Let’s be honest—building a great team isn’t just about finding the smartest or most talented people. It’s about finding the right people. And then it’s about leading them in a way that actually makes them want to stay, grow, and perform at their best.
That’s where relational leadership comes in. At its core, it’s about real connection. Not micromanaging. Not just focusing on results. It’s about understanding your people, building trust, and helping them become stronger individually and together.
Here’s something a lot of leaders forget: people don’t leave jobs; they leave leaders. And they stay for them, too.
Great leaders don’t just manage—they mentor. They don’t just assign tasks—they develop people. The result? Team members become more invested, more engaged, and yes, more productive.
This doesn’t mean you need to be everyone’s best friend. But it does mean showing up with empathy, listening more than you speak, and being consistent in how you support and challenge your team.
Sometimes, the person who closes the most deals isn’t your best team player. True team players show up in other ways:
If you’re lucky enough to have people like this on your team, don’t take them for granted. And if you don’t, start creating a space where these traits can grow.
John Maxwell said it best: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
If your leadership style is based purely on authority, it’s only a matter of time before people check out. But when people feel like you get them, that you’re in it with them, they’ll go the extra mile—not because they have to, but because they want to.
That’s the shift from being followed because of your title to being followed because of who you are.
Culture isn’t something you write on a wall. It’s what you do every day.
If you want to build a culture of strong team players, here are a few ways to lead the charge:
Plenty of great companies get this right. Think about Keller Williams—where coaching and culture go hand in hand. Or Howard Hanna, where leadership is deeply involved in helping agents succeed long-term. Even Redfin, a tech-forward brand, invests heavily in team collaboration and transparency.
What all of these companies have in common isn’t just size or market share—it’s leadership that actually cares about their people.
In the end, your business is only as strong as your team. And your team is only as strong as your leadership.
So the question isn’t, “How can I get my team to do more?”
It’s “How can I lead them better?”
Because when you focus on connection, the performance follows. Every time.
