🛩️ “Fixing the Plane While It’s Crashing: My Take on the NAR CEO’s Podcast Interview”

“NAR’s Plane Is On Fire — And the CEO Brought a PowerPoint”

🛩️ “Fixing the Plane While It’s Crashing: My Take on the NAR CEO’s Podcast Interview”

By Joe McQuillan — Real Estate Matchmaker, longtime REALTOR®, survivor of more NAR reforms than I care to count

If you didn’t listen to the podcast interview with NAR CEO Nikia Wright, don’t worry — I did. And I took notes. And then I poured a coffee, stared out the window for a moment, and thought:

“Wow. We are really doing this again.”

Let me walk you through it. Because this interview was part leadership talk, part corporate therapy session, and part… aviation disaster movie.

---

🛩️ 1. The Plane Analogy — Now With Extra Turbulence

Wright’s favorite analogy — which she used with impressive conviction — is:

“We’re fixing the plane while flying it.”

Here’s the issue:
Most CEOs use that phrase to mean “We’re improving things.”
In NAR’s case?
It sounds more like:

“The engine is on fire, the pilot parachuted out, and we are now Googling ‘how to land a plane’ at 30,000 feet.”

Nothing says confidence like openly admitting the FAA (aka: the lawyers) still isn’t being paid.

---

👔 2. The Worship of the A-Players

If you turned this podcast into a drinking game and took a sip every time she said “A-player,” you’d need a designated driver by the 8-minute mark.

“A-players”
“A-players”
“A-players”

Apparently, one-third of the staff was not only not “A-players”… I’m pretty sure she wanted to call them “benchwarmers but HR wouldn’t let her.”

Hiring new chiefs — Chief Data, Chief Communications, Chief Accountability, Chief Chief Officer — is fine.
But calling someone an “A-player” doesn’t actually mean they can fix what’s been broken for years.

Real talk from Joe:
Hire smart people, yes. But culture beats résumés every time.

---

⚖️ 3. The 10-5 Code of Ethics — The Parody Version

Wright mentioned professionalism dozens of times, which I support… but let’s be honest:

We all know that one REALTOR® who uses Comic Sans in their listing presentation.

So here’s the unofficial parody update to the Code of Ethics:

1. Don’t say anything mean about another REALTOR®… unless you’re on a podcast.

2. Be professional, even if you sold 3 homes in 10 years.

3. If the public loses trust, announce a “listening tour.”

4. When in doubt, hire another A-player.

5. Keep fixing the plane. Forever.

I’d put it on a poster.

---

🎧 4. The Legal Forums — Finally, a Place to Say ‘Antitrust’ Every 12 Minutes

Wright bragged about expanding legal forums and “making them more transparent.”

Translation:
Rooms where REALTORS® can sit in chairs, nod slowly, and pretend to understand antitrust law.

These forums will discuss high-stakes topics such as:

• “What is a fiduciary duty?”

• “Should we finally move that document out of the SharePoint folder from 2009?”

• “Who is responsible for that mysterious $900K door?”

• “What even is MLS governance anymore?”

---

📊 5. Data, Governance, Structure — The Corporate Buzzword Trifecta

She said “governance” more times than I’ve said “call me and start packing.”

She said “data” like it was a new religion.

She said “structure” like she was holding the building up with her bare hands.

Look — I love structure. I love a plan.
But if you have to repeat the same three words 200 times, the plan might not be the plan.

---

🔮 6. The Strategic Plan — 75 Initiatives, 0 Clear Answers

NAR has a new strategic plan with 75 initiatives.

Seventy-five.
At that point, it’s not a plan — it’s a Costco-sized to-do list.

My favorite predicted initiatives:

• Moving documents from one SharePoint folder to another

• Creating a listening tour, rebranding it “action tour,” then rebranding it again

• Publishing inspirational quotes on Instagram

• “Admitting nothing but feeling everything” (my personal favorite)

---

📣 7. The Member Survey — The Results Are… Extremely On-Brand

68,000 members responded.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 49%: “Somewhat satisfied.”

• 23%: “Neutral and exhausted.”

• 28%: “FURIOUS AND TYPING IN ALL CAPS.”

And honestly?
That feels like the NAR membership.

---

🎤 8. My Final Take — and Why This Matters

Comedy aside, here’s the real punchline:

REALTORS® deserve leadership that talks straight and delivers results — not buzzwords and metaphors about airplane mechanics.

Here’s what I want to see:

• Transparency without theatrics

• Accountability without jargon

• A-players who actually solve problems

• A strategic plan with fewer than 75 bullet points

• And yes… a plane that lands safely

Until then?
I’ll keep watching.
And writing.
And making videos.
Because the industry needs truth — even when it comes with punchlines.

— Joe
Your Real Estate Matchmaker
Connector • Straight Shooter • Recovering Committee Membe

r