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In the ultra-competitive world of real estate, both new and established agents must exhibit solid leadership skills to thrive. Whether you’re guiding clients through their first home purchase or managing a team with a range of skillsets, being a strong leader is required trait.
As an agent, it’s important for you to build expertise, grow confidence and refine your problem-solving skills at every chance you get. With enough focus, concentration and training, any agent can develop into the leader they want to be. I’ve outlined three ways to improve leadership — and ultimately, propel your real estate business forward.
1. Practice discipline
Entering this industry can seem daunting at first, but anyone can develop the leadership skills needed to be successful. If new agents want to take their careers to the next level, they have to be willing to put in the work.
First and foremost, developing discipline in your professional life is essential to being a leader and inspiring clients, colleagues and others you work with. The amount of discipline displayed in the workplace will affect how much or little trust clients will have in you.
Some of the easiest ways to demonstrate discipline is by always meeting deadlines (if anything, you should be overachieving by meeting them early), maintaining appointments, and managing both your clients’ and colleagues’ time.
If organization doesn’t come naturally to you, consider time-management apps or other digital tools to help keep you on track and meet deadlines. Additionally, implementing healthy habits at home, such as an early wake-up time and regular exercise, will positively influence efficiency in the office. Leadership is much more than being in charge; it is also about being reliable.
2. Be a positive force
Whether you are an agent starting or climbing the ranks, you always want to become the person everyone wants to hear from and follow. Having a can-do attitude and positive mindset can help elevate your status immediately.
A leader should be able to motivate and inspire everyone they work with. As you begin to gain more responsibility and start moving up, it’ll become important for you to empower those around you.
Delegating tasks to others will help give you more time to reach bigger goals, while empowering junior members of the team. Whether it’s a team member who needs encouragement or a client who needs guidance, always offer positive and productive feedback. Soon enough, you will become their go-to person for your valuable advice.
Leading by influence will help new agents become effective real estate team leaders.
3. Keep learning
To become a good leader, it is essential to always keep learning and pushing mental boundaries. Being open to development keeps the mind sharp and skills fresh.
Think about areas of the business you might be interested in learning more about, and reach out to experts. Ask them about their journey and advice. You’d be surprised at how willing established agents and professionals are to help new agents learn the business.
Additionally, take a course, listen to podcasts, and attend upcoming events such as Inman Connect. There are infinite resources to learn other areas of the business.
Another way to learn is by asking managers or established agents for the opportunity to take on more responsibility. This doesn’t mean you should take on more work than you can handle, but consider stepping into areas of the business you might want to get exposure to.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is one of the best ways to learn, and it will also help get you noticed by leadership in your group. Expanding knowledge primes agents for new challenges and is one of the greatest ways to advance in this business.
The prospect of advancement is one of the most compelling aspects of being a real estate agent. After learning all the technical skills needed for the job, leadership and hard work are essential to success in this industry. These tips will help new agents become natural leaders and quickly advance their careers.
Mauricio Umansky is the founder and CEO of The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
