Culture is not what you say is important, writes coach Var Workman. That’s what real estate teams experience when you’re not in the room.
Every real estate team talks about culture. But very few people actually build it.
Culture is more than a slogan on a wall or a values slide in onboarding materials. It’s what happens when a deal goes wrong, an agent misses the mark, or someone brings up an idea that makes the venue uncomfortable. Culture emerges not in moments of celebration, but in moments of friction.
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And culture is being formed every day, whether leaders realize it or not. The real choice is not whether you have it or not. Is it intentional or by chance?
Accidental culture is still culture (just not the kind you want)
Most leaders don’t wake up in the morning and think, “Today I’m going to create a dysfunctional team.” That’s just…what happens. Believe me, I’ve seen it often enough.
Ideas are ignored. Communication becomes unclear. Meetings become performative. Failure becomes something that people quietly avoid talking about. Eventually, innovation dries up, turnover creeps up, and leadership blames it on “the market” or “the agents of this generation.”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth. I’ve seen it many times over the years. Usually people don’t leave their teams. They leave the leader.
And when agents jump from one team to another while remaining in the same market, it’s rarely a split or system issue. It’s almost always about culture.
Innovation doesn’t start with technology
Most leaders say they want to innovate. What they usually mean is that they want a better outcome without the discomfort. Innovation doesn’t work that way.
Innovation begins with psychological safety, the feeling that you can propose ideas without being criticized, ridiculed, or immediately shut down. Teams that innovate don’t ask, “Why doesn’t this work?” beginning. They ask, “What has to be true for this to work?”
That shift is important. The same goes for collaboration. Real innovation rarely comes from one department thinking more seriously. Sales sees problems that marketing doesn’t. Operations departments discover inefficiencies that leaders are unaware of. When teams remain siled, creativity is stunted.
And yes, failure must be allowed. It’s not a reckless failure. Deliberate failure. A team that never fails is not cautious. they are stagnant.
Core values only matter if they are used
I know that most teams have core values. Also, most teams cannot know the last time those values influenced a decision.
Values only matter when they are operationalized, when they appear in recruitment, conflict resolution, and moments when doing the right thing is inconvenient. When values are on the walls but not in the conversation, people notice. And trust quietly crumbles.
Strong cultures talk about values frequently. Not in a preachy way, but in a practical way. What does integrity look like this week? What does accountability look like in this transaction? How do these values guide what we say no to?
When values are treated as a living tool rather than a branding exercise, trust ceases to be theoretical.
Here’s what leaders don’t listen to enough: Most people are trying to do the right thing.
When we feel that integrity has been compromised, it’s often because expectations were unclear, feedback loops were left open, or assumptions were filling in the gaps. Poor communication often masquerades as bad character more than we would like to admit.
This is why strong cultures codify clarity. The challenge is clear. Completion confirmed. Feedback is not something to be feared, it is something to be expected. When communication improves, trust also tends to emerge.
Culture does not grow through motivation. It extends through something I know well: systems.
Many teams claim to have a “great culture,” but when asked about their rhythm, the answer is vague. “We meet once a week.” That’s not a rhythm. It’s a calendar entry.
High-performing teams build momentum through consistency. Daily gatherings and touchpoints. visible progress. Focus on improvement, not perfection. Leaders who reinforce progress, even on a small scale, create an environment where people stay engaged rather than defensive.
Culture is not about excellence. It is about making improvement the norm.
There’s a reason companies like Southwest Airlines, Patagonia, and Zappos are always mentioned when culture and innovation are talked about.
Not because they are perfect, but because they have designed an environment where curiosity, responsibility, and discipline coexist. They measure what matters. Reward actions as well as results. And they’re being intentional about how people experience work.
Real estate teams may not be able to operate on a small scale, but the principles remain the same.
In a market where agents have choices, culture becomes a differentiator. And this is true now more than ever.
People stay where they feel their voices are heard. Stay in an area where growth is expected but supported. They stay where their leadership is consistent, not just charismatic.
Culture is not a privilege. It’s infrastructure. And like any infrastructure, if you don’t build it intentionally, it will still exist, just not to your advantage.
Great leaders understand that: Culture is not something you say is important. That’s what your team goes through when you’re not in the room.
