Habits of Leaders
At Elite Retreat earlier this year, Tom Ferry shared a powerful framework that immediately resonated with me and with every team leader in the room:
“What separates the best from the rest is this: decisiveness, zone of greatness, reference group, action, and guardrails.”
It was one of those moments that put language to what I’ve seen over and over again in coaching.
If you're leading a real estate team or building your business, you've probably asked yourself: What actually sets the top agents apart from everyone else?
It's not just effort, and it’s definitely not luck.
After years of coaching high-performing agents and team leaders, I’ve seen the same five habits show up again and again in the ones who scale faster, lead better, and build businesses that last.
This blog breaks those habits down and gives you a clear roadmap to start implementing them inside your business, whether you're a solo agent or managing a growing team.
Decisiveness: They Don’t Wait Around
Top agents don’t get stuck in endless planning or overthinking. They decide, they move, and they adjust along the way.
That kind of clarity and speed is a huge competitive advantage in real estate. Whether it’s deciding to bring on a buyer’s agent, invest in a marketing campaign, or shift a team structure, great leaders don’t waste time. They make a call, get in motion, and learn as they go.
The agents and team leaders I coach who grow the fastest aren’t perfect. But they’re decisive and that keeps them moving forward.
Zone of Greatness: They Focus on What They Do Best
Busy isn’t always productive.
Top producers don’t try to be good at everything. They’re crystal clear on what they’re best at, and they stay there. Maybe it’s lead conversion, coaching their team, or driving new partnerships. Whatever their zone is, they protect it.
And they build systems or hire support around everything else. If you’re constantly pulled in ten directions, it’s not a time problem. It’s a clarity problem. Get honest about what only you can do and build around it. That’s how you scale with intention.
Reference Group: They’re in the Right Rooms
Your network impacts your mindset, your strategy, and your standards.
The most successful agents aren’t surrounded by people who make excuses. They stay close to people who push them, support them, and help them see what's possible.
If it's a mastermind, a coaching group, or the team culture you've created, your reference group should hold you to the vision you’re building, not the comfort zone you’re trying to leave.
If everyone around you is playing small, it’s time to find new rooms.
Action: They Execute, Even When It’s Uncomfortable
Learning is easy. Implementing is what moves the business.
Top agents take fast action. They don’t need all the answers before they try something. They test, evaluate, and refine. The agents I coach who see the biggest gains aren’t the ones who ask, “What’s the perfect way to do this?” They ask, “What’s the first step I can take today?”
Execution doesn’t have to be perfect. But it does have to happen.
Guardrails: They Protect What Matters Most
No one accidentally builds a business that runs well.
High-level leaders are intentional about their time, their energy, and their schedule. They know that if they don’t put structure around their day, the business will run them instead of the other way around.
They block time for prospecting. They protect space for strategy. And they don’t let distractions or drama pull them out of alignment. Guardrails don’t limit your freedom. They give you the structure to grow with clarity and focus.
Leadership Is a Set of Daily Decisions
If you're leading a team of ten or just getting your business off the ground, these five habits are what will carry you toward sustainable success.
Make decisions with confidence
Stay in your zone of greatness
Surround yourself with the right people
Take consistent action
Protect your time and energy