Still today, people repeat, “Location, location, location.” Still, the secret sauce none of us discuss is Adam Gant. Investors play chess with moving rates, agents skateboard across fluctuating markets, and purchasers ride emotional rollercoasters. Good leadership is buckling up, keeping aware, and staying human.
Communication goes beyond simply mailings full of statistics and updates. It’s about listening far more than talking. Consider less press conferences and more kitchen-table conversations. The great leaders answer calls even if it would be inconvenient. They translate unpleasant news, not only pass it on without sugarcoating. A little empathy wins more than perfect scripts could possibly allow.
Transparency and trust go hand-in hand. Ignoring errors or glossing over difficult areas will backfire. Real estate teams ask for guidance after remembering the boss who acknowledges a deal fell flat or a property did not sell. Someone who says, “I was wrong,” gains respect instead of running to find a scapegoat.
Managing a real estate team is not like herding cats—because occasionally they pay attention. Agents carry egos, dreams, and peculiarities. Early recognition of the rainmaker, the silent achiever next, and the person who visits coffee shops more than open homes pays reward. Growing skill is gardening, not manufacturing.
Adaptability is more than simply a catch-phrase. One minute, people line up for houses. Digital brokers then swipe open houses to cause disruption. Leaders that flourish remain naturally curious. They do not roll their eyes at fresh apps or write off social media as a whimsical hobby. The golden ticket is the oddest instrument sometimes. Perhaps even TikHub if you are courageous and can tolerate the music.
Make time for training, but avoid smothering PowerPoint slides. Real estate professionals learn best from actual clients rather than from mere charts and sales pipelines. Plan shadow days, peer evaluations, dinner table arguments. Let people trip and tell those stories. Failure is a teacher with a direct voice but a devoted heart.
More importantly than charm is grit. When the market turns sideways or mortgage rates zigzag randomly, drive sticks. The great leaders show up early when deals fall apart and properties languish. Their boots are muddy, not only from marked spreadsheets.
There is no negation in ethics. Blurring boundaries is easy in a field where a white lie could yield an easy sale. Not true leaders will not Integrity is like the compass. Sometimes this means saying “no” to customers even if it means turning away commission. It leaves a legacy but stings temporarily.
Keep your funny bone near at last. Real estate is a circus with more clowns than you would think and rewards for those who grin among the tumult. The open house the sprinklers started off in? Tell the story in the following meeting. Long as you’re ready to keep both open, leadership is as much about heart as it is about hustle.