Agency directors share how to turn individual drive into team wins

Noakes Nickolas director, Callan Eames, and Kay & Burton Bayside director, Matthew Pillios, have shared how agents can work cohesively in a team while aiming to achieve their own goals.

According to the top agents, personal ambitions need to be channelled towards a common objective for the good of the agency.

They said that to boost efficiency and help advance agents’ careers, lead agents should try to foster ambition and keep individual goals at the centre of teamwork.

The benefit of teamwork

According to Eames, working within a team has enabled younger agents, as well as those just starting out in the industry, to receive the support necessary to advance their skill sets and expertise.

“When I started, the model was very much, you start as a solo agent, you get a desk and a phone, and then you're expected just to get up and find business, as such.”

He said that new starters in the industry often lacked the necessary skillset and contacts, and, without the right support, were likely to struggle under the pressures of the role.

“When you step into a team, you get the ability of your own team manager or administrator, you've got listings that you get to work on immediately. You're also financially secure."

“Then you've got the lifestyle balance where if you want to take leave or time off, you've got a direct team that can support you. The actual structure works so much better.”

He also said that working cohesively within a group meant that all members could celebrate the wins.

“You get to share their success as a team and get around each other. It seems to be working quite well.”

Catering to personal goals within a team

While working as a team has been helping newcomers develop their skills, personal ambitions often fuel agents' careers.

Eames advised agencies to centre their model of teamwork around each individual’s personal goals, almost as if they had their own businesses within the agency.

He said his company’s model allowed members to focus on their individual targets, metrics, and goals, which ultimately contributed to a greater culture and boosted results.

He noted that while the traditional model used to require associate agents to serve the lead agent, his agency doesn’t work that way, as lead agents help advance each individual teammate's career.

“We're here to develop and grow and nurture their skillset so that at one point, if they choose to, they can actually step out and start their own team or run their own sales business. So that's our philosophy around it.”

According to Pillios, ambition and teamwork should complement each other, enabling agents to flourish and reach their full potential while uplifting those around them.

“The best agents I’ve worked with are both ambitious and collaborative; they understand that sharing knowledge, helping with buyer work, and leaning on each other ultimately makes everyone sharper.

“If you focus on doing exceptional work and lifting the people around you, your own success naturally follows. Your personal success will never be limited by helping someone else.”

Ensure team members are on the same page

While each team member should be encouraged to grow and meet their personal goals, Eames said that they should be on the same page as the rest of the team to ensure maximum efficiency.

In particular, individuals should align with the vision set by the lead agent, ensuring a consistent objective regarding locations, property types, and the overall trajectory of the team.

“I don't think just because you could be a good associate or a good agent means that you are going to be the perfect fit for that team because every team operates slightly differently,” Eames said.

He added that while the lead agent was required to support the team, provide direction, and offer training, the associate must be present and have the attitude and willingness to learn.

Likewise, Pillios said that team cohesion stemmed from clarity and consistency, with each member understanding the overall goal, the expectations, and how to collaborate to deliver the best outcomes for clients.

“Once those foundations are clear, people can relax, trust each other and do their best work. We also make a point of celebrating wins – big and small,” he said.

“Real estate is high-pressure, so recognising effort and acknowledging progress matters.”

Recognise different personalities

Eames said that, while some team members may have a more outspoken personality or a higher drive for ambition, what really mattered was whether they were in line with the vision and team values.

“I find if you're not in line or you don't agree with the vision or the direction of the team, then that personality will probably at some point clash with the lead or with the team as a whole,” he said.

“That's where we see teams' dysfunction stems from, is that they're not truly in line with the direction that the team's going in, eventually the cracks show."

Similarly, Pillios said that ambition in itself should be viewed as a positive, indicating that the agents genuinely care about what they do.

“I’d rather work with someone who wants to run at 100 miles an hour than someone with no spark at all. But the key is channelling that drive,” he said.

“A good team creates space for ambition – but doesn’t let it tip into ego. When ambitious people feel supported, listened to and aligned with a shared purpose, they can thrive,” Pillios concluded.

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