25% of the year is over… it’s time for a quarterly business and operations review! Is it scheduled? I have a powerful 21 question business review – info@winningtheday.blog
Are you ahead, behind or on track with your goals? In any case “declare it perfect and move forward powerfully.”
Review what’s working, what’s not. Make the adjustments, and keep moving forward.
Basic agenda:
Mission, vision, values and stakeholders – any adjustments?
Key KPI’s
What’s working + What’s not
Start, start, more, less
Action steps (no more than 2)
The results will happen – as long as we are all willing to execute the daily activities, track the results, make the changes to the behaviors and engage an accountability partner.
Are you nterested or committed to what’s left of this year?
The problem with the traditional to-do list is that it’s about tasks and not about outcomes.
An outcome could be something like: “increase revenue by 25%” or “build a relationship with specific people.”
There is no single task that will cause the outcome. There is arguably a set of tasks that could build up to it.
Concrete, measurable outcomes are better than vague ones, but some highly desirable outcomes can only be qualitatively stated (like relationships) and cannot be quantified (like the number of appointments).
So for myself, I am working to get better at linking my daily tasks to the outcome via process goals. More importantly, I am also trying to nail down this art of defining the process that leads to the desired outcome.
For you, that might be 3 or more NEW appointments each week. So I’d rather see something like this:
Create 3 or more new appointments each week… then list the task to support that outcome.
Create 2 or more closings per month between now and the end of the year, and then list the associated process that will lead to appointments that will lead to signed agreements.
Deepen my relationship with 4 people… then list people and the process that will achieve that outcome
What are your key outcomes and associated processes for this week?
How often do you hear agents say they’re leaving for “greener pastures”? While sometimes a change might be genuinely beneficial, often the root cause lies elsewhere. In my experience, it’s not about who you are, but what you do—it’s about behavior.
I assume you, as a broker or team leader, have a defined niche, a clear vision of your ideal agent, and a compelling value proposition. And I’ve found that most brokers genuinely care about their associates’ growth and well-being. So, if these fundamentals are in place, why do agents leave? The answer often lies in their daily habits, consistent marketing efforts, and the ability to deliver a seamless client experience.
My business partner, Ben Hess of Recruiting Insight, explores the science of human motivation in his eBook on the “psychology of recruiting.” He highlights how our brains are wired for quick conclusions—a useful survival mechanism, but one that can sometimes lead to flawed judgments. What if, instead of guessing, you understood the science behind motivating your associates? This knowledge would empower you to implement effective retention strategies.
Several excellent books explore this topic, including Atomic Habits, The Miracle Morning, The Power of Habit, and Do Hard Things. These books point to key motivational drivers: daily habits, a sense of belonging, and instinct.
Let’s start with habits. As The Power of Habit and Atomic Habits explain, much of our daily activity is driven by unconscious habits, often formed without conscious awareness. Creating new habits requires breaking them down into small, manageable steps. In my work with Tom Ferry, we’ve identified common habit challenges for real estate agents: consistent marketing, regular prospecting, database management, effective time management, and maintaining a positive mindset.
What if you could effectively help your associates overcome these challenges? Take the common question: “Where are the listings?” In this market, we know where to look, thanks to David Knox’s 7 D’s: Death, Divorce, Diplomas, Diamonds (engagements), Downsizing (with 10,000 people turning 65 daily in the US), Daily Grind (job changes), and changes in Discretionary income.
The key is to translate this knowledge into actionable habits. Instead of simply telling agents to prospect, break it down into a system: “For success here, here’s how we do it.” A leading indicator of success is the number of new appointments created each day or week. Imagine the impact of a “90 New Appointment Hustle” within your team, office, or firm.
Beyond habits, a fundamental human need is a sense of belonging. As a broker, how would you rate your efforts in creating a culture of belonging? When associates feel valued, heard, and able to contribute, they’re more likely to stay. Consider these strategies:
Connect their work to a deeper meaning (e.g., every home sold creates two jobs).
Implement strategies to make people feel valued more often.
Foster a balance between collaboration and healthy competition.
Create spaces for sharing wins, challenges, and breakthroughs.
Connect the organization to a shared vision for the future.
Provide a steady and reasoned voice in all market conditions.
Develop a strategy to support struggling agents and connect them with thriving ones.
Finally, there’s instinct. According to Dr. Gary Klein, instinct is how we translate experience into judgment and action. You’ve likely experienced this yourself: “I had a feeling about it,” “That was my hunch,” or “I felt it in my gut.” Now it’s time to act on these insights. Just as with building habits, break down key indicators into simple, executable steps. The ideas in this article are only valuable with action. Some of our clients are running 14-day “How to Earn Listings in This Market” sprints, others are starting book clubs, and still others are hosting weekly “Pizza, Prospecting, and Profit” sessions.
To truly succeed, leave nothing to chance. By focusing on building positive habits and fostering a strong sense of belonging, you can significantly reduce the “it’s my broker’s fault” mindset and build a thriving, stable team. That is how we win the day!
Information is power, but in today’s world, we’re facing an unprecedented data deluge. According to Domo’s Data Never Sleeps 10.0 report, global data creation is exploding, projected to reach 181 zettabytes by 2025. Just consider the activity every minute: millions of Google searches, hundreds of hours of YouTube uploads, thousands of Instagram posts and tweets.
While access to information can fuel innovation, the sheer volume can be overwhelming. The key is focus and discernment. In a world of constant digital noise, the ability to filter out distractions and focus on what truly matters is more critical than ever. This means:
Prioritizing relevant information: Don’t try to consume everything. Focus on the data that directly impacts your goals.
Developing critical thinking skills: Learn to evaluate information sources and identify credible insights.
Creating boundaries: Limit your exposure to unnecessary information and create dedicated time for focused work.
In a world of data overload, focus is your superpower. And that is how you win the day.
Humans are underrated
* A zettabyte is a measure of storage capacity and is 2 to the 70th power bytes, also expressed as 1021 (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) or 1 sextillion bytes. One Zettabyte is approximately equal to a thousand Exabytes, a billion Terabytes, or a trillion Gigabytes. Do the math – old math or new math; that’s a lot of data.
Orville and Wilbur Wright didn’t wait for permission to invent the airplane. They didn’t have a pilot’s license, which wasn’t even invented yet! They had creativity, passion, and persistence—the very same qualities you need to achieve your own goals. What dream are you waiting to pursue? You don’t need anyone’s permission but your own. And that is how we win the day!
PS: Another one? Bowerman (Nike) invented the iconic “waffle sole” using his wife’s waffle iron!
America’s happiest cities. Researchers for decades have studied the science of happiness and concluded that some of the key ingredients include: a positive mental state (a growth mindset); strong social connections; job satisfaction; health, and financial stability. One study suggests the incremental amount of happiness stops at around $75,000 of annual income.
Many factors affect our happiness, so the study included a panel of experts who commented on various aspects of happiness, like:
Can money buy happiness? No. The consensus: it’s far more important to have a sense of purpose and a way to give back.
Does happiness increases or decrease with age? Yes. The consensus seemed to be a trend of more happiness in younger and older individuals and less in the 40 and 50 age group! Maybe the burden of providing for the family?
Does where you live influence happiness? The consensus was yes with a footnote. So research suggests it’s not about the place, but the match between the place and who you are as a person combined with the family and friend connections.
I’ve lived in 8 states (VA, CO, TX, KY, OH, MI, CA, and MN) and 10 cities, and what I’ve found? Grow where you are planted! Every city, state, and region has a history, a story and a community. As I recall, Abraham Lincoln said it best:
