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Story-driven leadership can transform your business, inspire your team, and create a legacy that lasts far beyond transactions. 

Everything is Story. Even before we’re a thought in our parents’ minds, we are the stories that came before us and the culmination of every story that happened (or didn’t happen) as our lives progressed. We’re the stories we tell ourselves, that we make other people believe, and the ones that shape the way we see the world.  

The key to true leadership is knowing what to do with it.  

By understanding how to not only tell a good story, but mold it into something impactful, you cultivate the ability to connect with just about anyone. You don’t just see an agent who can make your brokerage money, you see the story they can help write to build your company’s narrative. You don’t just see a group of people going about their day in the office, you see a colorful tapestry of lives woven together, committed to a collective goal. 

Your Personal Story 

If at first you think “my story isn’t very interesting,” then feel free to look again. Think of every success, failure, joy, and disappointment. Maybe you had a bad experience in your real estate journey early in life, and now you’re determined to do everything you can to equip others to succeed where others failed. No matter what the story is, it has value.  

Now, look outward at your team. Have you ever thought about their stories? What tale are they telling with their own lives? What story are they crafting together as a team? How might you connect with their stories and guide them? Story connects all of us to everything. 

Let your story, what drove you to the point where you decided “I want to do THIS,” become the foundation of your brand and your business. If your purpose is your “North Star,” then your story is the compass that helps you find it. Let it shape your messaging, your content, your client relationships.  

Now, let’s determine your company’s story. 

In today’s world, people will work for a paycheck—but they’ll fight for a purpose. As leaders in this industry, we need to ask ourselves a crucial question: What is our company’s story? 

Because here’s the truth: Your team might show up to earn a commission, but they’ll stay—and give their heart—when they believe in your cause. That cause begins with your company’s story. It’s why. Its roots. It’s what separates you from being just another transactional business and transforms you into a movement that inspires loyalty, passion, and excellence. 

Unfortunately, too many companies skip this step. They focus on what they think they’re supposed to focus on: production numbers, sales targets, and bottom lines. But if you want a team that’s not just productive—but powerful—you’ve got to go deeper. 

Related reading: The Listings Lab – Create A Powerful Real Estate Brand Story With These 4 Steps 

Start by asking: What does your company stand for beyond the transaction? 

In the POWER Program, we lead with purpose before productivity. We’re not a traditional training company that drills scripts or teaches agents to pressure clients into closing. That’s not our story. Our culture is built on the opposite. We believe in serving, not selling. We believe in coaching, not closing. We believe in building relationships, not just bringing in revenue. 

Every time we welcome a new POWER AGENT® into our community, we don’t just hand them a training manual—we tell them the story. We walk them through the why behind what we do, the how we got here, and the milestones we’ve achieved along the way. Because it’s in that journey—our struggles, our victories, and our mission—that they find something to believe in. That belief? It becomes their fire. 

Related reading: Real Estate Success Stories 

Why It Matters More Than Ever 

In a changing market, uncertainty rises. And in uncertainty, people look for meaning. They want to know that the work they do matters—that they are a part of something bigger. Your job as a leader isn’t just to assign tasks; it’s to cast a vision. To give them something important to rally behind. 

When your agents understand the story behind your company—your mission, your values, your impact—they stop clocking in and start buying in. They stop thinking like employees and start acting like missionaries for your message. 

Related reading: Crafting Captivating Narratives: Empowering Agents with Storytelling Skills 

So… What’s Your Story? 

Allow your story to turn into your legacy. After all, a leader isn’t just someone who builds something great for today, but leaves an impact that will continue on long after their name is forgotten.  

Build your company’s origin story. Define the principles you live by. Highlight the moments that shaped your mission. Then tell that story often. At team meetings, in onboarding sessions, at events—keep your cause front and center. 

Because in the end, it’s not the commissions that create commitment—it’s the cause. 

And your cause, your mission, your story? That’s what creates a culture worth staying and fighting for. Let’s not just train agents—let’s inspire them. 

Related reading: Ideas for Real Estate – The Art of Storytelling for Real Estate Marketing & Branding 

For Your Agents… 

Team, I want you to know something important—your story matters. Not just the story of your sales this month, or how many listings you’ve landed. I’m talking about the real story. The reason you got into this business. The challenges you’ve overcome. The way you show up for your clients, your family, and for each other. 

Our team isn’t just here to chase commissions—we’re here to build something meaningful. A culture. A legacy. A cause worth showing up for, even on the hard days. 

As your leader, I’m not just watching numbers. I see a group of people with grit, heart, and purpose. I see a team that’s not just clocking in, but buying in. And together, we’re writing a story that’s bigger than any one of us alone. 

So I challenge you this week: reconnect with your why. Ask yourself what kind of story you’re telling—and what kind you want to tell from this point forward. Because your story isn’t just a reflection of where you’ve been… it’s the foundation for where we’re going. 

Let’s lead with purpose. Let’s build something powerful. And let’s write a story together that’s worth remembering. 

Darryl Davis is an award-winning international speaker, real estate and business coach, and best-selling author of three books, all published by McGraw Hill Publishers.        

For more than 35 years, Darryl has spoken to and trained more than 600,000 sales professionals around the globe to more than double their production year after year. His book,  How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate, tops Amazon’s charts for one of the most sold books to real estate agents.        

He was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speaker’s Association, which is given to less than 2% of all speakers worldwide.        

Whether from a stage or Zooming into a virtual room, Darryl’s extraordinary humor, relatability, and natural gift for teaching real-world, results-producing skills and mindsets to audiences have made him a client favorite throughout his career.        

Audiences will laugh, learn, and ultimately walk away better prepared for a changing world, with the tools, skills, and training they need to build their businesses with more ease and less stress and to design lives and careers worth smiling about.        

Bring One of Darryl’s W.O.R.K. Topics to Your Organization!       

By providing your agents with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the game, you can ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that comes their way! 

Contact us here to learn more!