Ray White hosts seventh Leadership Academy

LEADING property group Ray White yesterday hosted its seventh Leadership Academy in Sydney today in a bid to provide a world-class education for its members by offering a global perspective on leadership skills and best practice.

Ray White’s corporate team and Chairman’s Elite business owners were treated to a case study session by world renowned Harvard Business School Professor Boris Groysberg.

The highly interactive session was hosted by Boston-based Prof Groysberg with 320 Ray White members from all over Australia and New Zealand.

The White family have been students of the Harvard Business School for more than a decade and now they offer the opportunity to their members for free.

Prof Groysberg, a tenured faculty in the Organisational Behaviour Unit at the Harvard Business School, investigates how a firm can be systematic in achieving a sustainable competitive advantage by leveraging its talent and how individuals can achieve stardom.

The author of Chasing Stars: The Myth of Talent and the Portability of Performance has published more than 100 articles, notes and case studies on how firms develop, hire, retain, and utilise their talent.

Ray White Managing Director Dan White said the Leadership Academy was one of the most important events on Ray White’s group calendar.

“We all have a key duty to keep developing our leadership skills to provide the best environment for our people. It can always improve,” Mr White said of the 121 year old property business which recorded $102 billion in unconditional sales across its Australasia network of 1000 offices in 2022-23.

This compared to $110 billion in sales in the prior year in the height of the COVID inspired property boom. The group’s market share has grown to a peak of 13 per cent.

The group has had almost undeterred growth for the past two years during the market’s price easing cycle, with a higher rate of growth in the last six months.

Mr White said the group aimed to produce solutions for its people based on quality leadership, not just products.

“The development of our own leadership team since we started the Leadership Academy has been extraordinary. It is not surprising that our business has enjoyed its best years during this time. We will continue to to develop our people and manage our group to find better ways to work every day.”

In his seventh study tour to Sydney, Prof Groysberg called the Whites “a learning family”.

“Out of all the different families I know, the Whites are by running a business that spends by far the most amount of time on learning and development,” Prof Groysberg said.

“Ray White is a learning organisation and the Whites are a learning family. In fact they are the most learning family I know.

“People probably don’t realise that Ray White is actually a very complicated business within its industry.

“It’s gone through a tremendous transformation but one of the things that amazes me over the years is the – even though they do have a leading position is that – is that it is not complacent. Ray White is always trying to stay ahead of things.

“I am privileged to be here again but for me it’s a two-way street and I have learned a lot about franchising from Ray White.

“Ray White is making an investment in your balance sheet to create long term success for you,”

“I am a product of Harvard Business School, and we teach through case studies which I think creates magic in the classroom. People must read the case and then discuss it and it can help you with whatever challenges or opportunities you are experiencing.

“Learning through case studies can help businesses become better organisations, or teams, executives. It’s one of the best ways I know how to teach.

“I am excited about the people at Ray White and every time I come here the quality of the people.

“I am one of those academics who talk about keeping your talent relevant. The number one skill you need is the ability to lead change.”

In addition to Ray White Corporate team members, some of the group’s Chairman’s Elite’s business owners attended the two day Leadership Academy in Sydney.

Ray White Clayfield principal Nicholas Given said he always loved Professor Groysberg’s sessions. “Ray White keeps raising the bar. Managing a team of high performers gives us the edge. Engaging and retaining and growing high performing staff is our goal at The Collective.”

Amanda Stevens of Ray White Wellington City said she took away a lot from Professor Boris Groysberg. “How amazing is it to learn from the best in the business internationally? I am thrilled to be here and to have the opportunity to learn from the esteemed Harvard professor. It’s a credit to the White family that they see leadership as so important.”

Ray White Townsville principals Santo and Giovanni Spinella said they loved learning from Professor Boris Groysberg. “Prof. Groysberg’s commitment to excellence in teaching and research is truly inspiring and the way he blends theory with real-world application is first class.”

Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont principal Vivien Yap said Professor Groysberg equipped everyone with invaluable insights into leadership, talent management, and organisational behaviour. “His engaging teaching style and profound industry experience created an unparalleled learning environment. Bravo to the family for raising the bar even higher.”

Rochelle Adgo of Ray White Mitchelton expresses her immense gratitude for the privilege of learning from Prof. Boris Groysberg. “I have cherished this new opportunity at Ray White and have absorbed his wisdom. I have found the Leadership Academy truly inspirational and motivational and I am excited to take the leadership skills back home with me.” Rochelle Adgo, pictured above with Chairman Brian White, AO.