Why Personality Profiles Matter for Real Estate Agents

If you've been in real estate for a little while, you've probably heard of DISC assessments. It is not the only personality profiling tool out there, but like Myers and Briggs it helps industry match a person's skills with the right type of role in a company. These tests are not the final arbiter of success, but they do give insight into an agent's strengths and weaknesses, as well as how they should apply this knowledge in their business model.

The top producer in my company from about 2015-2021 struck me as more of a flop her first year with me in 2010. I'd send her a bunch of Zillow leads, and none would convert into anything. She thought Zillow leads were not very good, so eventually I stopped sending them to her. Then a funny thing happened: she started to make enormous waves with her sphere of influence.

I was trying to put a square peg into a round hole with her and the online leads. Internet leads weren't her strong suit. But she was an absolute juggernaut with her friends and family.

It was the opposite for another agent who appeared to me to be incredibly well connected and networked. She got nothing from her sphere, but was awesome with Internet leads. It was the complete opposite of the other agent.

My company divides the types into 4 categories, 2 that were more suited to prospecting and lead generation and two that were better at sphere and referrals. All money is green, so it became an interest of mine to make sure that we placed agents into settings where they were most likely to win. Personality types are a start, but only a start. There is so much more to it than being extroverted or introverted, for example, and outcomes are really the only true measurement.

There are dozens of ways to generate business. An agent who is failing may simply be driving the wrong business vehicle. Football coach Nick Saban is attributed for saying that instead of trying to be average at what we are bad at, we should focus on becoming excellent at what we are good at. I love this. Too often the potential for excellence is drowned by a preoccupation with improving what we will never excel in.

I have no idea if Albert Einstein was good at spelling but I'm glad he focused on physics.

I couldn't tell you if Babe Ruth could sink a jump shot but the world is better for his excellence at baseball.

My oldest son will never win any awards for his writing, but his art is amazing.

Audrey Hepburn may not have been a very good cook, but she’s my favorite actress of all time.

I think you get the picture.

Figure out your type, your modalities, what you enjoy and do well in, and don't waste any more time with the things that you suck at and bring you no joy.