Building a real estate team should lead to greater success, impact and financial freedom. Yet, for many team leaders, the dream of leading a high-performing team can be daunting. Instead of driving growth, they’re stuck managing daily operational crises, struggling to hold agents accountable and constantly recruiting to replace those who leave.
Top producers are expected to instinctively transition from agent to effective team leader — despite never being trained in leadership, systems, or strategic planning.
The result? Underperforming teams, high agent turnover, costly trial and error, and leaders who feel like they’re failing despite working harder than ever.
The growth trap: Leadership without a roadmap
Every team has a way of running things, whether intentionally designed or not. Leaders have a vision for success, but without clear communication or a managed system, every agent works in their own way, without direction or shared goals, leading to dysfunction, inconsistency and a failure to reach full potential.
While many training programs promise to help transform leaders, they often fall short. Kyle Whissel, Team Leader of Whissel Realty Group with eXp, shares that in his over 20 years in real estate, he’s found most business development training “focus[es] on lead generation, lead conversion, tech and apps. Very few of them focus on teaching people how to run a real estate business systematically.’
This “growth trap” means team leaders are left to navigate growth through trial and error, often leading to burnout and inefficiency.
Leading with vision: eXp Realty’s Team Leader Academy is reshaping leadership
eXp Realty’s Team Leader Academy (TLA) provides a structured solution designed specifically to address these challenges. Unlike traditional real estate training, TLA equips leaders with the skills, systems and support needed to grow and operate their teams at a high level with:
- A Blueprint for Growth – A step-by-step strategy to build a scalable, sustainable team.
- Accountability & Scalability Training — Tools and frameworks to implement repeatable systems, ensuring team operations run smoothly and growth happens predictably.
- Integrated Team Technology — CRM, performance tracking and marketing tools to eliminate inefficiencies.
- Ongoing Support & Masterminds — Access to top-performing teams and industry leaders, ensuring continuous development.
- Coaching & Retention Strategies — A structured approach to developing agents and reducing turnover.
- Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) — A powerful framework that helps teams clarify vision, establish accountability and create scalable operations.
EOS + TLA: The system that powers growth
A key component of TLA’s framework is EOS. With EOS, team leaders gain clarity on their vision, establish efficient systems and create a culture of ownership within their teams. TLA subscribers receive exclusive access to EOS training and resources at a significantly reduced cost.
Whissel is a testament to the power of EOS. “In 2019, our team closed $175M in volume. We introduced our team to EOS in 2020 and by the following year jumped 41 percent to $247M. Five years later, we’re on track to close $830M.”
EOS works alongside TLA’s courses, masterminds and resources, allowing leaders to refine strategies, troubleshoot challenges and continually optimize team performance.
Real teams, real results: TLA transforms businesses
The necessity of eXp’s TLA is clear. Team leaders cannot build high-performing teams without a structured roadmap. TLA provides the foundation for scalable success, equipping leaders with the systems, tools and mentorship they need. EOS reinforces this by ensuring teams operate with vision, structure and accountability.
TLA graduates shift from reactive management to strategic leadership — confident, in control and equipped to drive measurable growth. For real estate team leaders looking to break free from overwhelm and take their leadership to the next level, eXp Realty’s Team Leader Academy provides the roadmap to success.
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Susan McClain is the VP, Agent Services at eXp Realty. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
