Learn the step-by-step process for how real estate team leaders should coach new agents that don't have the time, focus or energy to generate new business.
One of the most common struggles I see with real estate team leaders, broker-owners, and even real estate coaches is the inability to effectively coach new or low-producing agents. It’s a leadership gap that hurts team performance and agent retention — and it often stems from how we handle overwhelm and time management.
If you’re wondering how real estate team leaders should coach new agents, the first step is to understand the root causes of underperformance. Spoiler alert: It’s usually not about lack of skill or commitment. It’s about time management and overwhelm.
Listen to The Brian Icenhower Podcast.
VIDEO: How Real Estate Team Leaders Should Coach New Agents
Why New Agents Feel Overwhelmed
Let’s face it: Most new agents hit a wall the moment they try to transition from learning to lead generating. They say they’re “too busy” or “overwhelmed,” especially in the spring when business starts picking up after a slow winter. What they’re really experiencing is the discomfort of getting into shape — both mentally and operationally.
Think of it like someone who’s out of shape trying to get back into a workout routine. Everything feels hard. There’s too much to do. They don’t know where to start. That’s exactly what happens when agents try to ramp up and begin implementing systems and strategies for the first time.
Unfortunately, most leaders and coaches make the mistake of going straight into “robot coach mode.” They bark out contact goals — 10 contacts a day, 20 contacts a day — without first understanding where the agent is starting from. This only increases the overwhelm, and it often leads to excuses, burnout, and eventually, attrition.
-
Quick View
Team Coaching Program
The Team Real Estate Coaching Program is for smaller teams looking for internal structure, leverage and leadership.
-
Quick View
Brokerage / Corporate Coaching Program
With the Brokerage / Corporate Real Estate Coaching Program, ICT will help firms set up the most effective and efficient systems for recruiting, agent onboarding, commission & fee structures, agent engagement & retention systems, recruiting, administrative work-flows, transaction management, staff hiring, agent onboarding, productivity training & accountability, financials & budgeting, marketing and much more!
Stop Buying the Excuses
Let me be blunt. When a client tells you they’re broke or overwhelmed or can’t continue with your team or program, they’re often not telling the whole truth. Much like a breakup where someone says, “It’s not you, it’s me,” what they’re really saying is, “I can’t do the hard work.”
Leaders need to stop buying into those surface-level excuses. If someone leaves and says they can’t afford your coaching or team, but then signs up with another coach or broker, that tells you all you need to know. The issue wasn’t money. It was that we didn’t break through their initial overwhelm and get them to a place of clarity and direction.
Time Management Is the Real Problem
Here’s the deal: when an agent says they’re not getting their tasks done or feeling flustered, they have a time management problem. That’s why, when thinking about how real estate team leaders should coach new agents, teaching time management must be one of your very first coaching appointments.
Before you talk lead gen, before you talk contact goals, you need to help them structure their day.
Tighten up your accountability. Be the coach they need, not the one they expect. Don’t let their excuses become your comfort blanket.
Brian Icenhower
The First Coaching Call: A Sample Framework
When I coach a new or low-producing agent, the first thing I do is tap into their motivation — their “why.” What do they want? What happens if they don’t get it? Once I know that, I can anchor our work around it.
Then I ask for a time commitment. I’ll say, “Can you give me 1–3 hours a day?” I let them pick the number, but once they commit, we now have 5–15 hours a week to build a plan around.
Next, I give them immediate action items:
Online Listing Referral Partners – I’ll have them sign up for 3 platforms per day (takes ~45 minutes total). This builds their lead sources and makes them feel like progress is happening fast.
Video Training – I assign 2 short modules per day (about 40 minutes total). These are visual and help them understand the systems behind lead generation.
SOI Outreach – I’ll ask them to reach out to 5 people per day and collect name, phone, email, and physical address. That’s it. This should take about an hour.
Social Media Friendships – I make sure they’re connecting with those 5 people on Facebook and Instagram. Why? Because this is where we now stay in touch and keep visibility high.
That’s their homework — simple, clear, and achievable.
Always Paint the Finish Line
New agents won’t follow through on lead gen activities unless they see where they’re headed. So I always explain what they’ll gain by completing the course modules. They’ll get exposed to all the possible strategies for building their SOI — and from there, we’ll help them choose which ones they want to go deep on. That clarity helps them move faster and with confidence.
-
Quick View
Leadership Strategies
Online CourseRaise your leadership skills and develop your leadership strategies to grow your business. Add to Cart
Leadership Strategies
Click to watch more about this real estate training course
Designed for all learning types
Video Training
In-depth video with Brian Icenhower walking you through each Industry Update slide and explaining the meaning, and providing talking points for you to use with your clients.Written Workbook
Detailed and downloadable written workbook that provides you with each industry graph and chart, along with a written explanation of what it means and talking points to use with your clients.Course curriculum
Enrollment includes access to the following course materials for 6 months
Welcome to Leadership Strategies- Welcome to Leadership Strategies with Rick Fuller
- Sign up for the Executive Leadership Round Table Group Coaching Program
- Join us at the ICC Regional Summit
- Schedule a Coaching Call
- Stay Connected via our REAL ESTATE AGENT ROUND TABLE Facebook Group
- VIDEO: How to Scale Your Team
- WORKBOOK: How to Scale Your Team
- VIDEO: Leadership Training for Real Estate Team Wanting to Grow
- WORKBOOK: Leadership Training for Real Estate Teams Wanting to Grow
- VIDEO: Leading With Opportunities, Not Obstacles
- WORKBOOK: Leading With Opportunities, Not Obstacles
- VIDEO: Real Estate Agent Attraction Recruiting Strategies
- WORKBOOK: Real Estate Agent Attraction Recruiting Strategies
- VIDEO: Real Estate Leadership Coaching Strategies
- WORKBOOK: Real Estate Leadership Coaching Strategies
- VIDEO: Viral Team Goals and Activity Based Indicators
- WORKBOOK: Viral Team Goals and Activity Based Indicators
- VIDEO: Public Accountability and Personal Responsibility
- WORKBOOK: Public Accountability and Personal Responsibility
- VIDEO: The Power of Dashboards
- WORKBOOK: The Power Of Dashboards
- VIDEO: Replacing Yourself as a Real Estate Leader
- WORKBOOK: Replacing Yourself as a Real Estate Leader
About this course
- $249.00
- 23 lessons
- 5.5 hours of video content
Reviews
"I use ICC systems, the Online Learning Center, and the coaching program to coach and train my team of over 30 agents. I use the ICC dashboard systems to keep my entire team accountable for their activities and set proper expectations."
Jake Rockwell
Over 500 Units Sold Annually I have coached with ICC for over five years. ICC has helped me quadruple my luxury business through marketing strategies so that I receive listings and sales through lead generation and multiple pillars of income.
Dennis Adelpour
Luxury Agent - West Los Angeles When we started coaching with ICC we worked all the time with some degree of success. Now, seven years later, we have grown to have the #1 market share in our area, we more than tripled our income and production, while also improving our work-life balance to enjoy our personal life with family and friends.
Tammi Humphrey
#1 Market Share & 100 Million in Annual Sales Volume Instructor Rick Fuller.Raise your leadership skills and develop your leadership strategies to grow your business.
I am so excited about this course, Leadership Strategies.
This is about you raising the lid on your leadership so you can raise the lid on all of your organizations, raise the lid on your ancillaries, raise the lid on your people. You cannot outgrow your personal development. Your outward growth starts with your inward development in terms of leadership. This is what this course is all about: raise your leadership skills so that you can grow your business.
Raise the lid on your leadership.
Raise your leadership skills and develop your leadership strategies to grow your business. Add to CartTalk to a coach
If you've been considering hiring a coach, now's the time. Book a FREE coaching consultation session with your purchase of this course! Book Your Call
-
Quick View
Time Management for Real Estate Agents
ONLINE COURSESThere really are enough hours in the day, if you manage them wisely. This course consolidates the systems, schedules, trackers and plans Top Producing agents use to work efficiently.
Designed for all learning types
Video Training
In-depth professional video training on every module, presented by the author, Brian Icenhower.
Written Modules
Detailed and downloadable written modules with detailed graphics, scripts, spreadsheets, forms, and so much more.
Course curriculum
Enrollment includes access to the following course materials for 2 years
Course materials
- Time Management for Agents
- Video: Time Management for Agents
- Resource: Goal & Milestone Exercise (Fillable)
- Resource: Goal & Milestone Tracker (Fillable)
- Resource: Daily SOI Contact Form (Fillable)
- Resource: 4-Week Schedule (Printable)
- Resource: End-of-Week Debrief (Fillable)
- Resource: One Day, 20 Contacts (Fillable)
- Resource: Ways to Make Habits Stick
- Resource: Lead-Tracking Sheet (Printable)
- Resource: Personalized Schedule (Printable)
- Resource: Prospecting Accountability Chart (Printable)
- Resource: Sample ICC Year-to-Date Check-Up Form
- Resource: Sample Weekly Calendar
About this course
- $39.99
- 17 lessons
- .5 hours of video content
Reviews
"I use ICC systems, the Online Learning Center, and the coaching program to coach and train my team of over 30 agents. I use the ICC dashboard systems to keep my entire team accountable for their activities and set proper expectations."I use ICC systems, the Online Learning Center, and the coaching program to coach and train my team of over 30 agents. I use the ICC dashboard systems to keep my entire team accountable for their activities and set proper expectations.
Jake Rockwell
Over 500 Units Sold Annually
I have coached with ICC for over five years. ICC has helped me quadruple my luxury business through marketing strategies so that I receive listings and sales through lead generation and multiple pillars of income.
Dennis Adelpour
Luxury Agent - West Los Angeles
When we started coaching with ICC we worked all the time with some degree of success. Now, seven years later, we have grown to have the #1 market share in our area, we more than tripled our income and production, while also improving our work-life balance to enjoy our personal life with family and friends.
Tammi Humphrey
#1 Market Share & 100 Million in Annual Sales Volume
InstructorBrian Icenhower.
Founder & CEO of Icenhower Coaching & Consulting
Founder/CEO of one of the world's largest real estate coaching, training, and education companies. ICC is also a leader in online training courses, systems, and company-branded websites for agent and brokerage training and onboarding.
Be proactive, not reactive.
Take charge of your time.
In this Time Management for Real Estate Agents online course, we’ll give you trackers, calendars, schedules, and, most importantly, techniques and strategies so you can take control and manage your time and your business efficiently.
Talk to a coach
If you've been considering hiring a coach, now's the time. Book a FREE coaching consultation session with your purchase of this course! Book Your Call
Use Small Wins to Trigger Bigger Lessons
Let’s say they come back to our next call and say, “I didn’t get it all done. I got overwhelmed.” Great. That’s the moment I’ve been waiting for. That’s the moment we transition into time management training.
I’ll send them our Time Management module and then teach them how to time block their calendar:
First, block off personal commitments (family time, school drop-off, etc.)
Next, add client appointments
Then, block in our agreed 1–3 hours of focused work time
I ask them to screenshot their calendar and text it to me each day. If they don’t get their daily work done, they need to text me that same day — not wait until our next meeting. This keeps accountability tight and real.
No More To-Do Lists — Only Time-Blocked Calendars
I don’t believe in to-do lists. Instead, I teach them to use a “when will I do it” list. Everything needs a calendar commitment — a time attached to it. That’s how I live, and that’s why I’m so productive.
My calendar includes everything — when I brush my teeth, when I eat, when I work out. Why? Because if it’s not on my calendar, it’s not happening. That’s how I stay present in every conversation and avoid stress and anxiety about forgotten tasks.
Don’t Let Them Quit Before They Begin
Here’s the truth about how real estate team leaders should coach new agents: You have to help them get small wins, fast. Don’t throw them into deep lead gen before they’re ready. Pair learning with activity. Help them understand what they’re doing and why. Get them excited about where they’re going.
And when they inevitably hit that time management wall, don’t back off. Tighten up your accountability. Be the coach they need, not the one they expect. Don’t let their excuses become your comfort blanket.
Effective coaching isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about breaking through overwhelm and building confidence through structure. You do that, and you won’t just retain more agents — you’ll turn them into rockstars.
