I believe there isn't a problem inside your real estate business that recruiting cannot solve.
Production is down? Recruit. Your top agent is holding you hostage because they do 30% of your business? Recruit. You can't bring yourself to hold someone accountable? You guessed it.
Most leaders hear that and think, "I recruit." But they recruit when they're desperate. When someone leaves. When the numbers dip. And that's exactly why they fail at it.
Recruiting takes the emotion out of leadership
When you're recruiting all the time, you don't need any one person to stay. That changes everything.
If someone doesn't run the system in 30 days, that's okay. There are five more people coming next month. You can hold the line, part ways, and stay friends, because there's no fear driving the decision.
When you don't recruit, desperation creeps in. You start lowering the bar. You keep people you know aren't aligned. Clarity creates filters. Desperation removes them.
Lead from observation, not judgment
A lot of leaders fall in love with someone's potential. They see an agent selling 20 homes and push them to do 40. But if that agent doesn't want 40, all you're building is resentment.
People are not bad people because they don't want to hit your standards. They're just showing you through their behavior that they don't align with you. And that's okay.
You can't make anyone do what they don't want to do. So stop trying. Observe their behavior. Either it aligns with the company or it doesn't. Then go find people who want what you're offering.
One thing I watch closely: a winner's enthusiasm goes up over time. If someone's excitement is dropping in their first 30 days, pay attention.
The reciprocation test
When someone isn't performing, I walk them through everything we promised. The environment, the training, the technology, the database, the scripts, the leadership, the structure, the proof that people are making serious money on this exact system.
Then I ask: "Did we miss anything? I only asked you for three things. Do you feel there's been a reciprocation, or is one of us falling short?"
As a leader, you have to be able to pass that test yourself. You want to be able to say there's nothing you could have done better. When you can, people self-select.
Your team can't outgrow you
Here's the part nobody talks about. Your organization is a bubble the size of your identity as a leader. When an agent outgrows it, the bubble pops and they leave.
The reason I see a majority of people leave organizations is simply because the leader stops growing.
If you think you're going to lead a room full of millionaires while you have the identity of someone who makes $100K a year, you're out of your mind.
So ask yourself: what minute mile am I running? A 10-minute-mile leader attracts 12- and 14-minute agents. A leader running four-minute miles can attract anyone.
Quit wanting more influence without more go.
The takeaway
If you want the SEALs, you've got to build the Navy. Recruit all the time. Lead from observation. Pass the reciprocation test. And keep growing, so the best people have a reason to stay.
This post is adapted from Episode 29 of the Built for More podcast, "Why Most Leaders Fail at Recruiting (And Don't Know It)." Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.