Every real estate principal knows the frustration of introducing something they genuinely believe will improve the business, only to discover that the people expected to embrace it are reluctant to change.
It might be a new CRM, an AI-powered prospecting tool, a different approach to managing buyers or a revised process for keeping vendors informed. The benefits appear obvious to the person making the decision, yet weeks later, some agents are still relying on spreadsheets, old habits and the systems they have used for years.
The natural response is to question why people are so unwilling to move forward. But according to organisational change consultant Philip Jameson, that frustration may be precisely what prevents leaders from achieving the change they want.
In his TED Talk, Want someone to change? Ask this question, Philip argues that successful change begins with understanding what is stopping people from doing things differently, rather than assuming they should already recognise the benefits.
It is a distinction that has particular relevance for real estate businesses, where experienced agents often have established ways of working, individual sales strategies and strong views about what produces results.
Philip describes two approaches to leading change, identifying what he calls the “dreamers” and the “detectives”.
Dreamers are convinced that their proposed improvement is smarter, faster or more effective than the existing approach. They believe the advantages should be self-evident and struggle to understand why others cannot see things the same way.
Detectives approach the problem differently. Rather than concentrating on the benefits of their idea, they investigate the obstacles that might prevent people from adopting it.
As Philip explains, the difference comes down to two deceptively similar questions.
“Not ‘Why wouldn’t people do it?’ but instead, ‘Why won’t people do it?’”
That small change in thinking can have significant implications for how real estate agencies introduce new systems, manage performance and build stronger teams.
Consider an agency principal who invests in a sophisticated CRM designed to improve database management, automate follow-ups and identify prospective sellers.
From the principal’s perspective, the decision makes perfect sense. Better data should mean stronger relationships, more consistent prospecting and ultimately more listings.
But an established agent who has spent 15 years building relationships through personal phone calls and a familiar contact system may see things differently.
They might worry that the technology will make their interactions less personal, that learning the system will take time away from prospecting or that their existing knowledge of clients will become less valuable.
Simply explaining the benefits again is unlikely to resolve those concerns.
The more effective approach, based on Philip’s argument, is to understand what the agent believes they stand to lose and then address those concerns directly.
One example from the TED Talk illustrates how this can work. Philip describes a hotel chain introducing a more sophisticated pricing tool that used automation and machine learning. Management discovered that employees were sceptical because they trusted their own pricing instincts more than the technology.
Rather than simply insisting that staff use the system, the organisation brought some of its most experienced employees into an early user group, demonstrating that the technology had value even for those with considerable expertise.
The approach worked, with the vast majority of employees who had access to the tool eventually using it every week.
For real estate leaders, the parallels are clear – when introducing new technology, involving respected senior agents early in the process may be more effective than expecting everyone to accept a decision made at management level.
An experienced salesperson who has tested a system and found it genuinely useful may carry more influence with colleagues than a presentation outlining its potential benefits.
There is also an important distinction between an agent who refuses to change and one who simply lacks the time, confidence or training to do so.
Philip encourages leaders to investigate whether employees have the knowledge and skills required, whether practical obstacles are making change difficult and whether they believe they have something to lose.
In a real estate office, those obstacles could be surprisingly ordinary. An agent might understand the value of more detailed buyer records but struggle to find time to update them between inspections, negotiations and appointments. A property manager may support a new communication process but feel overwhelmed by the additional administrative work involved in learning it.
In these circumstances, the solution may not require another meeting about the importance of compliance or efficiency. It might mean providing better training, simplifying the process or allocating time for people to become comfortable with the new approach.
More complicated barriers can emerge when change affects someone’s sense of expertise, independence or status.
For example, a high-performing agent who has built a successful career using a particular listing presentation may interpret a new company-wide approach as a suggestion that their existing methods are inadequate.
Similarly, an experienced sales manager who has always controlled certain decisions may feel that introducing automation diminishes their role.
These concerns are not necessarily arguments against change, but they can help explain why even capable, committed employees sometimes resist it.
Philip makes the point that leaders need to investigate these underlying motivations rather than dismissing them.
“When people feel they don’t gain anything by changing, or worse, when they feel that they have something to lose, we shouldn’t be surprised when they don’t change at all.”
For agency principals, this suggests that successful leadership involves more than identifying the right business strategy. It also requires understanding how that strategy will be experienced by the people responsible for delivering it.
The same thinking can be applied beyond internal management.
Agents regularly encounter resistance when advising vendors to adjust their price expectations, reconsider a marketing strategy or accept that market conditions have changed.
An owner who refuses to reduce their asking price may not simply be ignoring comparable sales. They may be concerned about what a lower result means for their next purchase, reluctant to accept that their property is worth less than expected or worried about appearing to have made a poor financial decision.
Repeating the market evidence may be necessary, but understanding the reason behind the owner’s position can make that conversation more productive.
Likewise, a buyer who appears unwilling to improve an offer may have genuine financial limitations, uncertainty about future interest rates or concerns that have not yet been discussed.
The lesson for agents is not to abandon professional advice or avoid difficult conversations, but to recognise that persuasion becomes more effective when it begins with understanding.
Philip offers three practical suggestions for anyone trying to encourage change.
The first is to ask people directly what is preventing them from adopting a new approach, rather than relying on assumptions. The second is to ask more than once, recognising that deeper concerns may only emerge after more immediate problems have been addressed.
The third is to avoid turning resistance into a judgement about someone’s character.
“When people aren’t behaving the way you expect, it’s tempting to say that they’re lazy or resistant, but moralizing doesn’t help you get the thing that you want: a successful, sustained change.”
That is particularly relevant in an industry where performance expectations are high and agency leaders are often under pressure to improve productivity, protect margins and respond quickly to changing market conditions.
As technology becomes more embedded in real estate, the ability to bring people along with change is likely to become just as important as choosing the right tools.
An agency can invest heavily in automation, data analytics and new operating systems, but those investments will deliver limited value if the people using them do not understand, trust or feel equipped to adopt them.
Ultimately, Philip’s message is that resistance should be treated as something to investigate rather than simply overcome.
For real estate principals, sales managers and agents alike, the next time someone pushes back against a new idea, the most productive response may not be another explanation of why it makes sense.
It may be to ask what is standing in their way.
Watch Philip Jameson’s six-minute TED Talk, Want someone to change? Ask this question.