2. Learning / Development
L&D is here to help you grow - through training, webinars, and resources built around what you and your team need. Here's what's coming up, plus a few wins worth celebrating from recent sessions.
AU/NZ: When markets tighten, conversational skill matters more, not less
👓 3 minute read
The quality of your conversations is what counts now
The quality of your conversations is what counts now
In a softer market, it's easy to focus on prospecting systems, marketing and technology. They're all important, but Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks argues that the greatest competitive advantage is something much simpler – the quality of your conversations.
At the recent AREC Conference, Wood Brooks made the point that real estate isn't fundamentally a property business. It's a people business. Buyers and sellers are making emotionally significant decisions, often under pressure, and they remember how an agent made them feel long after the transaction is complete.
For agents, that means spending less time thinking about the perfect sales pitch and more time asking thoughtful questions, listening carefully and showing genuine curiosity – deploying her TALK framework. Strong conversational skills build trust, uncover clients' real motivations and help people make confident decisions – all of which become even more valuable when listings take longer to sell and competition for business increases.
The takeaway is a timely one. Markets change, technology evolves and competition comes and goes, but the ability to have meaningful conversations remains one of the most valuable skills any real estate professional can develop.
The TALK framework is simple, practical and highly relevant to real estate conversations:
T – Topics
Prepare a few conversation topics before every meeting. Even a few seconds of planning leads to better conversations. Don't be afraid to move between topics – conversations are more likely to fail because they become stale than because they cover too much.
A – Asking
Ask more questions, especially follow-up questions. Rather than thinking about what you'll say next, be curious. Follow-up questions demonstrate that you've listened and often reveal the information clients are most reluctant to volunteer. Brooks' advice is simple: 'When in doubt, ask the next question.'
L – Levity
Create a conversation that's enjoyable. You don't need to be a comedian; you simply need to make the interaction feel relaxed and engaging. People remember how a conversation made them feel as much as what was said.
K – Kindness
Listen in a way that shows people they've been heard. Paraphrase what they've told you, acknowledge their concerns and refer back to things they've shared previously. These small moments of recognition build trust over time.
AU: Up next
👓 30 second read
The sessions worth blocking out time for over the next few weeks
The sessions worth blocking out time for over the next few weeks
NATIONAL
What: AML: Confident with the Complex - Live Q&A with FirstAML's CEO
When: 20/07/2026 – 1:00pm (AEST)
Where: Zoom Webinar
Register: Register NOW
What: HR Accelerator Series: Human Resources
When: 28/07/2026 – 9:30am (AEST)
Where: Zoom Webinar
Register: Register NOW
COMMERCIAL
What: Accelerator Series: Commercial – Options, Renewals, Breaches & Risk Points
When: 30/07/2026 - 2:00pm (AEST)
Where: Zoom Webinar
Register: Register NOW
NSW
What: Thriving Through Change: Share what's working, talk through industry pressures, and leave with practical ways to thrive.
When: 13/07/2026 – 9:30am (AEST)
Where: Ballina
Register: Register NOW
What: Thriving Through Change: Share what's working, talk through industry pressures, and leave with practical ways to thrive.
When: 15/07/2026 – 9:30am (AEST)
Where: Wollongong
Register: Register NOW
What: Thriving Through Change: Share what's working, talk through industry pressures, and leave with practical ways to thrive.
When: 16/07/2026 – 9:30am (AEST)
Where: Parramatta
Register: Register NOW
SA
What: SA/NT PM Think Tank: Connect with fellow members, solve challenges, and learn from real-world experiences.
When: 22/07/2026 – 9:15am (ACST)
Where: Cotality's Adelaide Office
Register: Register NOW
VIC
What: Beyond Compliance - Session 3: Manage Risk with Confidence - Frameworks That Protect Your Portfolio
When: 09/07/2026 – 10:30am (AEST)
Where: Zoom Webinar
Register: Register NOW
Recent wins
👓 30 second read
The recent sessions worth shouting about.
Accelerator Series: Artificial Intelligence
Four sessions with Stephen Toms, April–June. Registrations climbed from 41 to 99 across the series, with offices joining from eight states plus NZ and Vanuatu.
- 232 registrations
- 90 attendees
- 5 / 5 peak score
"The best FN webinar in the past 12 months - practical solutions that will introduce efficiencies to business."
On demand
👓 30 second read
Learn on your own time - catch up on recorded webinars or work through a course at your own pace.
NATIONAL
Accelerator Series: Artificial Intelligence
Sessions 1–4 · Stephen Toms
ChatGPT for Real Estate Agents
The AI Toolkit: Beyond ChatGPT
AML: All Your Questions Answered
Milan Cooper
VICTORIA
Beyond Compliance
Sessions 1 & 2 · Kasey Lawrence
Learning Influencers
👓 30 second read
Learn on your own time - catch up on recorded webinars or work through a course at your own pace.
A Learning Influencer is a trusted peer who champions learning in their office - connecting colleagues to the right training at the right time, and bringing their office's voice back to L&D.
Not a trainer, no extra admin, and not compliance!
What it looks like in practice:
- Champion learning in your office
- Be the local MYFN go-to
- Be the first to spread the word
- Tell us what's working and what's not
Just one webinar a quarter to stay in the loop
Could this be you?
Nominate someone or put your hand up. Just get in touch with our Learning and Development Advisor, Gustavo Choukri - gustavo.choukri@firstnational.com.au
Future’s Club
👓 20 second read
First National’s leadership program is up and running. Here's where each cohort is at.
Year 1 - our first cohort is underway, working through the Diploma of Property, unit by unit.
33 participants nationally
CPPREP5001 — Manage compliance in the property industry - Complete
CPPREP5003 — Manage ethical practice in the property industry - Coming up - 16 July