In our profession where market conditions, technology, and consumer expectations can shift overnight, adaptability isn’t just useful, it’s essential.
Paul McGee, one of the UK’s most respected voices on change management and mindset, has spent more than two decades helping leaders and teams thrive through uncertainty.
The best-selling author of SUMO (Shut Up, Move On), he combines psychology, humour, and straightforward wisdom to equip people with practical tools for staying focused when the ground moves beneath them.
This interview, originally conducted by Tabish Ali of Champions Speakers, offers valuable insight for real estate professionals navigating the constant ebb and flow of their industry.
As Paul explains, the future doesn’t belong to the strongest or the smartest – it belongs to those who can adapt.
Redefining resilience
“What does resilience mean? Well, let’s just think about this. Blockbuster weren’t resilient. Blackberry weren’t resilient. Nokia weren’t resilient.
So, in a sense, you could say, what does resilience mean? It means survival.
It means the ability to be agile, to adapt in order that we can thrive through change.”
For agents and leaders in real estate, resilience is often mistaken for sheer persistence – pushing through tough markets or grinding through long hours.
But Paul says the real definition lies in agility.
“Some people say that Charles Darwin said the following: the future does not belong to the strongest or the most intelligent, the future belongs to those who are best able to adapt to change. In a nutshell, if you can’t adapt to change, you won’t be resilient. You’re no longer in the game.”
In other words, the property professionals who stay relevant are the ones who evolve, whether that means embracing digital marketing, adjusting to buyer sentiment, or finding new ways to deliver value when the market cools.
Leading through uncertainty
When uncertainty strikes, leadership becomes the anchor that determines how a team responds.
“I think, first of all, it’s important to step back and recognise that we’re not naturally equipped with the skills to say, ‘Great, we’re moving into the unknown and uncertain – that sounds like a plan.’ So having as much clarity as possible is really important.”
Clarity matters, Paul says, but so does care.
“But also, and this might sound a bit sof, it’s incredibly important that staff feel cared for and valued. While clarity is essential, there are times when uncertainty makes it difficult to provide all the answers. That’s why consistent communication matters, along with making sure your team feels appreciated and supported.”
That advice rings particularly true for real estate principals managing sales teams, property managers, or administrators during challenging times.
“I do a lot of work in organisations where they go, “Do you know what Paul, morale could take a bit of a hit here? There’s a lot of uncertainty. We will be making some redundancies. That’s a reality, but we still need to exist as a business and give great service.
“That’s very often when an organisation brings me in to kind of say, okay, well how can we equip the people, whatever their futures are, with the right mindset to help them navigate through these uncertain times.”
For agency leaders, that means balancing transparency with empathy.
Focusing on what you can control
Even when the path ahead is unclear, strong communication and genuine care are what keep people motivated and aligned.
For individuals, whether sales agents, property managers, or support staff, uncertainty can feel overwhelming. But Paul says the first step is to pause and reset.
“Uncertainty is inevitable. I have a phrase, reality rules. But uncertainty can make us feel uncomfortable, and you need to accept that’s okay, that’s normal.”
He explains that feeling uneasy isn’t a sign of weakness.
“What I’m feeling isn’t me being negative, or that I’ve got a mental health issue, it’s just being human. But it’s also about stepping back and thinking, okay, there is some uncertainty in life, maybe around your future, but what are some of the certainties? What can I influence or have some control over?”
Paul recalls his time working with British Coal as an example of how people respond differently to uncertainty.
“They didn’t know when the pit would close. Some people accepted that things didn’t look good and went out to get support straight away, help with interview techniques, CV writing, retraining. But others, faced with the same uncertainty, just buried their heads in the sand hoping it would all blow over, and it didn’t.”
The lesson, he says, applies across every industry.
“Acknowledge that uncertainty can make you feel uncomfortable, that’s natural and normal. But then decide, okay, what can I influence? What’s in my control that I can focus on? Because every day, there are some certainties. We need to focus on those, not on the things outside our control.”
In real estate, that might mean doubling down on prospecting, nurturing relationships, or improving listing presentations, the elements that remain within reach even when the broader market feels unpredictable.
Turning insight into impact
Paul’s talks have reached global audiences, but he prefers to think of them less as speeches and more as meaningful conversations.
“I like just to call them conversations in some ways, not just a speech. I don’t like to feel I’m delivering a speech. I’m not a great Shakespearean orator.”
His philosophy centres on what he calls IIP — insight, inspiration, and practical tools.
“We can access as much information as we like now. There’s never been a time in human history when we could, you know, we’ve got so much availability to information. But we need insight.”
He illustrates the difference with a simple analogy.
“Information would be: “A tomato is a fruit.”
And insight is: “You don’t put the tomato in a fruit salad.”
“In life I want to give people some insights, give them time to think. Often, people will say that was a very thought-provoking talk, so I want to give them some insights.”
“The second I is actually I want to give you some inspiration. The word inspire means to breathe life into, and I think there are some people in life who are feeling that the life has been sucked out of them. I want people to feel inspired.”
Finally, he focuses on practical tools that help people take real action.
“One of the things that very often I talk about is not just from a mindset point of view — it’s not just “let’s be positive” — but I often talk about these seven questions to help you SUMO. And they are questions that won’t be relevant in every situation, but they are a set of questions, a tool that people can have.”
Among those questions:
- “Where is this issue on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 equals death or the end of the world?”
- “How important will this be in six months’ time?”
- “How will I feel about this in six months?”
- “How can I influence or improve the situation?”
For agents, those questions can help shift perspective – from worrying about one slow month to planning the next six, or from frustration over a lost listing to a focus on what can be improved next time.
Adapting to stay in the game
Real estate is, by nature, a changing business.
Markets rise and fall, technology redefines client expectations, and consumer trust has to be earned again and again.
Paul’s message is a timely reminder that resilience isn’t about enduring whatever happens — it’s about adjusting quickly and responding thoughtfully.
“The future does not belong to the strongest or the most intelligent. The future belongs to those who are best able to adapt to change.”
That mindset, he says, is the difference between simply surviving and continuing to thrive – no matter what the market does next.
