Across Canada’s real estate and ancillary industries: brokerages, mortgage teams, legal support, and administrative hubs, leaders are navigating a market that feels tighter than it has in years. Margins are narrow, transaction volumes are low, but expectations remain high. In environments like this, leadership often defaults to structure, policy, and compliance. And while following legislation is essential, particularly requirements under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) and similar bodies of legislation across Canadian provinces, it’s important to remember what those laws actually represent: the minimum standard, not the ideal one.
Great leadership is rarely defined by how closely we operate to the minimum. Instead, it is defined by how thoughtfully we respond to the human beings who make our businesses function. That’s where humility becomes an essential leadership skill. Not humility in the sense of weakness, but humility as awareness, emotional intelligence, and compassion. Humility is the ability to recognize that leadership involves people, not just policies.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” C. S. Lewis
There was a recent video shared by a famous influencer/business mogul that offered a powerful example of this kind of leadership. He spoke about a loyal employee who had recently lost her husband. Like many employers, he acknowledged that bereavement leave provides a limited number of paid days (3 days in Ontario). After those days passed, the employee returned to work visibly distraught and unable to focus. From a strictly legal standpoint, there could have been consequences tied to performance expectations or productivity concerns. But as most of us understand, losing someone as close as a spouse is not something that resolves in a matter of days.
Rather than penalizing her or forcing productivity before she was emotionally ready, he made a different choice. He gave her a full month off, continued her salary, maintained her benefits without interruption, and asked her to check in after thirty days to see if she was ready to return. That single decision did more than provide short-term relief. It reinforced loyalty, preserved trust, and likely secured the long-term retention of an employee who will remain committed for years to come. That is what leading with humility looks like in practice. But let’s talk dollars and cents too, as a business owner I understand that while many want to be generous, it is often hard to allocate the budget unless the business is doing incredibly well. A month’s salary for an employee who makes $70,000 annually is just shy of $5,900.00, certainly not a small amount; the cost of replacing them is at least double that, often more.
In another example I recently heard about, a broker-owner waived all monthly fees for an agent undergoing cancer treatment. The agent always had a steady production pipeline, but during his treatment was not in any condition to show clients’ properties or take on listings. He didn’t ask for the fees to be frozen; he considered parking his licence, but the broker-owner had a different solution, one that put humility ahead of money. Speaking with the agent’s wife, she said he would never consider leaving the brokerage that supported him during his time of need.
Real estate and its supporting industries depend heavily on people who consistently go above and beyond. Administrators who stay late to meet closing deadlines. Underwriters who work through complex files. Coordinators who keep communication flowing between clients, agents, lenders, and legal teams. When those same individuals experience personal hardship, it is only logical to consider accommodations that extend beyond the basic legal minimum, especially when they have demonstrated loyalty and dedication to the organization.
Of course, many employers immediately raise a reasonable concern: what if someone takes advantage of flexibility? What if goodwill is misused or exploited? What happens if providing accommodations creates expectations that cannot be sustained? These are valid questions, and responsible leadership requires acknowledging them. However, experience shows that patterns become clear over time. Employees who genuinely need support behave very differently from those who attempt to misuse it. Leaders who remain observant and thoughtful can usually distinguish between the two and make informed decisions accordingly.
Providing flexibility does not mean committing to endless accommodation without boundaries. It does not prevent leaders from addressing performance concerns or holding employees accountable when expectations are not met. Instead, it allows for thoughtful, situational decision-making that respects both the individual and the organization. Most employees who receive genuine compassion during difficult periods respond with increased loyalty, stronger engagement, and a deeper commitment to their roles. That loyalty is rarely forced; it is earned.
At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge the reality that many businesses are facing today. Profit margins are tightening, markets are shifting, and uncertainty remains present across the real estate sector. Employers are often balancing competing priorities, trying to maintain operational stability while continuing to support their teams. Accommodations must always be considered within reasonable limits, particularly when they approach the threshold of undue hardship, meaning the point at which continued accommodation would negatively impact the business’s ability to function effectively.
Humility in leadership is often misunderstood. It does not mean lowering standards or tolerating poor performance. It does not mean sacrificing business outcomes or avoiding difficult conversations. Rather, humility reflects an understanding that leadership is relational, not purely transactional. It acknowledges that performance challenges sometimes stem from personal hardship rather than lack of effort. It recognizes that trust is built through consistent actions, not written policies.
Employees who feel supported during challenging times often repay that support through long-term commitment and consistent effort. In industries where turnover disrupts operations and institutional knowledge is invaluable, that kind of loyalty has measurable business value. Retention improves. Morale stabilizes. Trust deepens. Productivity often follows naturally. At a time when many businesses feel pressure to tighten policies and operate more rigidly, it is worth remembering that culture, not contracts, ultimately sustains performance during difficult cycles. Leading with humility does not weaken an organization. It strengthens it by reinforcing the relationships that drive daily operations.
Before defaulting to the minimum standard required by law or policy, it may be worth pausing to ask a simple question: what would I hope for if I were in their position? Not what legislation requires, but what a human being might need during a difficult moment. Because at the end of the day, real estate, and every business connected to it, is built on people. Clients trust people. Transactions depend on people. Businesses grow because of people. And when those people face challenges, leadership has a choice: lead by rule alone, or lead with care.
The strongest leaders understand that the most sustainable organizations are built not only on performance, but on compassion.
SOURCE KATE TEVES & THE HR PRO
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