The vast majority of agents get along well, and co-exist in the profession without problems.
Part 4 of the Code of Conduct has always interested me. Why is it there? Why do we need it? We are all professional and we all compete in this space without incident. We know all know what to do, and we all know how to behave. Why do we need to have a section of our Code of Conduct called “Relations Between Agents”? We are all peaceful. Right? WRONG.
Based on stories told and emails sent to me from RMAs, plus my own experiences over the last 15 years, I think Part 4 of the Code has its place. This part of the Code of Conduct attempts to deal with agent-to-agent relationships which can become unhealthy, and unprofessional. It does happen. When do agent-to-agent relationships become unhealthy?
Here are signs of unhealthy competition:
An agent overtly copies you and basically tries to be you
There is a difference between an agent who is healthy competition, and an agent who competes with you on an unhealthy level.
Healthy competition involves role models. People will naturally imitate those who they respect. There’s nothing wrong with that. There is a difference between imitation and trying to steal another agent’s identity and ideas. Healthy people do not gossip about, spread rumours and lies to others, or attempt to sabotage the business and /or personal life of the role model agent.
Unhealthy competition really wants to be “equal to” or “better” than you. You may notice an agent dying their hair the same colour, asking for a job at your office so they can learn how you do things, talking, and even dressing the same as you do. You may also discover an agent trying to steal your intellectual property, your clients, your documents and then setting up businesses to compete with you, using your stolen IP.
An agent lays false praise on too thickly, and too quickly
Of course everyone likes to get a timely compliment. Nothing is more unnerving than continuous, false praise. When a colleague is competing with you out of hostility; instead of owning their unhappiness, they will contact you, most of the time out of the blue, and/or annoy you with disingenuous compliments. This will help them wedge themselves back into your life so that they can once again begin their rounds of friendly banter, so that they can extract information from you, which they can use to their own advantage, and so on and so forth.
An agent engages in sabotage
Healthy competition is where there is a level playing field and products and services can compete head-to-head on price, products, places and promotions in similar spaces. In a worst-case scenario, a person can become so jealous of your apparent successes that they will scheme ways of shutting you down, or stopping you from doing certain things that you have always done. For example, a person you considered your ‘friend’ may start sending you emails asking you not to use certain marketing tactics, claiming that these are ‘theirs’. They may demand access to your IP, products, services and information and ‘guilt trip’ you if you don’t provide it to them. Guilt tripping can be in the form of numerous emails and / or phone calls putting their case as to why you should provide them (your new competition) with your stuff. Colleagues who sabotage you will discredit your hard work, and smearing your name to all and sundry. Obviously this type of behaviour is not ok. The sooner that you confront the situation, and the other agent, the better.
An agent exaggerates their success
A fierce RMA competitor will often exaggerate their achievements, capabilities, sales numbers and talents however they can. Sometimes it is via email, sometimes it is directly. Unhealthy competitors are most likely to boast the loudest when you are earning recognition for your hard-won successes. These exaggerations occur for one reason: their own insecurities. For example, a competitor might engage in trumpeting high sales and high demand, when in fact, demand is very low, and they simply want other agents to believe that their product is ‘running out the door’ so that you buy their product with the false belief it is popular. Don’t let their insecurities affect you. Don’t believe an agent just because they tell you what they sell is ‘in demand’. If it is not in demand anywhere else it is unlikely to be the case, especially if what they are selling is not that special.
An agent celebrates your company's failures
An agent who is enviously competing with you gets pleasure out of your fails. First there is the agent who deviously celebrates your setbacks. Second, that same someone talks about you, and your setbacks behind your back. They will probably then deny having done this.
An agent downplays your success
Nobody likes a sore loser. Agents who denigrate, disregard or downplay the successes of other agents are toxic. They are also annoying. Agents who envy you the most are the ones who most want what you have. It is in your best interest to avoid such agents. Stop answering their calls. Stop responding to their emails. Don’t answer the door. Don’t be available for meetings.
An agent gossips to others
I will use myself as an example here to avoid naming names. “Liana’s really not that great a salesperson,” “Legal Training Australia really isn’t that great” and similar statements. These types of negative statements are expressed by those who are engaged in unhealthy competition with someone else or their business. Engaging in gossip is an act of immaturity. “Baiting” people in online migration agent forums to try to get them to respond, so that they can be further belittled, picked on and undermined is online bullying and trolling and should not be tolerated. This is where the term 'keyboard warrior' comes from.
An agent makes a point of wanting to know what you are doing
These are your colleagues who really don’t care about your migration agent successes. These are the people who greet you with a smile, and engage in a bit of fake, playful banter. They are the ones who put on a false front (false face) to extract one thing: to get you vulnerable enough to divulge what you are up to, so that they can compare how they are doing. Watch their expression quickly fade, or their interest dissipate once you tell them about your successes…or you may receive more false banter so that you tell them more about what you are doing, which they can later use to their own benefit, or against yours.
Again, these agents are few and far between and the vast majority of the profession do not engage in such behaviours.
If you find yourself in this situation please don't hesitate to contact me and I will try and help. Email me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . I can at least be a listening ear and then point you in the right direction (services that actually work).