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Tool Kit is a recurring column on Inman that pulls together resources for agents who want to dive deeper on specific subjects or team leaders and brokers looking for educational content on timely topics for trainings.
Making moves, maintaining talent and building culture are some of the biggest challenges brokers and sales managers will always struggle with in our industry.
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Why? Let’s say the industry tends to attract some of the best and brightest individuals that you will ever meet. However, we are all human, and the logistics of even the simplest real estate transactions require smooth practices to reach the closing table.
What’s a broker or team leader to do when the team is falling apart, burned out, has left for a competitor or worse, is in the office every day complaining they have no business? Let’s break down three best practices that will help your Bad News Bears evolve into Mighty Ducks with transactions all in a row.
Set the expectation and be the example
Brokers and team leaders need to model the behavior and expectations they want their team to follow. This means showing your team how you work, being clear about what your standards are and taking pride and passion in what you do.
Often, one of the first areas that is the easiest to fix when rebuilding your team has nothing to do with replenishing talent. It’s setting the expectation of what you want to see if you are not seeing it.
Clean your office, organize your files, and conduct client meetings with your door open so that your team can observe how you work, how frequently you work and how you interact with clients.
Ensure the office maintains a calm and productive vibe so that clients feel welcome, and agents who are working don’t have to worry about what their coworkers are saying in the background.
At every team meeting, have a teaching moment. Give an example of what you would like to see improved. If team members are doing better, acknowledge it.
Further reading
- 5 real-talk tips for retaining real estate agents in 2025
- 5 pillars of building a dependable, sustainable, predictable business
- How smart brokerages are scaling service and redefining leverage
Stop the nonsense
Suppose your team or members at your brokerage are tied up in petty arguments, gossip, drama, etc. Put an end to it. Great leaders listen and then take action. You don’t have to be everyone’s friend, but you do have to let team members know that nonsense will not be tolerated, or they will be asked to leave.
Why do teams fall apart? Usually, it’s because someone feels left out, underappreciated or annoyed by another member who has a terrible habit and gets away with it.
The biggest reason? Leadership fails to maintain a standard that is fair and easy to understand.
If the entire team is working to have an A+ experience for consumers and their personal lives, that is where the magic happens. If you have team members who are providing C- or D-level results, it pulls down the rest of the team.
Brokers and team leaders must be unwavering in their commitment to quality control for consumers. If they are not, they are essentially sending unchecked experiences into the market, with potentially catastrophic results.
Further reading
- Stop undervaluing your work, say ‘no’ with confidence, own your worth
- Small, medium or large? Choosing your Goldilocks real estate team
- Beyond trophies: Top brokerages rethink agent appreciation
Fire and hire with intention
It’s not unreasonable, especially in a commission-driven industry, to set expectations for those who work underneath your brand and your license. This is your reputation.
Leaders have two choices: They can collect franchise fees and their cut of commissions and be a revolving door for untrained professionals to keep the “lights on,” or they can be the brokerage or team that has a strong connected presence in the community. With the latter, top talent know that when they come into work, they have a team they can be proud of and brag about.
Don’t be afraid to let go of those who create more work than they do wins for your team. Hire for passion. Hire with your clear expectations in mind. Don’t gamble on talent.
If you’re not bragging about how incredible your team is, there’s an issue, especially heading into the uncertain winter of 2026.
Further reading
- From random to reliable: How to build a referral machine
- 10 unexpected places to find your next top producer
- 8 reasons top-producing agents despise going into the office
Ins and wins
Rebuilding a team is one of the most challenging tasks that brokers and team leaders must manage. The pipeline always needs to be filled, and agents and office staff are busy and overwhelmed.
Lead conversion and customer management take more touches and attention than ever before. Loyalty? Most brokers and team leaders would settle for folks who don’t argue during meetings and constantly complain that they need more leads.
Be an example. Be what you want your team to be. Manifest positive change, and be honest about the changes you want to see. Authenticity is inspiring, and it’s never too late to rebuild, revivify and start again. Focus on the ins and wins, and the rest will begin to come together.
Rachael Hite is a seasoned housing counselor and thought leader in the real estate industry. Connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
