You may know the name Napoleon Hill as the author of Think and Grow Rich, the book that has sold more than 20 million copies. But he also wrote a lesser-known book called The Law of Success. In that book, he shared what he called his golden rule and true secret of success: “Only by working harmoniously in cooperation with other individuals or groups of individuals and thus creating value and benefit for them will one create sustainable achievement for oneself.”

Bottom line: if you want to be successful, think outside of yourself and think about others. 

If you’re a real estate broker whose goal is to be successful, I suggest becoming a student of Napoleon Hill and his theories of achievement. I’ve been in this business for most of my life, and I know he’s hitting on the absolute bedrock of success when he says it’s all about helping others succeed. I’ve seen it day in and day out for my entire career. 

So how can you help your agents achieve more in their work? Here are some tips I hope you find useful:

Involve your agents in the business: How do you think some football players would feel if they were excluded from the huddle? Not very valued, that’s for sure. Agents who feel involved in the business and who are allowed to offer ideas, opinions and suggestions will feel valued and engaged. And engaged employees become devoted to the organization and its customers. When you have happy, engaged employees, guess what? You also have happy customers. 

Think R & R: No, not rest and relaxation — although make time for that too! — but recognize and reward. Another “R” is research, and it has shown the best way to make employees feel appreciated is to recognize them in front of their peers. The best brokers take time to do this at least annually. And rewarding hard work, whether with raises, bonuses or time off, is a proven way to make agents feel appreciated and needed by the company. 

Adopt a servant’s heart: Author Pearl Buck once said, “to serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind.” The truth of the matter is this: real estate is a service business — yes, certainly for buyers and sellers, but also for brokers serving their agents with the tools they need to do their jobs. Without delivering knock-your-socks-off service to agents, your business is sure to fail.

Make tools and training plentiful: Let’s face it, humans love their tools. From the earliest stone tools to cut meat to Windows 10, tools make us more efficient, like smartphones, tablets, digital recorders and cameras and all the rest. And by letting agents attend professional development courses, you’re telling them they matter. 

Manage but never micromanage: Many wise leaders in business have said they hire the right people and then let them do their jobs. Sure, you must manage, give direction and assistance, but you also have to trust and give freedom, too. Micromanaging is not only detrimental, it’s belittling. 

Do you believe you could be more successful by helping your agents or others around you? Be sure to implement some of these tips so you can help your agents achieve more success!

Bubba Mills is co-owner and the executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc., an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into real estate companies, mortgage companies and small businesses.