Category: Notary News and Advice

Effective leadership requires a combination of skills and qualities that enable individuals to guide, motivate, and inspire others to achieve common goals and objectives. These essential and effective leadership skills include:

1. Communication: Strong communication skills are fundamental for leaders. They must articulate their vision, expectations, and ideas clearly and listen actively to their team members. Effective communication fosters understanding and collaboration.
2. Emotional Intelligence: Leaders with high emotional intelligence can understand and manage their own emotions and those of others. This skill helps in building strong relationships, resolving conflicts, and motivating team members.
3. Vision and Strategic Thinking: A good leader has a clear vision for the future and the ability to formulate a strategic plan to achieve that vision. They can set goals, prioritize tasks, and make decisions that align with the overall strategy.
4. Decision-Making: Leaders must make tough decisions, often with limited information. They should be able to analyze situations, consider various options, and make informed choices. Being decisive is crucial to moving forward.
5. Adaptability: In today’s rapidly changing world, adaptability is key. Leaders need to be open to new ideas, willing to change course when necessary, and resilient in the face of setbacks.
6. Empathy: Empathetic leaders understand the feelings and perspectives of their team members. They can connect on a personal level, show compassion, and consider individual needs and concerns.
7. Conflict Resolution: Conflict is inevitable in any group or organization. Effective leaders can address conflicts constructively, facilitating resolutions that are in the best interest of the team and the organization.
8. Delegation: Effective leadership skills include the ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities to team members, while trusting them to complete the work. Delegation empowers team members and allows leaders to focus on high-priority tasks.
9. Motivation: Leaders inspire and motivate their teams to achieve their best performance. This involves recognizing achievements, providing positive feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
10. Accountability: Leaders lead by example and take responsibility for their actions and decisions. They hold themselves and their team members accountable for meeting goals and fulfilling responsibilities.
11. Problem-Solving: Effective leaders are adept at identifying and solving problems. They encourage creativity and critical thinking among their team members and actively work to find solutions to challenges.
12. Time Management: Leaders often have demanding schedules. Effective leadership includes time management skills that are essential for prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and maintaining work-life balance.
13. Integrity: Leaders must be trustworthy and honest. Demonstrating integrity in all actions builds trust among team members and stakeholders.
14. Resilience: Effective leadership can be challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. Resilient leaders bounce back from adversity, maintain a positive outlook, and keep moving forward.
15. Team Building: Leaders should be skilled in building cohesive and high-performing teams. This involves identifying strengths and weaknesses, promoting collaboration, and fostering a sense of unity.
16. Innovation: Forward-thinking leaders encourage innovation and creativity within their teams. They are open to new ideas and embrace change as a means of improvement.

Remember that effective leadership skills are not about mastering each skill perfectly, but continually developing and refining these skills to suit specific situations and contexts. Great leaders are adaptable and always open to growth and improvement.

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Congratulations, you just got your first signing!

Now is when you set yourself up for success to ensure your first signing goes smoothly and provide your client(s) with a great experience. Positive feedback from signers, Title and Signing Services will be a crucial part of your self-advertising and using the following tips and tricks will practically guarantee your next job.

Read Your Instructions for a Successful First Signing

It cannot be said enough that reading your instructions will make or break your first signing. Do not skim the information provided. New policies and practices are introduced frequently in this industry and taking the time to confirm what is needed on each document(s) will only benefit you in the long run. Reading your instructions will also answer some of your most common questions: Print size, ink color, are witnesses needed, does your first signer need a copy, shipping instructions, etc.

Confirm with the Signer

First impressions matter and greatly influence the overall signing experience. Keep in mind, you are a stranger meeting them to notarize confidential documents. A professional conversation over the phone confirming the time, date and location of the signing gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself and go over any other important details. You have set the foundation for your signing relationship which will lead to a better overall signing experience for you and your first signer.

Review the Docs

This is your first closing or maybe it is a signing you have never done before. Either way, reviewing the docs before going to the table is always recommended. Taking this time to familiarize yourself with the signature and notarization requirements will limit the chances of something being missed during your first signing. You could even go so far as to tag the package with removable sticky notes to make the signing process simpler.

Come Prepared

Make sure your docs are printed according to instructions and you have all the supplies you might need as a notary. This includes your notary journal, notary stamp, additional acknowledgements and jurats, extra pens in both black and blue. Additionally, make a note of the correct contact numbers for title or the lender to have any questions answered at the table as well as the contact information for the company or service who hired you to conduct the signing.

Be Presentable and Professional

Going back to first impressions, not many would consider their attire in these kinds of situations. But, if you think about it, you are representing the title company, lender and even the signing service when you arrive to location. All of which are professional businesses that the signer has been in contact with frequently. This means they will be expecting the same in the representative sent to conduct their signing. Business casual or business dress is highly recommended to portray that level of professionalism.

Shake their hand, provide your business card and reintroduce yoursel. Then confirm you are in fact the notary sent to them and the person they spoke with on the phone. This provides reassurance to the signer when letting a stranger into their home and reaffirms the professional setting.

Stay on topic as much as possible, but do not fear a little small talk. Providing a comfortable and easy notarizing environment is beneficial both to you as a new notary and your first signer. Help them increase their productivity.

Review for Your Successful First Signing

We are all human and we make mistakes, even veteran notaries make errors. Give yourself enough time in your schedule to double check your work at the table. Collect any missing signatures, initials or information while you are still at location. This way you don’t need to return for a correction.

Do not hesitate to review your portion of the docs again as well. Ensure all your notary blocks are properly filled out and notarized to decrease the likelihood of a correction coming back.

The goal of any notary is to provide an enjoyable notarization experience for their signer. And then return accurate documents back to title. Remember you want to set yourself apart and end up being their go to notary. These steps are just a few that can be taken. It is on you to assure your first signing completes without a hitch and boost your confidence going into the next one. Set yourself up for success.

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