It’s not a culture problem. It’s a leadership problem

Culture isn’t what you say you value, coach Verl Workman writes. It’s what your real estate team experiences when you’re not in the room.

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Every real estate team talks about culture. But very few actually build one.

Culture isn’t the slogans on the wall or the values slide in the onboarding deck. It’s what happens when a deal blows up, when an agent misses the mark or when someone brings up an idea that makes the room uncomfortable. Culture shows up in moments of friction — not moments of celebration.

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And whether leaders realize it or not, culture is forming every day. The real choice isn’t whether you have one. It’s whether it’s intentional or accidental.

Accidental culture is still culture (just not the kind you want)

Most leaders don’t wake up thinking, “I’m going to build a dysfunctional team today.” It just sort of… happens. Trust me, I’ve seen it often enough.

Ideas get brushed off. Communication gets fuzzy. Meetings become performative. Failure becomes something people quietly avoid talking about. Before long, innovation dries up and turnover creeps in — and leadership chalks it up to “the market” or “this generation of agents.”

But here’s the uncomfortable truth — and I’ve seen it time and again over the years: People don’t usually leave teams. They leave leaders.

And when agents jump from one team to another while staying in the same market, that’s rarely about splits or systems. It’s almost always about culture.

Innovation doesn’t start with technology

Most leaders say they want innovation. What they usually mean is they want better results without discomfort. That’s not how innovation works.

Innovation begins with psychological safety — the sense that you can throw out an idea without being judged, mocked or immediately shut down. Teams that innovate don’t ask “Why won’t this work?” first. They ask, “What would have to be true for this to work?”

That shift matters. So does collaboration. Real innovation almost never comes from one department thinking harder. Sales sees problems that marketing never notices. Ops spots inefficiencies that leadership is blind to. When teams stay in silos, creativity shrinks.

And yes, failure has to be allowed. Not reckless failure. Intentional failure. Teams that never fail aren’t cautious. They’re stagnant.

Core values only matter if they’re used

I know that most teams have core values. Most teams also can’t tell you the last time those values influenced a decision.

Values only matter when they’re operational — when they show up in hiring, in conflict resolution and in moments where doing the right thing is inconvenient. If values live on a wall but not in conversations, people notice. And trust erodes quietly.

Strong cultures talk about values often. Not in a preachy way — but in a practical one. What does integrity look like this week? What does accountability look like in this deal? How do these values guide what we say no to?

When values are treated as living tools instead of branding exercises, trust stops being theoretical.

Here’s something leaders don’t hear enough: Most people are trying to do the right thing.

When integrity feels broken, it’s often because expectations were unclear, feedback loops were left open or assumptions filled the gaps. Poor communication masquerades as poor character more often than we’d like to admit.

That’s why strong cultures systematize clarity. Assignments are clear. Completion is confirmed. Feedback is expected, not feared. When communication improves, trust tends to follow.

Culture doesn’t scale through motivation. It scales through something I know very well — systems.

A lot of teams claim to have “great culture,” but when asked about their rhythm, the answer is vague. “We meet once a week.” That’s not rhythm. That’s a calendar entry.

High-performing teams build momentum through consistency. Daily huddles and touchpoints. Visible progress. A focus on improvement rather than perfection. Leaders who reinforce progress — even when it’s small — create environments where people stay engaged instead of defensive.

Culture isn’t about demanding excellence. It’s about making improvement normal.

There’s a reason companies like Southwest Airlines, Patagonia and Zappos are constantly referenced when culture and innovation come up.

Not because they’re perfect — but because they designed environments where curiosity, accountability and discipline coexist. They measure what matters. They reward behavior, not just outcomes. And they’re intentional about how people experience work.

Real estate teams may not operate on a smaller scale, but the principles don’t change.

Culture is the ultimate retention strategy

In a market where agents have options, culture becomes the differentiator. And this is true now more than ever.

People stay where they feel heard. They stay where growth is expected but supported. They stay where leadership is consistent — not just charismatic.

Culture isn’t a perk. It’s infrastructure. And like any infrastructure, if you don’t build it on purpose, it will still exist, just not in your favor.

The best leaders understand this: Culture isn’t what you say you value. It’s what your team experiences when you’re not in the room.

Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems and author of Raving Referrals for Real Estate Agents. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Instagram.

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