Fathom Realty President Lori Muller writes that, while production may keep your business moving, alignment with the right leadership determines how far you grow — and whether that growth lasts.
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At some point in your real estate career, you will feel it. Not in your numbers. Not in your pipeline.
In your alignment.
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And if you ignore it long enough, it will cost you more than a commission. It will cost you energy. Clarity. Peace.
Because every major turning point in my career — every single one — wasn’t about splits or branding. It was about leadership. Me leadership versus we leadership and whether I was building under a ceiling or building with a shared vision and purpose.
When my vision outgrew the room
Early in my career, I was at an independent brokerage. I was growing, producing and learning, and I wanted to build a team. The answer was no. Teams weren’t part of the model.
On the surface, that sounds operational. But what it revealed was leadership philosophy. Some environments are designed to protect what already exists. Others are designed to expand what’s possible.
I wasn’t trying to disrupt anything. I simply wanted to build something with others. So, I made a move. Not for money. Not for status. For alignment.
That decision changed my trajectory.
You can succeed in many environments — but growth accelerates when leadership supports expansion.
Producing under a ceiling
Years later, I was leading a high-performing, high-producing team. From the outside, everything looked strong. From the inside, something was shifting.
Because success does not automatically equal alignment. “Me” leadership doesn’t always show up loudly. Sometimes it’s subtle.
- Decisions stay centralized.
- Opportunities feel limited.
- Growth has boundaries — even if they’re unspoken.
Over time, you begin to sense that while the business is moving forward, your ability to fully expand may not be.
That’s when I realized something important: I wasn’t misaligned with the market. I was misaligned with the leadership culture. And when leadership leans more toward control than contribution, growth can feel capped. Ceilings aren’t always obvious — until you’ve outgrown the space you’re in.
Becoming the leader I needed
That realization led me to become a franchisee and launch a new brand in my state. Not because I wanted control, but because I wanted to build something rooted in shared leadership.
- “Me” leaders often build organizations around themselves.
- “We” leaders build organizations around people and purpose.
That difference changes everything.
“We” leadership looks like:
- Shared credit
- Transparency
- Mentorship
- Collaboration over competition
It asks a different question: How do we grow this together?
When leadership operates from that place, ownership replaces compliance. Support replaces pressure. Growth becomes sustainable. And leaders aren’t just created at the top — they’re developed throughout the organization.
When misalignment becomes personal
Later in my career, I stepped into another leadership role that I believed in deeply. But over time, I felt that familiar shift again. Not conflict. Not chaos. Just heaviness.
If you’ve ever experienced leadership misalignment, you know it.
- Your voice is heard — but not fully valued.
- Direction feels less collaborative.
- The path forward feels less clear.
And slowly, it stops being professional. It becomes personal.
Real estate is relational. It’s emotional. It’s identity-driven. When leadership doesn’t align with your values, it affects your energy. And when your energy shifts, your clients feel it.
So once again, I chose alignment. I built my own brand. My own message. My own platform.
Not from ego. From clarity.
Every twist in my career has followed the same pattern: Misalignment followed by a deeper invitation toward alignment.
The leadership question that defines your career
If your growth is limited by someone else’s need to stay at the center, it may simply be time for a different environment.
- “Me” leadership builds followers.
- “We” leadership builds leaders.
- “Me” leadership creates dependence.
- “We” leadership creates capability.
Your career grows best in spaces where leadership is committed to developing people, not just managing production, and that’s what agents are increasingly seeking.
They’re not just asking about splits. They’re asking:
- Who will develop me?
- Who will expand me?
- Who will build with me?
Because a brokerage isn’t just a platform. It’s a leadership decision. And leadership shapes trajectory.
Alignment is not a luxury in this business. It is essential. When it falters, you feel it everywhere. And every time misalignment shows up, it’s an invitation — to reflect, to choose intentionally and to build with purpose.
Sometimes the bravest move in your career isn’t chasing opportunity. It’s walking away from misalignment.
All this month, we’re focused on The New Brokerage Playbook. Running a brokerage in 2026 looks nothing like it used to. From major players to scrappy indies, we’ll map the new playing field and talk with brokerage leaders across the country about what’s working now — and what’s next.
Lori Muller is the president of Fathom Realty in Appleton, Wisconsin. Connect with her on Facebook or LinkedIn.
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