When I got into the real estate business, and I bet you're like me, when you walked into your real estate office in the beginning, there was a leaderboard. Some people call it a brag board in the office, right?

It had the listings and the sales. You'd write your name down when you took a listing and write your name down when you took a sale.

And we liked it, man. We're ego-driven people. As real estate agents, we all want to see our name on the board.

So when you open your company, some of you brokerage owners and team leaders might have done the same thing. You thought, "Well, I'm going to do the same thing. I'm going to have a big brag board, and I'm going to fire people up about getting on that brag board every month."

Is that a good idea, though?

Here's why it may backfire on you:

The reason it may backfire on you is, who are the same people that are going to be on that board every single month, month after month after month? They'll be your top producers.

And you might say,...

Hey guys, if you’re a brokerage owner or team leader, one thing we tend to do this time of year is say, “Okay, what are our production goals for 2026?”

And you should do this. You should know what you’re shooting for in terms of Gross Commission Income (GCI) and closed volume.

But one thing we often forget is what’s actually going to produce those goals—those transactions closed, that volume closed, that GCI. What is it going to take to create that?

Often, we get lost in this idea that all we need to do is motivate our current crew enough for them to create the production goals we’ve set for the team or the company.

But the reality is, that almost never works.

As someone who coaches brokerage owners, franchises, and team leaders across the country at the highest levels, I can tell you that almost never works.

Why?

Because what’s going to create higher production and higher GCI isn’t motivating your current team to produce more. Now, we want to do that—that’s absolutely a goal.

Whether you're a top producer doing $30, $40, $50 million in business, or someone struggling with just a handful of sales a year, we've all faced this. And we'll face it again in the future. It's called the downward spiral.

Think of it like getting a cold in the industry that affects your performance. It's inevitable, and what we do about it makes the biggest difference.

First, you'll notice an attitude shift. Something influences your attitude, making you less effective. Maybe you've been beaten up by a listing or a sale, and you're feeling down.

Next, your work habits shift. You might go home earlier, let priorities slide, and change your work habits. Then, your commitment wanes. You'll start putting things off without a sense of urgency.

As a result, your performance suffers, and your results decline. This can create a vicious cycle, leading agents to spiral out of the business.

I don't want that to happen to you. So, what can you do?

Recognize the downward spiral and take act...