2021 Women in Professional Services: Megan Elgard, The Falcon Group

Name: Megan Elgard

Title: Director of Business Development

Company Name: The Falcon Group

Real estate associations or organizations that you are currently a member of:

• CREW NJ,
• Community Association’s Institute (CAI)

In the past year, what project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?
My biggest accomplishment over the last year was stepping into the role of the director of business development. I have been working very hard towards this goal of mine and when the opportunity came about, I was ready to take on the challenge and show Falcon everything that I can bring to the table.

How have you adapted and changed in the last 12 months?
Being a very sociable person, the lack of human interaction has been the most difficult part during this pandemic. Ways that have helped me this year to keep that interaction as much as possible and adapt over the past year to the “new norm” were the Zoom meetings, Zoom happy hours, check-in phone calls with coworkers, joining social groups and organizations, social distancing lunch with small groups, outdoor social distance events, and drive-in events. Bridging the gap through technology during this challenging year has aided with keeping communication open and supporting one another. 

What steps have you taken to ensure the continued success of your firm?
Having a solid foundation from the start has made it that much easier to continue the success of the company. Setting target dates, commitments, goals are all steps in the right direction of continuing the success. Having a solid support team and employees is extremely important. Taking the time to train each of them, help them grow and succeed within their own goals will all help the company to grow. Some other steps are staying organized, keeping detailed records, analyzing competition and always going one step above, stay focused and be creative.

How do you keep your team motivated despite conflicts and obstacles?
During this difficult year and everything being over zoom, I have had to dig for different ideas to keep everyone engaged and motivated while many working from home. Checking in with the team weekly via zoom or a phone call, scheduling fun events via zoom like a happy hour or trivia night, setting clear goals with each employee over the year to come. Fostering collaboration with the team and offering opportunities for self-development. Another big one is to not micromanage. Have trust in your employees and team to get the job done.

What books or social media influencers would you recommend to other women?
Top two books that I recommend are “Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business” by Pat Heim, Tammy Hughes, and Susan Golant and also “She Means Business” by Carrie Green.