How to lead agents who don’t want to be managed

Have you ever asked an agent why they got into the business? Usually, the response is something along the lines of wanting flexibility, freedom and control over their own success.

As brokers, we’re responsible for the licenses held with our company, but those licenses belong to sales associates, and those associates are also independent business owners. The challenge then lies in how you lead people who have absolutely no interest in being “managed.”

Managing tends to focus on what someone is doing. Leading focuses on where they’re going and how you can help them get there.

Over the years, I’ve learned that most agents don’t need or, more importantly, want someone standing over their shoulder micromanaging. However, they need someone in their corner. They need resources, honest conversations, accountability (when they ask for it) and a broker who cares about their goals beyond just what those goals mean for the company.

Here are a few things that have worked for me:

• Ask before you assume. Not every agent wants the same thing from this career. If I think about my brokerage, right now we have one agent who sits floor once a week to give his wife a day of peace, and his sales fuel his Corvette collection. Then we have a single mom who is selling to pay the bills and put food on the table. Successful. Simply, you can’t really help someone be successful until you understand what that looks like for them.

• Listen more than you talk. It’s tempting, especially when you’ve been in the business for a while, to immediately offer the solution. While “saving the day” may feel helpful, often it does more to feed our own ego than helping the agent grow. Sometimes the better move is simply to ask another question. When agents feel heard, the conversation changes. You stop telling them what to do and start helping them figure out what makes sense for them.

• Make support easy to access. Agents shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get help. Whether it’s training, technology, transaction support or simply getting a question answered, removing friction matters. Your agents should know where to go and who to call when they need something.

• Give them room to own their business. I don’t need an agent to build their business exactly the way I would build it. In fact, I’d rather they didn’t. Some of the best ideas come from agents trying a different approach and unlocking something magical. Give people the freedom to experiment, make decisions and figure out what works for them.

• Have the hard conversations. Support doesn’t mean agreeing with everything. There are times when an agent needs someone willing to say, “I think you’re getting in your own way.” Trust is built when people know you’ll celebrate their wins but also tell them the truth when something isn’t working.

• Remember that leadership is earned. A title might make you the broker, but it doesn’t automatically make someone trust your advice. That comes from showing up, following through, being consistent and proving that you genuinely care about their success.

Personally, I do not believe great brokerage leadership is creating a group of agents who need their broker for every decision. Quite the opposite.

The goal should be to help agents become more confident and capable in their own businesses while making sure they know they never have to figure it all out alone.

You don’t have to manage good agents into staying. Create an environment where they feel supported, respected and valued, and they’ll have a reason to want to stay.

Jessica Souza is broker-owner of Paradise Exclusive in Port Charlotte.