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As real estate leaders, we spend a lot of time focusing on numbers—listings taken, contracts signed, deals closed. But what if the secret to stronger performance, higher retention, and more referrals wasn’t in the spreadsheets, but in something far simpler? 

A smile. 

Scientific studies conducted on smiling reveal that smiling isn’t just a feel-good habit, it’s a leadership tool. A well-timed smile—genuine, intentional, and contagious—can elevate moods, build rapport, reduce stress, and strengthen teams from the inside out. 

So how do we, as leaders, use the science of smiling to create healthier, happier, more productive cultures? It starts with understanding the power of a smile—and then choosing to lead with it. 

Related reading: Grounded Curiosity – Leadership and the Art of Smiling – Part 1 

The Biology Behind the Smile 

Let’s begin with the basics. When you smile, your brain releases a cocktail of feel-good chemicals: dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These neurotransmitters reduce stress and boost mood. What’s fascinating is that your brain doesn’t distinguish between a fake smile and a real one—so even choosing to smile on purpose can lift your emotional state. 

Now here’s where it gets interesting: Smiles are contagious. Thanks to mirror neurons, when someone sees a smile, they’re wired to smile back, even subconsciously. That means your attitude as a leader ripples out across your team. Science proves it. 

If you’re stressed, short-tempered, or cynical, your team will mirror that. But if you’re optimistic, approachable, and smiling? That emotional tone spreads, even on a tough day. 

The ROI of Happiness 

This isn’t just emotional fluff—there’s business impact behind the biology. A happy team is a productive team. Smiling and positive interactions increase collaboration, creativity, and resilience. They also reduce burnout, turnover, and miscommunication. 

In our article Smile Stops: Your Secret to More Referrals, we discover that smiling creates memorable, trust-building moments with clients. The same applies to your agents. When your team associates your presence with warmth, support, and encouragement, they’re more likely to stay, perform better, and bring that same energy to their clients. 

Your smile, quite literally, becomes part of your retention strategy. 

Related reading: Medium – The Effect of a Smile is Powerful 

Creating “Smile Moments” in Your Culture 

So how do you embed smiling and positivity into the DNA of your team? 

Start with what we call Smile Moments—intentional interactions that make people feel seen, valued, and uplifted. These moments don’t need to be elaborate. A compliment after a tough showing. A handwritten note after a win. A shoutout in the weekly meeting. Even a genuine “how are you doing?”—asked with your full attention—can spark a Smile Moment. 

When leaders create these micro-moments consistently, they begin to rewire team culture. Agents come to expect that their workplace is a source of encouragement, not just pressure. And that belief fuels performance from a place of intrinsic motivation—not fear or obligation. 

Related reading: Creating Smile Moments: How to Make Memories That Last a Lifetime 

The Leader’s Role: Be the D.O.S.E. 

We often talk about getting a “Smile D.O.S.E.”, which is an acronym for Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins, the four key chemicals behind happiness. As a leader, you have the opportunity to be the “D.O.S.E.” for your team. You can: 

• Spark dopamine by celebrating wins, setting achievable goals, and giving consistent feedback. 

• Build oxytocin by cultivating trust and connection—checking in one-on-one, sharing stories, showing empathy. 

• Boost serotonin through public recognition, fostering gratitude, and reminding agents of their progress. 

• Ignite endorphins with laughter, fun contests, or simply creating a space where people feel safe to be themselves. 

Being a “D.O.S.E.” leader doesn’t mean you never have a bad day. It means you take responsibility for the emotional temperature you set—and you choose to make happiness a priority. 

Raising the Baseline: Sustainable Happiness in Real Estate 

Give Your Happiness Baseline a Boost reminds us that happiness isn’t a destination—it’s a baseline we can raise through daily habits. Leaders who embrace this philosophy help their teams see that joy isn’t reserved for “after the deal closes.” It’s something they can cultivate in the middle of the grind. 

Encourage your team to develop their own happiness rituals—whether it’s gratitude journaling, taking walking breaks, or starting meetings with wins and smiles. Model those habits yourself. Show them that professionalism and positivity aren’t mutually exclusive. 

And when someone’s struggling? Don’t gloss over it. Be the person who sits with them, smiles with them, and helps them get back up. 

Final Thoughts: Leadership is a Mirror 

In the end, leadership is a mirror. Your team will reflect what you consistently show. 

So, what are you reflecting? 

A leader who smiles—especially when it’s not easy—is a leader who reminds their team that optimism is a choice, that connection matters, and that joy is part of the job, not a luxury after it. 

The real estate world is fast-paced, high-pressure, and constantly shifting. But your smile? That’s your anchor. That’s your power move. That’s your legacy. 

Because when you lead with your smile, you don’t just build a business. You build a team that loves coming to work, that shows up with heart, and that brings more of themselves to every client interaction. 

And in a world where people are desperate for real connection—that’s the kind of leadership that lasts. 

For Your Agents… 

Here’s the truth: how you show up matters more than what you know.  Your clients don’t just want market knowledge—they want to feel safe, seen, and supported. 

So, take a breath. Smile first.  And remember that in every interaction, you have the power to create connection. 

Lead with your heart—and your smile. That’s where trust begins. 

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!