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june 2014 page 1 employee newsletter | june 2014 inside this issue be cool—conflict resolution skills OKAY. STAY CALM. BREATHE. YES, AT SOME POINT DURING YOUR CAREER, YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. Conflict—an inevitable part of the workplace. And, according to conflict statistics, 85% of employees encounter conflict to some degree, spending almost three hours per week dealing with it. Developing effective conflict resolution skills is easier than you think and essential to every business. Good conflict resolution maintains productivity, fosters creativity and aides employee retention. Conflict is a normal part of any relationship, choosing to deal with it wisely and calmly benefits everyone. The following are tips for successfully resolving and managing conflict. Did You Hear That? It’s your colleague speaking. Listening connects us to our own feelings as well as those of others, strengthening our bond with those around us. In turn, it becomes easier for others to hear us when we’re speaking. So, the next time you’re in a meeting, listen to each co-worker, look at them while they’re speaking and show interest in what they’re saying. And, remember, it works both ways. Point/Counterpoint If necessary, agree to disagree. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and we must respect the right that others have to disagree with us. Considering other viewpoints, whether you agree or not, shows that you respect others, thereby fostering strong relations among employees or co-workers. In the Now There are no winners in the blame game. Take the high road and move past grudges and resent- ments. They’ll only slow you down and hinder success. Focus on the here and now and the reality of the situa- tion you’re in at the moment. Seek positive solutions to your conflict and look toward positive future relationships and team building. Time and Energy We’ve all heard it: Know how to pick your battles. Wasting time and energy on an issue that really has no value serves no purpose other than to be divisive and drain- ing on workplace morale. Know when to “let it go” and move on to important topics where you can make a positive difference in the outcome. Continued on page 3 Happy 10-Yr. Anniversary! ........... 2 June Anniversaries ......................... 3 Encompass Tip ................................. 4 Critical Dates .................................... 4 Products MAGnified ....................... 4 June Birthdays & Holidays ........... 5 Community Connections .............. 5 Kudos! ................................................. 5 Employee Submissions .................. 6 To Your Health .................................. 6 Green Tips ......................................... 6 Let’s Play Ball! ................................. 6

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Page 1: Magnifier june2014

june 2014 page 1

employee newsletter | june 2014

inside this issue

be cool—conflict resolution skillsOKAY. STAY CALM. BREATHE. YES, AT SOME POINT DURING YOUR CAREER, YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. Conflict—an inevitable part of the workplace. And, according to conflict statistics, 85% of employees encounter conflict to some degree, spending almost three hours per week dealing with it. Developing effective conflict resolution skills is easier than you think and essential to every business. Good conflict resolution maintains productivity, fosters creativity and aides employee retention. Conflict is a normal part of any relationship, choosing to deal with it wisely and calmly benefits everyone. The following are tips for successfully resolving and managing conflict.

Did You Hear That? It’s your colleague speaking. Listening connects us to our own feelings as well as those of others, strengthening our bond with those around us. In turn, it becomes easier for others to hear us when we’re speaking. So, the next time you’re in a meeting, listen to each co-worker, look at them while they’re speaking and show interest in what they’re saying. And, remember, it works both ways.

Point/Counterpoint If necessary, agree to disagree. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and we must respect the right that others have to disagree with us. Considering other viewpoints, whether you agree or not, shows that you respect others, thereby fostering strong relations among employees or co-workers.

In the Now There are no winners in the blame game. Take the high road and move past grudges and resent-ments. They’ll only slow you down and hinder success. Focus on the here and now and the reality of the situa-tion you’re in at the moment. Seek positive solutions to your conflict and look toward positive future relationships and team building.

Time and Energy We’ve all heard it: Know how to pick your battles. Wasting time and energy on an issue that really has no value serves no purpose other than to be divisive and drain-ing on workplace morale. Know when to “let it go” and move on to important topics where you can make a positive difference in the outcome. Continued on page 3

Happy 10-Yr. Anniversary! ........... 2

June Anniversaries ......................... 3

Encompass Tip ................................. 4

Critical Dates .................................... 4

Products MAGnified ....................... 4

June Birthdays & Holidays ........... 5

Community Connections .............. 5

Kudos! ................................................. 5

Employee Submissions .................. 6

To Your Health .................................. 6

Green Tips ......................................... 6

Let’s Play Ball! ................................. 6

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happy 10-year anniversary!

Greg Rielly, 10 Years on June 28th! Wow, 10 years at one stop is a long time, especially in the mortgage industry. While it has been a wild ride in an industry full of spikes and dips, twists and turns, and even a Great Recession, I have enjoyed my time with the many good people at Mortgage Advisory Group. And I am indeed proud to have closed the very first loan ever at MAG. In looking back, it was quite a bold move for the original MAG Team Members to step up and risk being part of a start-up company! With that said, I like to think of us MAG pioneers as being a

lot of brave, very bold and just a smidgen crazy. What a great formula for success! With consistent inner-strength, resiliency, and leadership, and sometimes just outright toughness from the ownership group and management team, plus amazing staff support and determined MA’s, this company has “managed the risk” and bounced when many others have been broken and fallen by the wayside. We should all be proud of each other, both present and past. Just remember “no one ever fell to the top of the mountain!”

Greg Rielly and Jeryl Torick have been part of Team MAG from the beginning! They will both be celebrating their 10th anniversary with MAG this month. Happy Anniversary, Greg and Jeryl!

Jeryl Torick Director of WOW, Everett

Greg Rielly Mortgage Advisor, Everett

Jeryl Torick, 10 Years on June 29th!

Reflections over the past 10 years stirs many different emotions—You know me, the one who laughs and cries when you tell me about your kids or grand kids, whether we’re expanding or downsizing, hiring new friends or saying good bye to old ones, celebrating holidays or attending funerals…we’ve kind of run the gamut over these past 10 years.

Lee and Dave began this company with the vision of the perfect place for MA’s to work and thrive. An

operational model that supports and encourages a swift, seamless process for closing loans, and a platform of employee appreciation and recognition, unparalleled in this industry.

Just as the tide ebbs and flows, so it seems have we, over the past 10 years. One constant remains however, and that is the heart and vision of our owners.

Dave has been the pragmatic visionary from the start. Pen and paper in hand, Dave single-handedly mapped out every single inch of office space in every one of our offices. He has always been the rainmaker when it came to policy and procedure formation. He’s calculated, methodical and a great strategist. Lee, on the other hand, has always been the energy and enthusiasm behind the vision. Continued on page 3

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happy anniversary!

happy 10th anniversary conflict resolution

We are blessed with a winning team of professionals here at Mortgage Advisory Group. We wish to thank the following team members for their years of dedication and enthusiasm, and for being a part of our success. We appreciate you and all you do!

Dan Savage Mortgage Advisor, Mill Creek

2 Years June 12th

Britni Wortham Br. Admin. Mgr. DFI, Mill Creek

7 Years June 20th

Lori Larsh Regional Operations Manager, Everett

7 Years June 5th

Tammy Heaton MA Assistant, Everett

2 Years June 4th

Gina Mott Gov. Insuring Specialist, Everett

5 Years June 3rd

Continued from page 2

Lee is never without positive encouragement, inspiring us all to see the big picture and never loose heart. His contagious optimism and forward thinking have lead the way.

An entrepreneur from an early age, Lee has succeeded at every venture he has set his mind to.

These two men have been incredible to work with all these 10 years. They’ve been inspiring, encourag-ing, always professional and wonderful friends. . . like family.

We started small, but we were strong. We took the next natural business step and branched out. We grew impressively and exponentially, engaging in learning experiences all along the way. As in life, we have gone down many new roads and crossed many bridges.

Happily we’re here today, celebrating a dream and vision that began more than 10 years ago.

I say, we should be thankful for all the opportunities we’ve had up to now, and that we continue to look optimistically toward the future and smile at the friendships we have made while being part of the MAG Team.

Continued from page 1

Forgive and Learn Rise above the challenge and you’ll be the wiser for it. The ability to forgive frees you to move on, while learning from the experience and positively expanding yourself in the process. Be open to forgiving because one day you might be on the receiving end.

It Takes Two Should you find yourself in an ongoing situation with a co-worker who simply won’t agree to disagree, take control. Move on. Yes, it takes two and if you’re disengaged from the disagreement, it won’t be there for you anymore. You’ve got better things to do, so do them.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Stand up for yourself ...calmly. Never allow yourself to be a doormat for anyone. Simply state your case tactfully and succinctly to diffuse conflict. Whether you are agreed with or not, you’ll be respected for sticking to your beliefs.

Remember: You have the power to control your reactions when conflict strikes. Next time, try implementing some of the conflict resolution skills above. Good luck and be cool!

National Association of Professional Women

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maximize your encompass efficiency!By Erik Noet

WITH ALL THE CHANGES IN ENCOMPASS, here are a few quick tips to help maximize your efficiency while working in the new system:

1. Operating Two Encompasses at Once: Did you know that you can have multiple instances of Encompass open simultaneously? With active loans in two different systems, it can be a time-saver to have one Encompass open in the old system and one in the new system at the same time. To quickly distinguish which window is the old system and which is the new, you can simply look at the extreme top of the window where it lists your username you are logged in under as well as the server (BE11120449 is the new server… BE11073349 is the old server):

2. When eSigning the MA portion of eSign disclosures, remember that you have a different login depending on whether the file is in the old system or new. To determine which login you should be using, first check to see which system the file is in (remember that loan numbers greater than 3000 are in the new system, whereas loan numbers less than 3000 are the old system). If in the old system, you must login with the old client ID (3011073349) and your old login (the one that starts with MAG), whereas to eSign disclosures in the new system, you will use the new client ID (3011120449) and your new Encompass user ID (first initial last name in most cases).

3. Price Changes Notification: You’ll notice that the price changes notification form is not found in the new system yet. For changes on locked loans, please email your request to the lock desk directly at [email protected]. Be sure to cc your processor(s) as well as they will then notify the disclosure desk if there is a need to re-disclose based on the changes.

encompass tip critical dates for funding• Last day to sign refi’s

June 24th.

• ALL docs to be in funding no later than 10:30 AM June 25th for funding by month end.

operation gratitude

Coming soon—Operation Gratitude card signing after-noon (complete with popsicles) to remind our active military and veterans that they are present in our thoughts and prayers. Date and time forth-coming.

We need your submissions! A great newsletter needs content—please remember to submit your department news, community involvement, employee recognition and more each and every month! Email to [email protected], we look forward to hearing from you.

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products magnified

nma’s guideline on multiple parcelsThe list below provides the requirements when the security property consists of more than one parcel of real estate.

MULTIPLE PARCELS REQUIREMENTS

• Each parcel must be conveyed in its entirety.

• Parcels must be adjoined to the other, unless they comply with the following exception. Parcels that otherwise would be adjoined, but are divided by a road, are acceptable if the parcel without a residence is a non-buildable lot (for example, waterfront properties where the parcel without the residence provides access to the water). Evidence that the lot is non-buildable must be included in the loan file.

• Each parcel must have the same basic zoning (for example, residential, agricultural).

• The entire property may contain only one dwelling unit. Limited additional non-residential improvements, such as a garage, are acceptable. For example, the adjoining parcel may not have an additional dwelling unit. An improvement that has been built across lot lines is acceptable. For example, a home built across both parcels where the lot line runs under the home is acceptable.

• The mortgage must be a valid first lien that covers each parcel.

kudos!

Food Drive j u n e 2-30

mag annual summer food driveOUR ANNUAL SUMMER FOOD DRIVE will run the month of June. The donations we collect will be distributed through the local food banks, which serve needy and low income individuals and families.

One of every six children in Washington State are at risk of going hungry because their families can’t afford to buy food basics. During the summer break, the children who are on the Free or Reduced-Price Meal program may be missing at least one meal a day that they would usually get at school.

community connections

You can help the hungry people in our community by donating to our food drive. Donations can include the usual “non-perishable” food items, or cash— Food Banks buy in bulk; 4 pounds of food can be purchased with every dollar do-nated! Let's make this the biggest MAG Food Drive ever!

KUDOS TO EVERYONE FROM JERYL: Everyone has been working so hard, and your dedication and commitment is truly appreciated and recog-nized! Thank you!

Kudos to Devery Rielly from Nancy Smith: Thank you for stepping in and stepping up to join the Marketing Team! I appreciate your quick learning, great attitude and creative ideas!

Kudos to Ali Torick from Nancy Smith: Thank you, Ali for helping our Marketing Team with the paperwork and tasks that quickly pile up. We ap-preciate your smile, your quick mind and willingness to learn!

Kudos to Anna Haskin from Brenda Carter: Thank you for anticipating and preempting everyone’s needs and always being available! And you hold a library full of knowledge in your head. You are my reference guide and I so appreciate you!

june birthdays

summer holidays

Nancy Carmen .......................5th Stacey Morton........................8th

Brenda Carter ..................... 25th Anna Haskin......................... 30th

July 4th ...... Independence Day

September 1st ..........Labor Day

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employee submissions

The Atrium at Everett Branch has been transformed into a casual meeting area.

Chris Wortham, Larissa and baby Cadence.

Anna Haskin and Lisa Britton taking a break in the Atrium.

to your healthBOOST YOUR ENERGY INSTANTLY!

Stay hydrated: Being dehydrated can lead to fatigue, crankiness, and mental fogginess.

Walk around the block: Even a short walk can get your endorphins flowing.

Spend time in the sun: A few minutes in the light can brighten your day and your mood.

Take a tech break: A few minutes away from the gadgets can give you a boost.

East more mini meals: Eating good food frequently keeps your energy level up.

HANG DRY! Get a clothesline or rack to air-dry your clothes. Before dryers became popular, people used to hang their clothes from clotheslines to dry. Today, many are returning to this practice, since using a clothesline can cut residential energy costs by 5%. Your clothes will maintain their color, shrink less, and you will save money. Plus, it is environmentally friendly!

Tips for using a clothesline can be found at http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Clothesline.

green tips

let’s play ball!

Brenda is a proud grandma to a beautiful baby girl named Layla Jade, born on May 1st. She weighed 8 lb, 8 oz. and was 20” long.

Summer Softball Games: No need to be an experienced player, just your enthusiasm and pursuit of family fun and laughter, as we gather at local ball fields with potluck goodies, music, prizes and lots of hysterical (and serious) softball! It’s never too early to start gathering your gear and warming up!

MAG’s List (like Craig’s List) on our Intranet—let’s share the scoop on things like “Mother-of-all-Yard Sales”, condo or beach houses available for rent, sailing lessons, etc. We all have great resources to share or sell that our friends and teammates would love to hear about. More details coming soon!

Our MAG Library has a great selection of books, videos and audio books, with topics rang-ing from business dynamics, sales techniques, leadership skills and more. Reading or listening to these books can provide great benefits to your personal and professional life—give it a try today! For a list of titles and how to check out a book, go to: https://intranet.magloans.net/Marketing/SitePages/MAG_Library.aspx