After 40+ years in real estate and mortgage, here’s the truth I learned that most won’t say out loud:
Growth is optional. Decline is guaranteed if you don’t own your role in lead generation.
This market isn’t broken. It’s just different.
Different requires:
- Discipline
- Ownership
- Alignment — every seat on the bus driving toward GROWTH.
You might not like what I’m about to say. And I care too much not to tell you the truth.
Everyone’s Job is Lead Gen
Whether you’re the Rainmaker, Director of Growth, an Agent, ISA/OSA, Director of Ops, Marketing Manager, TC, or Client Care Coordinator — your job IS lead generation.
The way you go about it may differ. But the responsibility is shared.
So let’s break it down — with some direct, no-BS truth for both sales and ops.
Here’s The Real Talk For Admin AND Agents
First, Admin + Ops Leaders
Stop saying, “Lead gen isn’t my job.”
You’re right — you’re not cold calling. You’re not prospecting. You’re not hosting open houses. You’re not in sales.
But if you’re building systems that don’t directly generate business, you’re not building growth. You’re maintaining. And in this market, maintenance mode is a slow death.
You’re not a task taker. You’re a growth maker.
Stop acting like an assistant. Start acting like a business partner. Because that’s what growth demands.
That means you’re not just building checklists — you’re building machines.
Machines that:
✅ Are repeatable
✅ Are scalable
✅ Are measured
✅ Deliver max ROI with minimum chaos
Here’s the kicker: If you’re not tracking it, improving it, or getting results from it — it’s not a system. It’s busywork.
Let’s talk examples:
Touch Plan Fantasy vs. ROI Reality
If I ask 10 teams if they have a Touch Plan. All 10 will say yes.
If I then ask:
- Are you getting 1 closing per 10 people in your “Met” database?
- Are you adding new people to the database consistently & systematically?
Most will say no to both questions. And if the answer is no, that’s not a Touch Plan. That’s a digital graveyard.
Client Events = “Fun” vs. Client Events = Results
When I ask teams about client events, I hear:
- “It was so fun!”
- “We had a great turnout!”
- “Clients loved it!”
That’s nice. But here’s what I want to know:
- How many referrals did it produce?
- How many reviews did you get?
- How many new contacts were added to the database?
- Did you call every attendee before AND after the event?
- Did you follow up with people who didn’t respond or come?
Fun without follow-up is just expensive entertainment.
“But I Don’t Want to Prospect…”
Good. You’re not supposed to. That’s your sales team’s job. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.
Here’s what connection looks like on the ops side:
📞 “We’d love to invite you to our next VIP event. It’s ________.”
📞 “Thanks so much for coming!”
📞 “We missed you at the [event]. Should we keep you on the VIP list for next time?”
📞 “Are you thinking about selling in the next year? We’ve got a Preferred Contractor List I can send you.”
📞 “We’re updating your contact info so we can keep you looped in. Our next event is _______.”
You’re not selling. You’re adding value. You’re building community. You’re creating relationships that lead to conversions.
That is lead gen.
A Few Tools To Assist:
Agents + Rainmakers
Now let’s get real.
I know you’re discouraged. A few years ago, business was easy. Now you’re grinding harder, and it still doesn’t feel like enough. Here’s what I want you to hear:
This is your opportunity. This is where the pros rise. Where you show your value — to clients, to your team, to your business.
If I asked your DOO about you:
- 📅 Does your Rainmaker’s calendar match your team’s goals?
- 🎯 Is 2–3 hours of actual, intentional lead/talent gen time blocked every day?
- 💬Do they walk the talk or is their message “Do what I say, not what I do”?
Or would they say you are perfecting the art of the escape?
- ⚠️Filling your day with “busyness” that feels good, but produces nothing
- ⚠️Going to Mastermind after Mastermind to get tons of ideas, but never executing
- ⚠️ Networking, meetings, coffee after coffee , but no results
- ⚠️ Reason after reason about why you need to skip lead gen, reschedule meetings
Let’s be blunt: If you’re not making it rain, stop calling yourself the Rainmaker.
You’ve got two ways to make it rain:
- Lead Gen: Generate leads (whether you are in production or out)
- Talent Gen: Recruit agents & talent to help your team grow
Stop telling your EA or DOO it’s up to them “to find business” or “you need to recruit” (when you’re not doing either).
Yes, it’s their job to build the systems to support lead gen and recruiting. (Systems that produce income and leads!) But the ownership of those pillars? That’s YOU. Not them.
This should be a partnership, not an abdication.
If you’re skipping lead gen and recruiting (or doing it inconsistently) and blaming your Ops team for the lack of results?
You’re not leading. You’re dodging.
And you know what happened to the kid in Dodge Ball.
The Bottom Line
This market isn’t the enemy. Complacency is.
And the best way to fight complacency?
- Clarity
- Communication
- Consistency
- Accountability
- Shared ownership of growth
So here’s your permission — and your challenge:
🧠 Re-Set (your mindset)
⚙️ Re-Wire (your systems)
🚀 Re-Launch (your action)
Growth isn’t reserved for “salespeople.” It’s the result of a business that acts like a business — where everyone owns the outcome.
- Check your mindset.
- Check your systems.
- Check your calendar.
Because everyone’s job is lead gen.
Ready to Turn Insight Into Action?
At Ops Boss® Coaching, our coaches are experts in one thing: Getting results. We don’t teach theory. We coach:
- Execution
- Accountability
- Leadership
- Growth
So if you’re serious about scaling in this market — not coasting on the easy market of yesteryear — it’s time to invest in your Ops Leader.
👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching
👉 Or reach out and let’s talk about what’s possible
Because the market may have shifted — and true leaders rise in the shift.
And you, my friend? You’re built for more.
Now go be a BOSS. 💪