Learn how real estate coaches motivate agents by providing "perspective" to those that have lost their motivation to do the hard activities that generate the results they want.
In every market shift, real estate leaders face a familiar challenge — how to motivate agents who are not motivated. Many coaches and managers fall into the same trap: they focus entirely on production numbers, tracking contacts, appointments, and deals. While accountability matters, numbers alone don’t inspire action.
As a real estate coach, your role isn’t just to enforce productivity. It’s to give perspective — to help agents see where they’ve been, where they’re headed, and why their effort still matters when times are tough.
VIDEO: How Real Estate Coaches Motivate Agents Who Are Not Motivated
Motivation Begins with Perspective
Too often, leaders are hyper-focused on mechanics:
“Make this many calls.”
“Book this many appointments.”
“Hit this conversion ratio.”
While these are measurable, they don’t spark motivation. Instead, they overwhelm struggling agents. True motivation comes when you zoom out and provide context.
Show your agents the bigger picture:
Where are they compared to competitors?
How have they grown since last quarter or last year?
How is the broader market behaving, and what can they learn from it?
When you offer that kind of perspective, agents can finally breathe. They realize they’re not alone in the struggle — and that progress isn’t always linear. Growth often looks like two steps forward and three steps back before major breakthroughs occur.
The Power of Perspective in a Tough Market
As we approach the “winter” of 2025–2026, the market is shifting fast. Sales volume is down. Team turnover is up. Many brokerages will tighten operations or fold entirely.
But this is exactly when perspective becomes most powerful. Agents need to hear that downturns aren’t the end — they’re the proving ground.
Good leaders remind agents:
“Growth isn’t a straight line. It’s a cycle — two steps forward, three back, then a leap ahead.”
By framing setbacks as part of the process, coaches help agents push through dips instead of quitting in them. Those who stay the course through uncertainty often become the top producers when the market rebounds.
Leaders Who Don’t Give Perspective Lose People
When leaders fail to provide perspective, agents leave. They don’t leave because of commission splits or technology — they leave because they feel lost and unsupported.
If you don’t help them understand why they’re struggling or how others are navigating the same challenges, you become the problem. Motivation dies in the absence of perspective.
Real estate coaches must make perspective a part of every conversation — not just at team meetings or during goal-setting sessions. It needs to be woven into weekly check-ins, one-on-one coaching calls, and every interaction with your people.
Motivation Looks Different for Every DISC Type
A powerful way to tailor motivation is by using the DISC behavioral profile. Every agent responds to perspective differently.
D – Dominant Personalities
They thrive on competition and achievement. Motivate them by challenging their drive.
Show them where competitors stand.
Ask, “Are you really going to let them outpace you?”
Position growth as a contest they can win.
I – Influencers
These social, expressive agents are driven by recognition and relationships.
Remind them how their success inspires their peers.
Ask, “What will your clients or team think when they see you level up?”
Tie goals to their reputation and network influence.
S – Steady Personalities
They’re loyal, people-focused, and resistant to change.
Connect motivation to service and relationships.
Show them how achieving their goals impacts family and clients.
Emphasize stability: “This plan protects your people.”
C – Conscientious Personalities
Analytical and detail-oriented, they crave certainty.
Use data and logical reasoning.
Map out each step and help them analyze potential outcomes.
Balance preparation with gentle nudges toward imperfect action.
When real estate coaches learn to customize motivation through DISC, they move from generic pep talks to powerful, personalized leadership.
The Market Has Changed — Coaching Must Too
Many leaders in today’s real estate industry have never experienced a truly difficult market. They started their careers after 2009, during a decade of rising home values and easy wins.
But now, the market has shifted. The same strategies that once worked to inspire production no longer connect. Agents are burned out, fearful, and questioning their future in the business.
That’s why leaders must evolve.
What worked yesterday won’t work today.
Motivation now requires empathy, adaptability, and new language.
Coaches must lead with both heart and data.
It’s time to relearn leadership for this market — one built on perspective, not pressure.
Agents need to hear that downturns aren’t the end — they’re the proving ground.
Brian Icenhower
Don’t Quit in the Dip
The easiest time to quit is when things feel hardest. Agents give up right before the breakthrough — not realizing they were one step away from success.
As a leader, your message must be clear:
“Don’t quit in the dip. Everyone is swimming upstream right now, but the current will change. Keep your fishing pole in the water.”
When others pull back, leaders push forward. The agents and coaches who persist through the downturn will own the next market cycle.
You can either grow or die — there’s no standing still in real estate.
Final Thoughts: Perspective is the Path to Motivation
Real estate coaches often ask, “How do I motivate agents who aren’t motivated?” The answer isn’t more energy, louder pep talks, or bigger goals. It’s perspective.
Show your agents:
How far they’ve come.
Where the market really stands.
How others are succeeding despite challenges.
And most importantly, why their hard work still matters.
Motivation isn’t about hype — it’s about hope.
When you give perspective, you give agents the belief that they can still win.
