand,” McFall explained. Looking at their dynamics through the lens of organizational theory, he began to understand the natural systems that emerge when people work closely together.
Later in his career, McFall used these insights to formulate his guiding approach to organizational management. Successful change doesn’t disrupt a business culture, it builds on existing strengths and steers less productive practices in better directions. People are most likely to adopt change not when it is imposed on them, but when they recognize it benefits themselves and the entire organization. In this way, McFall stresses, everyone becomes a leader.
Working the way that Realtors® work best
During his tenure as CEO at the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors® (HAAR), he put these principles into practice. It began with a key insight about the way Realtors® live and work.
“Realtors® are driven in a way that other industry professionals are not. That’s because they essentially wake up every day unemployed,” McFall said. “So, they constantly chase business and put deals together, and go on to the next deal without any rest. They must be relentless to succeed. Knowing how to engage with people is key. That’s what makes them so effective when they volunteer for committees and other groups. They know how to start with nothing and get things done.”
McFall observed that this self-driven, entrepreneurial style was sometimes at odds with the slower, more bureaucratic mechanisms of the association. “That hierarchy and red tape can make it difficult to get things done. So, at HAAR we took a close look our policies, bylaws, and other structures, and found ways to build a nimbler organization that engaged more members.”
Committees were at the core of it. Traditionally, committee members served one-year terms, often inheriting unfinished projects from earlier terms. Vital work moved at a glacial pace and sometimes
fell beneath the fissures. McFall realized that lack of velocity sapped energy from these high-powered professionals. They were, in effect, sharks swimming in a goldfish bowl. McFall was determined to release them into the open ocean.“We went from about 100 members who annually served on committees to over 400 members actively serving on work groups when I left HAAR at the end of 2022. That’s out of a total membership of 3,000,” McFall noted. “Engagement increased because we modeled it the way Realtors® work in their professional lives. They’re intensely project oriented. They put all their energy into one deal before moving on to the next one. So, the work-group approach was a natural fit for them.”
McFall’s Five Priorities for MNR in 2023
As he adjusted to life in a new city and state, McFall assessed the challenges and opportunities in front of MNR, the real estate industry, and the people of Minnesota. From the need to broaden diversity to rapidly expanding affordable housing, the list is long, but McFall is in it for the long game. In a wide-ranging conversation, he shared five major priorities for his first year of leadership at the association. They are shared here in his own words.
1. Unite Realtors® and Widen the Tent for Others
Our first mission is to unite all the Realtor® members from across the state and amplify the voice of the industry. Whether that happens through advocacy or just engaging members in professionalism, it must be done in a way that brings everybody to the table.
When Bob Goldberg became the CEO of the National Association of Realtors®, he talked about ‘widening the tent’ so more people could participate on every level. That stuck with me because we can widen the tent beyond our immediate industry. We have so many stakeholders, and homeowners are among the largest. They rely on Realtors® to help them with the biggest investment of their lives. It’s a vitally important relationship. And we, as the state association, provide critical support for our Realtor® members. So, we’re all interconnected and interdependent. That’s why it’s so important we bring everybody to the table and unite in a way that moves the industry, the state, and its people forward.
2. Expand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Uniting and inclusion go hand in hand, but inclusion has deeper nuance. It’s about people from different backgrounds, religions, races, genders, classes, and abilities coming together and recognizing that our diversity makes us stronger. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees belong in every organization, and we’ve made a great start. But it’s time to build on that and bring diversity to every committee. Each group must be a place where all voices are heard, differences are appreciated, and new ideas are considered with open minds. When we embrace that in all aspects of our association, we will do more than aspire to these ideals, we will live them.
3. Embrace Environmental Sustainability
Not only is sustainability good for the environment, it’s good for business. And its impact on housing will be big. That’s why we need to become thought leaders in this space, and influence the direction of new construction, renovations, and innovations. We have an opportunity to partner with local associations and brokerages, take the lead, and bring in new voices and ideas from other industries. We live in a state full of really smart people. We should be partnering with tech leaders and innovators, and those who can help us make environmentally sustainable housing a reality across the state—at every stage from sourcing materials and construction, to heating, cooling, and powering these homes for years to come. If we’re dreaming big, we need to look outward and connect with those who can help make dreams a reality.
4. Hone Our Professionalism
As Realtors®, we are advisors on the largest transactions in people’s lives. This requires a high degree of knowledge, experience, and dedication to delivering services ethically, efficiently, and empathetically. In a word, it requires professionalism. Over the last three years as real estate sales boomed, many new Realtors® joined our ranks. In the heated race from listing to closing, not all had the opportunity to hone their core business practices. But as the market normalizes, these qualities are re-emerging at the forefront of Realtor®-client relationships. They are, in fact, critical for success. We have an opportunity to partner with the brokerage community and raise awareness about what professionalism looks like, from ethical business practices and risk management to diversity and sustainability. Professionalism must be at the center of everything we do.
5. Make It Fun
Real estate is a stressful job. And it’s MNR’s purpose to support Realtors® by clearing obstacles and creating business opportunities through all our services, from advocacy and education to risk management. So, while all our experiences together should be purposeful and meaningful, they should also be fun. Let’s face it. Life can be hard enough. A little levity brings you closer to those who share your laughter. That’s why we’re going to create plenty of opportunities for members and staff to gather and participate in experiences that inspire joy, lower barriers, and pave the way for fruitful collaboration. So, you see, there’s a lot more to fun than fun and games.
Pictured above left: Josh (left) with husband Tim (right) enjoying a Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium
Pictured above right: Josh as a Little Leaguer in Florence, Alabama