My Way Isn't the Only Way

I’ve worked with—and learned from—some incredible team leaders in real estate. They’ve found their golden path to success and are eager to share their methods to help others thrive.

But there’s one thing we (yes, we) often forget: our way isn’t the only way.

If you’re a driven, ultra-organized “Type A” who hits your lead generation targets daily, working with a laid-back “Type B” might drive you up the wall. On the flip side, “Type Bs” may feel pressured or stifled by a high-intensity teammate.

If you want to grow from a solo agent into a real leader, you need to support and develop all personality types on your team.

Why Diverse Personality Traits Make Teams Stronger

Everyone Has Different Strengths

You might be a behind-the-scenes paperwork pro who dreads cold calls—or the opposite: a bold caller who avoids CRMs like the plague. Diverse personalities allow everyone to shine in their zone of genius.

Different Roles, Different Needs

Not every role calls for the same traits. A REALTOR® needs people skills, while a transaction coordinator needs laser-focused attention to detail. Even among agents, personality fit matters—commercial clients may want number crunchers, while new construction sales require creative marketers.

Diverse Viewpoints = Better Decisions

Leading a team can feel lonely, much like running a household solo. It’s tempting to lean on what you know. But when you build a team with diverse perspectives, you create a feedback loop that surfaces blind spots and sparks better ideas.

Walk the Walk

Finding Diversity

Hiring for personality diversity takes intention. Many leaders fall into the trap of hiring family, friends, or people just like them. To break that pattern:

• Ask for recommendations: Talk to colleagues, brokers, or even people outside the industry. Share your team values—and be honest about what traits are missing.

• Expand your reach: Use LinkedIn and other professional networks where recommendations aren’t as filtered by personal preference.

• Look for complementarity: What does this candidate bring that your team doesn’t already have?

Gauging Diversity

Start by understanding your own personality. Take a test or two, but also get real with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. Honest introspection is key.

Next month, I’ll dive into the most popular personality assessments—and share my own results!

Practicing Diversity

Creating a safe space for different personalities to thrive means actively encouraging input and modeling respectful feedback. When correcting behavior, focus on actions—not traits.

Example:

• Start with observation: “I’ve noticed a few transactions came in with missing documents.”

• Offer support: “Would extra training help? Do we need to update our checklists?”

• Acknowledge growth: “I really appreciate the progress you’ve made.”

• Avoid personal digs: Steer clear of comments like “I wish you were as organized as I am.”

This approach helps people grow without feeling judged for who they are.

What Does Success Look Like?

On a small team (10 people or less), I measure success by behavior:

• Team members feel safe disagreeing with me.

• We pitch in and help each other.

• Everyone’s strengths are known and valued—whether that’s video content, cold calling, or paperwork.

• Mistakes aren’t hidden or shameful. We talk about them, learn, and move forward—including me.

Extra Reading

A couple of excellent articles I came across while writing this:

• What Makes a Good Team? Our Experiment Working With Different Personalities

• Managing Different Personalities on a Team

And if you love leadership books like I do, check these out:

• Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters

• Think Again by Adam Grant