NAR CEO Nykia Wright: ‘We’ve got to hustle till it hurts’ 

At the National Association of Realtors' annual fall conference in New Orleans on Friday, Nykia Wright — who is celebrating her three-year anniversary as CEO — reflected on her time leading the trade association for a live recording of the Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered podcast.

The wide-ranging interview, hosted before an audience of about 200 by James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson, touched on what Wright is most proud of, what she's heard from brokers and her thoughts on professionalism and leadership. The following quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

NAR's accomplishments this year: Since Jan. 1, NAR has focused on implementing its strategic plan and updating its Executive Committee and board of directors every 90 and 180 days, respectively, Wright said. She has personally traveled three weeks per month to meet with members and gather feedback. "I'm most proud of the progress that we've made and the transparency with which we have brought that every 90 or so days," she said.

What she's learned leading NAR: "This has much more of a political bend than any other company," Wright said. At NAR, "we are really trying to get down to the molecular level and understand people's problems. And they are different state to state, they're different city to city, and so that adds to the complexity. But I feel like I'm a grassroots, almost-politician."

Feedback throughlines: "What people are doing is they are basically saying, 'I hustle till it hurts, and I need an association to meet me at that pace.' And so, hustle till it hurts, as it relates to giving people information about technology, giving people information about market statistics, letting people know the incredible advocacy engine, all of those things. But we've got to hustle till it hurts and match that energy."

On why it's her job to 'think about catastrophe': "I have to think about catastrophe. I have to think about the logic that gets there," Wright said.

"Without anyone working on our behalf in Washington, how will you have inventory? Without anyone talking to Fed governors in private rooms, being invited to meetings with the president of the United States or the minority and [majority] speakers, or even regular congressmen and women, who is going to put your agenda on the table?"

"If no one is doing that," she added, "let's be clear: another industry will fill those minutes and fill that void."

On bringing in brokers: Historically speaking, NAR has "left the brokerages out of the conversation," according to Wright — but now, "we are bringing them back."

"There's a very delicate balance there because, like any other organization, we do have our governance structure," she said. "I'm trying to bring all of those voices in, find that throughline and just show progress, but it's going to take time."

Moving beyond an 'old boys club' past: There exists "a culture of sort of have-nots: 'You did this for them. They say you did this for others. You didn't do it for me.' And so we're trying to be much more egalitarian," Wright added.

"There is this residue of NAR having been an old boys' club. But all of that's to say, people are wanting to make sure that everything is fair, and so we're trying to bring that fairness. And of course, that can't happen overnight." 

On professionalism: Professionalism, Wright noted, means different things to different people. "I've said this around the country — and I beg your pardon for anyone who's insulted here — but at some point, you have to ask yourself: Is your opinion worth more than your transaction?" she asked, inspiring cheers and applause from some in the audience.

"People are out there giving their opinion, letting people know the side of the political aisle they're on, and all these things. You have no idea how you are judged. People are looking for advisors that have a temperament and helping them understand their needs. Some agents are putting themselves in front of that."

Wright recalled being sent a photo of "someone who was in a bathing suit that says, 'If you support ICE, I'm not your Realtor.'" The image led her to wonder, "What are we doing?": "That affects everyone around them. That affects the company that you work for. That affects the brand. That affects all of it."

Leadership advice and Wright's three favorite words: "Always lead with integrity and transparency. It reduces your cognitive load," she said, adding that building a team that can help lift that load is also "super important." 

"There are so many executives that still can't say 'I don't know.' Those are my three favorite words. I give myself time to go find out. There's so many people who think that they have to project this sort of avatar of a leader, and that's what gets them in trouble. People want to know that you don't know. They want you to take that problem and do something with it."